Eurobodalla

Indicator: Ecological Communities

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What the results tell us for Eurobodalla

Sixty-two vegetation communities have been recorded within Eurobodalla Shire, 22 of which are considered of conservation significance. The Shire also contains occurrences of 12 ecological communities listed as endangered in New South Wales (NSW), four of which were gazetted during the current reporting period. Eight wetlands of national importance are also located in the Shire. These and other wetlands and estuarine ecosystems are important for river health and support migrant bird and fish communities.

It was not possible to assess accurately changes to the extent and condition of native vegetation in the Shire during the current reporting period. No information was available on total vegetation cleared. Available data provided by the NSW Rural Fire Service indicate that 15,498 hectares of land were burnt in Eurobodalla Shire during the current reporting periods, all for prescription burns. No information was available on wildfires within Eurobodalla Shire during the current reporting period.

Eurobodalla Shire, like much of the south coast of NSW, has relatively large areas of national park and other public lands which protect or conserve much of its range of vegetation types, especially escarpment, hinterland and coastal hind-dune communities. This is primarily a result of the relatively low availability of arable land within the Shire.

No information was available on whether reservation targets were met for communities considered to be poorly represented within the broader region's reserve system at the end of the previous reporting period. No information was available on Voluntary Conservation Agreements or wildlife refuges during the current reporting period.

Although the overall state of vegetation protection in Eurobodalla Shire is high, those limited areas that are suitable for agriculture or settlement are critically over-cleared. Such areas require particular consideration in future land use decisions. The challenge for conservation improvement in the area will be to decide what areas and communities do not warrant expenditure on conservation measures because they are so over-cleared, and identifying those areas and communities in which significant improvement and protection is achievable.

Vegetation communities in the Shire

Sixty-two vegetation communities (or ecosystems) have been recorded within Eurobodalla Shire (Table 1). They were classified as part of the Southern Comprehensive Regional Assessment (CRA) program in south-eastern NSW over 1999 which provided the best coverage and most consistent description of vegetation in the Shire at the time of writing this State of the Environment report (see About the data). These vegetation classifications are still current, however Eden CRA classifications were incorporated (almost unchanged) into the new South Coast - Illawarra Vegetation Integration (SCIVI) classification system (Tozer et.al 2006), and completely overlap the Eden CRA region. SCIVI has superseded the Southern CRA region, however does not fully encompass the Canberra region, overlapping much of the Southern CRA region, but not extending as far west. SCIVI does not include western vegetation classification types therefore was not applicable to this report.

Eight of the forest vegetation communities within the Shire were considered vulnerable in 1999 (see Table 1), i.e. they were approaching 70% clearance of their pre-1750 extent. In the context of the Southern CRA region, an additional 14 communities were still considered poorly represented within the region's reserve system in 2004. No information was available on changed status or reservation targets being met for these communities during the current reporting period.

Table 1. Forest vegetation communities within Eurobodalla Shire, and their conservation status within the Southern Comprehensive Regional Assessment (CRA) region

