Biodiversity Assessment - South East Corner
South East Corner
Introduction
Summary of overall condition and trend
The overall condition and trend in the bioregion is good. The bioregion retains a high proportion of its native vegetation, with the bulk of the land being in public ownership. Clearing has however been extensive in the major river valleys in the lowlands the small vegetation remnants left continue to decline
The associated threatening processes feral animals, particularly foxes, changed fire regimes both through fire management of forest areas and also in the coastal heathlands, loss of mixed age and old growth characteristics including tree hollows, and the effective fragmentation and habitat loss as the result of intensive logging isolating or restricting small remnants.
Continental landscape stress class is 5, however, for East Gippsland Lowlands (NSW component) the class is 1. The main contributors to the stress class are associated fragmentation of the vegetation from logging, pest animals and changes in fire regime.
Summary of conservation priorities
The South East Corner retains a high proportion of native vegetation cover, and the majority of the bioregion is in public ownership. This facilitates a landscape scale approach to management of fire regimes for improved ecological outcomes, and predator control (primarily foxes). The implementation of the conservation management objectives of the Forest Management Plans and Regional Forestry Agreements in Victoria remains a high priority and further work is also needed into techniques to further ameliorate the impacts of intensive forestry from the landscape scale down to the scale of individual coupes. Fire management for fire dependant and sensitive species continues to be a priority with an initial focus required on improved fire management of coastal heathland. Priorities in the agricultural landscapes of the major valleys are for protection and management of remnant native vegetation particularly threatened ecosystems and habitat of threatened species, with remnant grasslands, woodlands and shallow freshwater wetlands being identified as conservation priorities for private land.
South East Corner is a series of deeply dissected near coastal ranges composed of Devonian granites and Palaeozoic sediments, inland of a series of gently undulating terraces (piedmont downs) composed of Tertiary sediments and flanked by Quaternary coastal plains, dunefields and inlets. The regional climate is strongly influenced by the Tasman Sea and the close proximity of the coast to the Great Dividing Range.
Vegetation consists of high elevation woodlands, wet and damp sclerophyll forests interspersed with rain-shadow woodlands in the Snowy River Valley. Lowland and coastal sclerophyll forests woodlands, warm temperate rainforest lower areas with heath and wetlands being common along the coast.
Natural values
The South East Corner bioregion is well-known for its biogeographical importance as the area of overlap between southern cool temperate and eastern warm temperate zones.
Croajingalong National Park and Errinundra National Park are two notable parks reserving geomorphological features and flora and fauna of significance in the bioregion. There are several Wilderness Areas occurring in the bioregion including Genoa Brogo, Deua, Budawang, Genoa, Kosciuszko, Nadgee and Snowy River Wilderness Areas.
Bioregional endemics include a range of plants: Betka Bottlebrush (Callistemon kenmorrisonii Molyneux), Black-hooded Sun-orchid (Thelymitra atronitida), Colquhoun Grevillea (Grevillea celata Molyneux), East Gippsland (Pterostylis sp aff alveata), Errinundra Plum-pine (Podocarpus lawrencei ssp. nov. (Goonmirk Rocks) sensu Ross (1996)), Leafy Nematolepis (Nematolepis frondosa (N.G. Walsh and Albr.) Paul G. Wilson), Mt Elizabeth Hovea (Hovea sp. 2 (Mt Elizabeth) sensu Ross (2000)), Narrow-leaf Bent-grass (Deyeuxia pungens N.G. Walsh), River Beard-heath (Leucopogon riparius N.A. Wakef.), Snowy River Westringia (Westringia cremnophila Wakef.)
Silurian Limestone Pomaderris Shrubland is a nationally threatened community endemic to this bioregion.
Click here to link to a table of natural values within each subregion
Wetlands
Twenty-four wetlands of national importance are listed, and twenty-six wetlands of regional significance have been identified including: freshwater meadows; shallow marshes; herb, rush and reed, deep marshes; reed, sedges, rush, open water; open water; shallow, deep and impoundment; semi-saline salt meadow; and permanent saline - shallow, deep and island. They act as significant refuges supporting populations of endemic, rare or threatened species, and species-rich ecosystems.
