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SCAR BULLETIN, No. 151, October 2003

Management Plan for Antarctic Specially Protected Area No 135
North-East Bailey Peninsula, Budd Coast, Wilkes Land

1. Description of Values to be Protected

The flora of the Windmill Islands region comprises 36 species of lichen, five bryophyte species, a liverwort, and 150 non-marine algae and 120 fungal taxa have been recorded. An ascomycete mycorrhizal fungus has been shown in the liverwort Cephaloziella varians. Three species of the lichen genus Lecidea have been collected and await identification.
North-east Bailey Peninsula, Antarctic Specially Protected Area is representative of a diverse assemblage of the Windmill Islands region flora. As such, the Area has intrinsic ecological value and scientific importance, particularly to botanists, microbiologists, soil scientists and glacial geomorphologists.

2. Aims and Objectives

3. Management Activities

4. Period of Designation

Designated for an indefinite period.

5. Maps

Map A: East Antarctica, showing location of North-east Bailey Peninsula.
Map B: Budd Coast, Wilkes Land, showing location of North-east Bailey Peninsula.
MapC: Topographic map of North-east Bailey Peninsula.
Map D: Vegetation map of North-east Bailey Peninsula
Map E: Geology of North-east Bailey Peninsula.
Map F: Detail of North-east Bailey Peninsula vegetation, structures and lakes.

6. Description of the Area
6(i) Geographical co-ordinates, boundary markers and natural features
The North-east Bailey Peninsula Antarctic Specially Protected Area is approximately 0.28 km2 in area and located on Bailey Peninsula adjacent to the Windmill Islands Group on the Budd Coast, Wilkes Land, East Antarctica, (Maps A and B). Bailey Peninsula comprises low lying, rounded ice-free rocky outcrops (maximum altitude approximately 40 m) and, approximately 3 km east, rises to the Løken Moraines (altitude approximately 130 metres).
The climate of the Windmill Islands region is frigid-Antarctic.
The Mesoproterozoic facies terrain of the Windmill Islands comprises migmatitic metapelites and metapsammites interlayered with mafic to ultramafic and felsic sequences with rare calc-silicates, large partial melt bodies (Windmill Island supacrustals), undeformed granite, charnockite, gabbro, pegmatite, aplites and cut by easterly-trending late dolerite dykes. Bailey Peninsula is part of a the northern gradation of a metamorphic grade transition which separates the northern part of the Windmill Islands region from the southern part.
The Windmill Islands region was glaciated during the Late Pleistocene. Bailey Peninsula was deglaciated by 5500 corr. yr B.P. Isostatic uplift has occurred at a rate of between 0.5 and 0.6 m/100 yr.
Soils on Bailey Peninsula are derived from weathered gneiss, moraine deposits and outwash gravels stemming from glacial episodes. Seabirds have a large impact on soil formation in the entire landscape. Cold monomictic lakes and ponds occur in bedrock depressions and are usually ice-free during January and February. Nutrient rich lakes are found near the coast; sterile lakes are located further inland and are fed by meltwater and local precipitation
The vegetation of Bailey Peninsula is exceptionally well developed and diverse and represents one of the most important botanical sites on continental Antarctica.
Four species of birds are known to nest in the vicinity of Bailey Peninsula. These include Adélie Penguin Pygoscelis adeliae, Snow Petrels Pagodroma nivea, Wilson’s Storm Petrel Oceanites oceanicus, and the Antarctic Skua Catharacta maccormicki.
The mite Nanorchestes antarcticus has been found on Bailey Peninsula. Five species of tardigrades have been collected: Pseudechiniscus suillus, Macrobiotus sp., Hypsibius antarcticus, Ramajendas frigidus and Diphascon chilenense.

6(ii) Special Zones within the Area
There are no special zones within the Area.


6(iii) Location of Structures within and adjacent to the Area
Casey station (Australia) is located to the north-west. A small storage rack, a transmitter building and rigging store, and an antenna mast are located in the Area

6(iv) Location of other Protected Areas in the vicinity
The nearest protected Areas are Clark Peninsula, ASPA 136, Ardery Island and Odbert Island, ASPA 103.

7. Permit Conditions
Entry into the Area is prohibited except in accordance with a Permit issued by an appropriate National Authority.

7(i) Access to and Movement within or over the Area
Vehicles are prohibited within the Area and access should be by foot.

7(ii) Activities which are or may be conducted within the Area, including restrictions on time and place

7(iii) Installation, modification or removal of structures

Any structures erected or installed within the Area are to be specified in a Permit and must be maintained in good condition, clearly identifying the permitting country, name of principal investigator and year of installation.

7(iv) Location of field camps

Parties are prohibited from camping within the Area.

7(v) Restrictions on materials and organisms which may be brought into the Area

7(vi) Taking of or harmful interference with native flora and fauna

Taking of or harmful interference with native flora and fauna is prohibited, except in accordance with a Permit.

7(vii) Collection and removal of anything not brought into the Area by the Permit Holder

Material may be collected or removed from the Area only in accordance with a permit. Material of human origin may be removed.

7(viii) Disposal of waste

All wastes shall be removed from the Area.

7(ix) Measures that may be necessary to ensure that the aims and objectives of the Management Plan can continue to be met

Permits may be granted to enter the Area to carry out biological monitoring and Area inspection and management activities.
Persons entering the Area shall take special precautions against introductions, particularly microbial or vegetation introductions sourced from soils at other Antarctic sites, or from regions outside Antarctica.

7(x) Requirements for reports

Parties should ensure that the principal Permit Holder for each Permit issued submit to the appropriate Authority a report describing the activities undertaken.