Forest vegetation communities	CRA Number	Area(ha)#	Vulnerable*	Poorly Reserved*
				2004	2000	1997
Araluen Acacia Herb/Grass Dry Forest	S51	100			+	+
Central Coastal Hinterland and Lowland Warm Temperate Rainforest	S166	1,130
Coastal Alluvial Valley Floor Wetlands	S189	90		+	+	+
Coastal Escarpment and Hinterland Dry Shrub/Fern Forest	S19	47,260
Coastal Escarpment Cool Temperate Rainforest	S164	370
Coastal Escarpment Moist Shrub/Fern Forest	S137	450
Coastal Headland Heathlands	S187	150			+	+
Coastal Hinterland (Buckenbowra) Shrub/Cycad Dry Forest	S12	1,000			+	+
Coastal Hinterland Ecotonal Gully Rainforest	S20	120		+	+	+
Coastal Hinterland Sub Tropical Warm Temperate Rainforest	S169	80		+	+	+
Coastal Lowland Sub Tropical/Littoral Rainforest	S167	410			+	+
Coastal Lowlands Cycad Dry Shrub Dry Forest	S9	39,870		+	+	+
Coastal Lowlands Riparian Herb/Grass Forest	S48	2,950		+	+	+
Coastal Sands Shrub/Fern Forest	S28	1,210		+	+	+
Coastal Shrub/Grass Dry Forest	S11	420
Coastal Shrub/Grass Forest	S171	730	+	+	+	+
Coastal Wet Heath Swamp Forest	S24	2,190		+	+	+
Deua Ecotonal Shrub Forest	S34	120
Deua Ryolite Dry Shrub Forest	S40	2,400
Eastern Deua Dry Shrub Forest	S179	2,710
Eastern Tableland and Escarpment Shrub/Fern Dry Forest	S59	120
Eastern Tableland Dry Shrub/Grass Forest	S73	40	+	+	+	+
Eastern Tableland Fern/Herb/Grass Moist Forest	S55	2,630			+	+
Eastern Tablelands Acacia/Herb/Grass Forest	S89	110			+	+
Eastern Tablelands Dry Heath	S134	10
Eastern Tablelands Shrub/Grass Moist Forest	S66	10	+	+	+	+
Ecotonal Coastal Swamp Forest	S27	80	+	+	+	+
Ecotonal Granite Dry Rainforest	S168	180			+	+
Escarpment Rocky Shrub Dry Forest	S32	40
Far Southern Coastal Shrub Dry Forest	S8	400			+	+
Lowland Dry Shrub Forest	S2	6,920		+	+	+
Mangrove Estuarine Low Forest	S185	600		+	+	+
Montane Wet Heath/Bog	S123126	20
Mudflats/Saltmarshes	S186	70		+	+	+
North East Tablelands Dry Shrub/Grass Forest	S113	4		+	+	+
Northern Coastal Sands Shrub/Fern Forest	S29	210		+	+	+
Northern Foothills Moist Shrub Forest	S21	11,710		+	+	+
Northern Plateau and Escarpment Heath Shrub Dry Forest	S138	1,930
Rainshadow Dry Shrub/Tussock Grass Forest	S13	3,250
Riparian Acacia Shrub/Grass/Herb Forest	S53	1,070			+	+
Sand Dune Wetlands	S188	320				+
South Coast and Byadbo Acacia Scrubs	S35	2,180
South Coast Swamp Forest Complex	S25	1,420	+	+	+	+
Southern Coastal Dune Scrub Complex and Coastal Dune Herb/Grassland	S2326	1,170		+	+	+
Southern Coastal Foothills Dry Shrub Forest	S1	32,060
Southern Coastal Hind Dune/Headland Scrub and Southern Coastal Dune Scrub Complex	S2223	490
Southern Coastal Hinterland Dry Gully Rainforest	S170	6,150			+	+
Southern Coastal Hinterland Moist Shrub/Vine/Grass Forest	S18	33,910
Southern Coastal Hinterland Shrub/Tussock Grass Dry Forest	S7	16,900			+	+
Southern Coastal Lowlands Shrub/Grass Dry Forest	S10	15,910			+	+
Southern East Tableland Edge Shrub/Grass Dry Forest	S64	30			+	+
Southern Escarpment Cool/Warm Temperate Rainforest	S165	3,050
Southern Escarpment Edge Moist Heath Forest	S65	4
Southern Escarpment Edge Moist Shrub Forest	S61	2,050
Southern Escarpment Edge Moist Shrub/Fern Forest	S62	2,810
Southern Escarpment Herb / Grass Moist Forest	S47	40	+	+	+	+
Southern Escarpment Herb/Grass Dry Forest	S50	8,870
Southern Escarpment Shrub/Fern/Herb Moist Forest	S57	16,040
Southern Hinterland Shrub/Herb/Grass Riparian Forest	S49	11,390
Tableland and Escarpment Moist Herb/Fern Grass Forest	S56	480			+	+
Tableland and Escarpment Wet Layered Shrub Forest	S58	10,860
Tableland Dry Herb/Grass Woodland	S146	10	+	+	+	+

CRA prefix S = forest ecosystems classified under the Southern CRA; # Extent in Shire in 1999, the date of the Southern CRA mapping;

* For definitions of Vulnerable and Poorly Reserved, see About the data

Source: NSW Department of Environment and Conservation

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Endangered ecological communities

Eurobodalla Shire may contain 12 threatened ecological communities listed as endangered or critically endangered within NSW or nationally (Note: threatened ecological community lists are generated based on Bioregions). Twelve of these threatened communities are listed under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995, and one of these is also listed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Clth) (DECC 2008l; DEWHA 2008c). There was a new critically endangered ecological community listing under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) for Littoral Rainforest and Coastal Vine Thickets of Eastern Australia, effective 10 Oct 2008 (DECC 2008b; DEWHA 2008c).