Their condition is good to near pristine while the trend in condition is generally static. Threatening processes include changes to hydrology, pollution (run off of fertilisers and herbicides from adjacent agricultural land and recreational boating), grazing pressure from cattle and feral herbivores, feral animals and environmental weeds, Increased sedimentation and erosion from forestry operations and recreational 4 wheel drive vehicles tracks and roads.
Nationally important wetlands
Map: IBRA map showing DIWA locations, towns, subregions, major roads and reserves and most common threatening processes.
Click here to link to a table of Australia's Important Wetlands (Directory of Important Wetlands of Australia): their type, condition, trend and threatening processes within each subregion.
Regionally important wetlands
Click here to link to a table of provisional identification of wetlands of regional significance: their type and special values within each subregion. The reliability of the overall subregional assessment is indicated.
Click here to link to a table of provisional identification of wetlands of regional significance: their condition, trend and threatening processes within each subregion.
Riparian Zones
Main river systems in Victoria include the Mitchell, Nicholson, Tambo, Buchan, Snowy, Brodribb, Bemm, Cann, Thurra, Wingan and Genoa Rivers. Main river systems in New South Wales include the Snowy, Tuross, Towamba, Deua, Clyde, Bega, Wadbilliga, and Shoalhaven Rivers.
The condition of riparian zones is good (recovery requires little intervention) in Victoria and degraded in NSW, and the overall status is declining. Threatening processes impacting upon riparian zones include trampling and grazing pressure from cattle and feral herbivores, environmental weeds, increasing fragmentation and loss of remnants, changed fire regimes, firewood collection and changed hydrology.
Map: Riparian threatening processes.
Click here to link to a table of riparian zones: their average condition, trend and threatening processes for each subregion. The reliability of this overall assessment is indicated.
Ecosystems at risk
In the South East Corner (Victoria) there are 16 endangered and 19 vulnerable ecosystems at risk and declining with 5 ecosystems now extinct. Of the 81 regional ecosystems (ecological vegetation classes) in the bioregion - 20% are endangered and 23% vulnerable and 6% extinct. Fifty regional ecosystems are identified as threatened in the New South Wales portion.
The major vegetation types that have the most regional ecosystems under threat in Victoria (the NVIS major vegetation subgroups which have the largest number of threatened EVCs) are eucalyptus woodlands with a grassy understorey, eucalyptus forests with a shrubby understorey, herbland, sedgeland and rushland, tall shrublands, and eucalyptus forests with a grassy understorey .
The main threatening processes impacting on these ecosystems identified (from New South Wales and Victoria) are: changed fire regimes which impact on much of the vegetation, particularly rainforest and heathlands; the introduction of exotic weeds; increasing fragmentation and loss of remnants through clearing for agricultural land and forestry; feral animals, particularly foxes and rabbits; grazing pressure; broad scale vegetation clearing; and changed hydrology such as salinity and drainage of wetlands for agricultural purposes.
Map: IBRA map showing frequency of threatening processes for ecosystems.
Click here to link to a table of provisional list of threatened ecosystems in Australia: their broad vegetation type (National Vegetation Information System - Major Vegetation Subgroup), recommended status, current legislative protection as a threatened ecosystem, trend and bioregional distribution. These ecosystems are arranged in the bioregion of their principal occurrence. The reliability of the recommended status is indicated.
Click here to link to a table of provisional list of threatened ecosystems in each subregion: their threatening processes.
Click here to link to a table of provisional list of threatened ecosystems in each subregion: their recommended recovery actions
Species at risk
260 taxa listed as threatened have been identified at least one jurisdiction in the bioregion. Seven taxa are listed as extinct, 14 as critically endangered, 68 as endangered, 179 as vulnerable. 312 other taxa of conservation concern have been identified in the Victorian part of the Bioregion.
Trends of the threatened taxa recorded in Victoria in the bioregion are 3% extinct, 1% rapidly declining, 5% declining, 4% improving, 10% static and the trend for the remaining 77% is unknown.
For the threatened taxa identified in New South Wales the trends are 1% extinct, 33% rapidly declining, 33% declining, 4% static and 29% improving.
Threatening processes which impact on threatened species in the bioregion include: broad scale vegetation clearing including degradation of grassland habitat and clearing of riparian vegetation; changed fire regimes including frequent burning which degrades shrub habitat and reduces ground cover availability; changed hydrology - drainage of wetlands and water bodies; changed hydrology - salinity degradation of habitat: exotic weeds: feral animals- predation by foxes, dogs, cats and trout; firewood collection; grazing pressure- overgrazing by cattle and rabbits, grazing and trampling of riparian vegetation by cattle and competition with native species from cattle, sheep and rabbits; increased fragmentation and loss of remnants: loss of hollow bearing trees; introduction and spread of pathogens: pollution; and other: human disturbance through industry and recreation, greenhouse effects, and logging operations.
Table 1: Number of threatened taxa occurring in the bioregion
| Commonwealth | Victoria | New South Wales | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extinct | Endangered | Vulnerable | Extinct | Critically Endangered | Endangered | Vulnerable | Data deficient or Insufficiently known | Lower risk - Near Threatened | Rare | Extinct | Endangered | Vulnerable | |
| Amphibians | 1 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||
| Birds | 6 | 11 | 9 | 17 | 22 | 5 | 9 | 7 | 33 | ||||
| Fish | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | ||||||||
| Invertebrates | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||||||||
| Mammals | 1 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 17 | ||
| Plant | 15 | 48 | 3 | 30 | 107 | 44 | 238 | 9 | 19 | ||||
| Reptiles | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||
| Total | 1 | 29 | 74 | 7 | 14 | 62 | 142 | 57 | 15 | 240 | 0 | 23 | 72 |
Map: IBRA map showing frequency of threatening processes for species.
Click here to link to a table of species at risk in each subregion: their status, trend and subregional distribution. The reliability of the assessment of trend is indicated and whether recovery plans have been prepared.
Click here to link to a table of species at risk in each subregion: their threatening processes.
Click here to link to a table of species at risk in each subregion: their status recommended recovery actions.
Eucalypts and Acacias
The East Gippsland lowlands subregion was identified as having a high diversity of eucalypt taxa, these are generally considered to be secure, given the high percentage of native vegtetation cover in the bioregion. Two species of eucalypt found in the bioregion are however listed as threatened in Victoria.
The following taxa were identified as endemic to the bioregion and are presumed to be restricted to the NSW section of the bioregion as they are not known from Victoria: Eucalyptus ericifolia, Acacia blayana, Acacia constablei, Acacia covenyi, Acacia georgensis, Acacia pedina, Eucalyptus botrysaligna, Eucalyptus deuaensis, Eucalyptus imlayensis, Eucalyptus sp. (Coast Range J.E.Kemp+ 3) and Eucalyptus spectatrix.
Birds
Although less than one fifth of the South-east Corner has been cleared, the bioregion occurs in the intensive use zone, and many of the forests have been heavily logged. The region is an important area for several threatened taxa, particularly the Vulnerable mainland subspecies of Ground Parrot, the southern subspecies of Eastern Bristlebird and the eastern subspecies of Hooded Plover. There is a relatively high rate of range limitation and a low exotic load. Among the guilds, the most striking decline in reporting rate was in forest birds, particularly cockatoos, owls and treecreepers, as well as many smaller bush birds. These declines are well outside the trends for these species elsewhere in the country. Either there have been proportionately fewer visits to forest habitats during the second Atlas period, or there have indeed been declines which warrant investigation.
Status: Forest avifauna may have declined recently with agricultural species near coast.
Rare and threatened: Ground Parrot and Eastern Bristlebird in coastal heaths, Hooded Plover on beaches.
Increasers: White-headed Pigeon, Spotted Turtle-Dove.
Indicators: Emu, Banded Lapwing, Gang-Gang Cockatoo, Ground Parrot, Red-browed Treecreeper, Brown Treecreeper, Scarlet Robin, Flame Robin, Hooded Robin, Jacky Winter, Varied Sittella, Crested Shrike-tit, Restless Flycatcher, Diamond Firetail .
Trend: Lower recording rates of forest, woodland and some grassland birds as well as ground feeding insectivores.
Scenario: Declines likely to continue unless their cause remedied.
Actions: Determine reasons for the decline in reporting rate of so many guilds. Protect, enhance and link woodland fragments. No grazing in representative areas and the adoption of reduced, conservative grazing rates in key habitat across the bioregion.
Click hereto download a summary report including the physical characteristics of the bioregion, a species list, and summary statistics [Excel file]. The file may open on your screen. To save it to your system 'Save as' under the File menu.
Mammals
Number of species and status
There are 53 mammal species within this bioregion. (The maximum number of species recorded in a bioregion is 86 and the minimum is 25).
Click here to link to a table of number of species in each status class for this bioregion.
Click here to link to a list of mammal species and their status for this bioregion.
Critical weight range
The critical weight range (35 - 5500 g) of mammals is the size range of Australian mammals that have been most affected by environmental changes following European settlement. In this bioregion, the proportion of mammal fauna within the critical weight range is .491. (The maximum proportion of fauna within the critical weight range recorded in a bioregion is 0.632 and the minimum is 0.222).
Faunal Attrition Index
Faunal attrition is a measure of contraction or loss of species richness with a region. A high index value means many species have declined or are extinct in the bioregion. The index can be used to compare the status of mammal fauna to regional attributes such as changes since European settlement and average annual rainfall. The Faunal Attrition Index for mammals in this bioregion is .13. (The maximum faunal attrition index value recorded in a bioregion is 0.66 and the minimum is 0).
Click here to link to a table of Faunal Attrition Index for groups of mammals shows the contributions of each group to overall patterns of faunal decline.
Faunal Contraction Index
A range contraction index is a measure of the extent to which the range inhabited by a particular species has contracted. A high index value means that many of the species comprising the region's original mammal fauna have contracted from a high proportion of the regions they originally occurred in. The faunal contraction index for the mammal fauna in this bioregion is .18. (The maximum faunal contraction index value recorded in a bioregion is 0.51 and the minimum is 0.07).
Faunal Endemism Index
Endemic species are those restricted to certain regions. Regions containing endemic species are considered to have high biodiversity conservation values because opportunities to conserve those species do not exist elsewhere. A high index value means that the species comprising the original mammal fauna typically occurred in few bioregions. The faunal endemism index value for the mammal fauna in this bioregion is .68. (The maximum faunal endemism index value recorded in a bioregion is 0.79 and the minimum is 0.52).
New Endemism Index
Extant (still surviving) species that have undergone major range contractions can be considered 'new endemics'. Bioregions that contain new endemic species are often important refugia for threatened species. The new endemism index for the mammal fauna in this bioregion is .5. (The maximum new endemism index value recorded in a bioregion is 0.93 and the minimum is 0.5).
Click here to link to a list translocated species that has/have been successfully translocated into this bioregion.
Exotic Mammals
The number of introduced exotic mammal species that occur within this bioregion is 14. (The maximum number of introduced exotic mammal species in a bioregion is 16 and the minimum is 5).
Click here to link to a list of introduced exotic mammal species for this bioregion.
Extinct mammal species
The number of extinct mammal species that previously occurred within this bioregion is 3. (The maximum number of extinct mammal species in a bioregion is 29 and the minimum is 0).
Click here to link to a list of extinct mammal species for this bioregion.
Management responses
Reserve consolidation
The total area in parks and conservation reserves represents 26.7 % of the Victorian part of the bioregion. At least seventy-one percent of regional ecosystems in in the Victorian part of thee bioregion are included in parks and reserves. Within NSW, approximately 20% of the area is reserved and much of the remaining areas are managed for forestry.
Major reserves in Victorian part of the bioregion include: Coopracambra National Park, the site of the Genoa River Gorge which is an internationally significant site as it has a high species diversity, many threatened flora and fauna species and relatively undisturbed stream catchments; Errinundra National Park which is recognised for its forest communities including the Cool Temperate Rainforest; Croajingalong National Park is notable for its coastal geomorphology, lowland and coastal heath vegetation and has a high number of species endemic to Victoria occurring in the park; Cape Conran Coastal Park, significant for coastal geomorphology and vegetation and providing habitat for Smoky Mouse, Ground Parrot and the Glossy Black-Cockatoo; the Snowy River National Park, known for its geomorphological significance including spectacular deep gorges and some caves, has a high diversity of flora and fauna and vegetation types supporting numerous threatened species and the Mitchell River National Park which is significant for its geological features, caves and rainforests.
NSW National Parks include Kosciuszko, Deua, Morton and South East Forest National Parks. These, and other areas contain six wilderness areas, These are the Nadgee, Genoa, Brogo, Deua, Budawang and Kosciuszko Wilderness Areas.
Priority for increased protection in Victoria has been assessed (based on Fitzsimons (1999)) at the level of Broad Vegetation Types within IBRA Version 4 bioregional boundaries. The following have been listed as a high priority: Plains Grassy Woodland Complex and Riverine Grassy Woodland Complex. Special Protection Zones under the Regional Forest Agreement have increased the protection of some of these vegetation types. Recent purchases under the National Reserve System Program has also increased the representation of depleted ecosystems. Opportunities for increasing reservation are limited by the extensive depletion of some ecosystems with a high proportion of remnants on private land.
No assessment of ecosystem reservation priority is available for the NSW section of the bioregion as ecosystem mapping is not yet complete.
Click here to link to a table of comprehensiveness, adequacy and representativeness (CAR) of the National Reserve System in terms of ecosystems and area sampled and a ranking of reserve management. The bioregional priority for consolidating the National Reserve System is based on this CAR analysis and threat.
Table: Bioregional and subregional priorities and ecosystem priorities to consolidate the National Reserve System and associated ecosystem constraints.
There is no data available for this table within the bioregion.
Off-park conservation for species and ecosystem recovery
In Victoria off-reserve conservation priorities in the bioregion may be divided into two groups. Management of the extensive areas of public land (predominantly state-forests) and management of the biodiversity assets found in the relatively small area of private land. High conservation values in state forests are recognised through zoning and exclusion of forestry operations from many of these areas. This includes the identification of corridors from which logging will be excluded which link the formal conservation reserves. Management of fire regimes across the landscape to meet ecological requirements is an increasing focus for attention both within the parks and through the major blocks of public land, and fox control is another focus for coordinate management across public land. Continued monitoring of the implementation and effectiveness of conservation measures in the East Gippsland forest management agreement and RFA will be required to ensure that conservation goals are being effectively met. The emphasis of private land management is on the protection and restoration of valuable remnants of threatened vegetation types and sites of significance for threatened species on private land. This will be facilitated through the identification of sites of biological significance in the local government planning scheme.
The following taxa have been identified as the highest priority for planning and management activity off-reserve in subregional assessment of threatened species conservation activity (Lowe et al. 2000):
The priority threatened species include Cox's Gudgeon (Gobiomorphus coxii), Eastern She-oak Skink (Cyclodomorphus michaeli), Empire Gudgeon (Hypseleotris compressa), Long-footed Potoroo (Potorous longipes), Masked Owl (Tyto novaehollandiae), Powerful Owl (Ninox strenua), Smoky Mouse (Eastern Form) (Pseudomys fumeus (eastern form)), Southern Barred Frog (Mixophyes balbus), Spot-tailed Quoll (Dasyurus maculatus) for fauna, and, for vascular plants Maiden's Wattle (Acacia maidenii), Smooth Ramboutan (Alectryon subcinereus), Showy Boronia (Boronia ledifolia), Forrester's Bottlebrush (Callistemon forresterae), Betka Bottlebrush (Callistemon kenmorrisonii), Long Rope-rush (Calorophus elongatus), Binung (Christella dentata), Mountain Correa (Correa lawrenciana var. genoensis), Leafless Tongue-orchid (Cryptostylis hunteriana), Rock Orchid (Dendrobium speciosum var. speciosum), Bog Saw-sedge (Gahnia subaequiglumis), Cobbler's Tack (Glossocardia bidens), Colquhoun Grevillea (Grevillea celata), Leafy Phebalium (Phebalium frondosum), Buff Hazelwood (Symplocos thwaitesii), Marsh Sun-orchid (Thelymitra media var. carneolutea), Fairy Lanterns (Thismia rodwayi).
The following were identified as the most common recovery management actions required for these species: predator control focussed to prevent impacts on spot-tailed quoll; fencing and exclusion of grazing; weed control; ecological fire management; fire control/exclusion from fire sensitive vegetation types and control or exclusion of human disturbance (principally from recreational use).
Community capacity to undertake such actions is variable across the bioregion, and may be particularly limited where declining commodity values have reduced the profitability of dominant farming practices and alternatives have yet to be found. Improved stewardship schemes and further public investment would provide opportunities to increase the actions undertaken and strengthen the viability of some farming businesses. Increased access to information, technical training and key resources (e.g. seed supply for revegetation) would greatly add value to these efforts.
Integrated NRM
Natural resource management in the Victorian part of South East Corner is coordinated through the Catchment Management Plans (East Gippsland and West Gippsland). Natural resource management in the Victorian South East Corner is primarily coordinated through the strategies and associated plans of Regional Catchment Management Authorities (East Gippsland and West Gippsland). The Draft Native Vegetation Plans for these catchments management areas provide a systematic evaluation of conservation status and prioritisation of retention and enhancement of native vegetation based on Ecological Vegetation Classes within the Victorian bioregional framework, while the Draft Victorian Pest Management framework emphasises the importance of pest management for Biodiversity conservation. The primarily private land focus of the catchment authorities/boards is complemented by planning processes for public land use and management, particularly for forests (Forest management Plans and Regional forest Agreement) and parks/reserves plans. This is particularly important given the high proportion of the bioregion in public ownership. Fire management plans, which incorporate the need for ecologically sensitive fire regimes, have been developed for the coastal heathlands and are being developed for the remaining areas of public land.
In the NSW portion of the South East Corner Bioregion, natural resource management is coordinated through several state natural resource management agencies including the National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Land and Water Conservation and State Forests. Existing actions to manage natural resources include State Environmental Planning Policies 14 (Coastal Wetlands), 26 (Littoral Rainforests) and 44 (Koala Habitat Protection). South East and Southern Catchment Management Boards were established in NSW in 2000 as part of the Catchment Management Act (1989) and will produce Catchment Blueprints, giving direction for community involvement and Government investment in the area. There are approximately 30 Landcare groups located in the NSW part of South East Corner including Bush, River, Dune and Coastcare groups.
The following environment plans apply in the NSW portion of the bioregion: the Lower South Coast Regional Environmental Plan No. 2 that is used in guiding decisions on local planning and development, and government and private investment in Bega Valley and Eurobodalla shires and incorporates the NSW Coastal Policy; the Kosciusko Regional Environmental Plan (1998) applies to the Snowy River LGA outside Kosciusko NP and aims to maintain the biological diversity, natural resources and environmental assets that underpin the region's economic base; and the Illawarra Regional Environmental Plan No.1 which provides a framework for coordinated action to ensure best use of land resources and protection of regional needs.
The Threatened Species Conservation Act (1995), provides for recovery and threat abatement plans in NSW, these include Bitou Bush, the Fox (Vulpes vulpes) and Plague Minnow (Gambusia holbrooki).
In Victoria the Living Systems Project helps farm families and agribusiness recognise and realise the potential benefits from native biodiversity's contribution to the ecological sustainability of farm business and lifestyle. Land for Wildlife promotes voluntary habitat management for biodiversity on private land, conservation assessments and management advice.
Three schemes seek to support biodiversity management on private property in NSW. Wildlife Refuges are voluntary and non-binding agreements between landholders and NPWS. There are more than twelve such agreements. Voluntary Conservation Agreements are a voluntary but permanently binding agreement between landholders and the NPWS. They offer possible tax deductions, funding, advice and support in conserving high conservation areas on private property. There are over 26 VCAs in the NSW portion of the bioregion. Property Agreements are voluntary and permanently binding agreements set up under the Native Vegetation Conservation Act (1997) and may offer financial assistance for work, advice and support.
A model Environmental Management System including biodiversity components has been developed for Victorian Agriculture with work being undertaken to integrate biodiversity considerations into EMS for grains, grazing and viticulture.
A range of incentive activities are relevant to biodiversity in Victoria. Fencing incentive schemes are generally well targeted for biodiversity protection outcomes. Rate rebate schemes have potential but are currently limited in scope, due to the relatively low level of participation arising from the nature of the rebate offered and/or the number of local government authorities offering rebate schemes. Weed control initiatives generally require an improved focus on biodiversity. There is an opportunity for greatly improved focus of incentives for biodiversity through the wider adoption of a publicly funded native vegetation stewardship model (BushTender). This initiative is targeted on biodiversity benefits, combines flexibility for landholder participation with a market-based bidding mechanism, and delivers medium-term management agreements.
Other opportunities for improved NRM planning in Victoria include further incorporation of biodiversity conservation objectives into Local Planning Schemes, and full implementation of local government roadside conservation plans that assess conservation significance of roadsides with the intent of protection from inappropriate management practices. The upgrading of investment strategies and tools for NRM (e.g. NAP foundation year projects to improve key resources datasets and to revise regional Catchment Management Strategies) are opportunities to improve the effectiveness of NRM in achieving defined biodiversity outcomes.
Map: IBRA map showing frequency of recovery actions (species).
Map: IBRA map showing existing projects part of NRM.
Click here to link to a table of contribution of integrated Natural Resource Management to the protection of biodiversity in each subregion: existing measures and effectiveness.
Click here to link to a table of contribution of integrated Natural Resource Management to the protection of biodiversity in each subregion: feasible opportunities and comments.
Further Information & Gaps
Data gaps and research priorities
Victoria: Ecological and life history data and knowledge of specific local conditions and ecology limit identification of specific threats and management actions for lesser-known species.
NSW: The ecological detail available for both threatened flora and fauna species is insufficient to provide specific threatening process/ recovery actions on a subregional scale.
Mapping of Ecosystems is currently being completed (State Biodiversity Strategy). This data will ultimately identify threatened ecosystems, and assist in identifying RA's. As such no comment on ecosystem reservation priority has been made at a bioregional level
Information on wildlife refuges is currently being reviewed and the data used is not totally comprehensive. Data used for community Bush/Land/Coastcare, only contains data for those groups who wish to release their details (about half of the total).
The assessment of riparian vegetation across the bioregion is limited due to the availability of data.
References
Lowe, K.W., Preece, K., and Amos, N. (2000) Victoria's biodiversity reporting system: a bioregional approach to refining priorities and partnerships for biodiversity conservation, in "The Second Southern Hemisphere Ornithological Conference, Griffith University, Brisbane, Conference Programme and Book of Abstracts". Birds Australia Report Series Number 9. Birds Australia: Melbourne.
Fitzsimons, J. (1999) Reservation Status of Broad Vegetation Types in Victorian IBRA Regions. Report for the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Victoria.
A complete list of references is available by clicking here.
Further information
View the Landscape Health in Australia report.
View the Terrestrial Biodiversity Assessment 2002 report.
Download the Terrestrial Biodiversity Assessment 2002 Database - Biodiversity Audit Data Entry System (BADES), and specifications
Click here to link to a table of some major data gaps in each subregion in terms of protecting biodiversity.
Before you download
Most publications are downloadable as PDF files. Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view PDF files.
If you are unable to access a publication, please contact us to organise a suitable alternative format.
Key
Links to an another web site
Opens a pop-up window