Table 2. Endangered ecological communities within Eurobodalla Shire, June 2008

Name of ecological community	Status	Date of determination*	Recovery Plan
Bangalay sand forest, Sydney Basin and South East Corner bioregions	Endangered in NSW*	Final: 21 October, 2005	No
Coastal saltmarsh in the NSW North Coast, Sydney Basin and South East Corner bioregions	Endangered in NSW*	Final: 04 June 2004	No
Dry rainforest of the south east forests in the South East Corner Bioregion	Endangered in NSW*	Final: 17 November 2000	No
Freshwater wetlands on coastal floodplains of the NSW North Coast, Sydney Basin and South East Corner bioregions	Endangered in NSW*	Final: 17 December 2004	No
Littoral Rainforest and Coastal Vine Thickets of Eastern Australia	Critically Endangered nationally	Final: 10 October 2008	No
Littoral rainforest in the NSW North Coast, Sydney Basin and South East Corner bioregions	Endangered in NSW*	Final: 04 June 2004	No
Lowland Grassy Woodland in the South East Corner Bioregion (see note)	Endangered in NSW*	Final: 10 August 2007	No
Montane peatlands and swamps of the New England Tableland, NSW North Coast, Sydney Basin, South East Corner, South Eastern Highlands and Australian Alps bioregions	Endangered in NSW*	Final: 17 December 2004	No
River-flat eucalypt forest on coastal floodplains of the NSW North Coast, Sydney Basin and	Endangered in NSW*	Final: 17 December 2004	No
Swamp oak floodplain forest of the NSW North Coast, Sydney Basin and South East Corner bioregions	Endangered in NSW*	Final: 17 December 2004	No
Swamp sclerophyll forest on coastal floodplains of the NSW North Coast, Sydney Basin and South East Corner bioregions	Endangered in NSW*	Final: 17 December 2004	No
Themeda grassland on seacliffs and coastal headlands in the NSW North Coast, Sydney Basin and South East Corner bioregions	Endangered in NSW*	Final: 21 October, 2005	No

* Determinations (preliminary and final) under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 made by the NSW Scientific Committee

Source: DECC 2004a–c, 2008a–h

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Other significant communities or habitats

Twenty-three vulnerable ecosystems occur in Eurobodalla Shire (NSW NPWS 2000), 13 of which occur on private land (Gellie 2001). The highly vulnerable ecosystems in the Shire are those principally associated with coastal wetlands, including the wetlands themselves and the fringing Swamp Oak and Bangalay forests (WBM Oceanics Australia 2004a). Of particular concern are those ecosystems on rural lands that have undergone a huge depletion of their former extent—Ecotonal Coastal Swamp Forest (Casuarina glauca / Eucalyptus botryoides) and Coastal Shrub / Grass Forest (E. tereticornis) characterised in the rural lands of Buckenbowra Valley, Mogendoura, Bergalia, South Moruya and eastern footslopes of Gulaga) (NSW NPWS 2000). The vulnerable forest ecosystems are associated mostly with the coastal lowlands, floodplains and rivers, often in the most sought-after rural lands of the Shire for farming and rural lifestyle settlement (WBM Oceanics Australia 2004a). A number of these ecological systems are now formally listed as Endangered Ecological Communities.

No Ramsar sites (i.e. internationally important wetlands) have been declared within the Shire. However eight nationally significant wetlands listed in the Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia (DEWHA 2008a) either occur within or intersect it. They are:

• Clyde River Estuary—partially reserved; surrounding land is timber production, urban, National Park, Nature Reserved, rural residential
• Cullendulla Creek and Embayment—partially reserved; surrounding land is rural residential, Nature Reserve and urban
• Coila Creek Delta—not reserved; surrounding land is urban, rural residential, agricultural (grazing or cropping) and bushland
• Durras Lake—partially reserved; surrounding land is bushland and urban
• Moruya River Estuary Saltmarshes—partially reserved; surrounding land is urban, agricultural (grazing) and bushland
• Nargal Lake—reserved; surrounding land is National Park
• Tuross River Estuary—partially reserved; surrounding land is National Park, bushland, agriculture (grazing, cropping or horticulture), urban, rural residential and State Forest
• Waldrons Swamp—not reserved; surrounding land is bushland, State Forest and cropping.

Significant environmental features of these wetlands include the presence of relatively large areas of seagrasses, mangrove and saltmarsh communities, an uncommon beach chenier system, habitat for migratory birds (fauna listed under Japan-Australia Migratory Bird Agreements or China-Australia Migratory Bird Agreements; see About the data), flora of regional or high conservation significance, and fauna (both terrestrial and marine) considered vulnerable or endangered at a state or national level (DEH 2005). Mangrove forest is protected under the NSW Fisheries Management Act 1994.

The Clyde River's lower catchment area has 54 wetlands around the estuary designated under SEPP14 which is a NSW Government State Environmental Planning Policy. (WBM Oceanics Australia 2004a). Twenty separate SEPP14 wetlands have also been established in the Tuross estuary and Coila Lake because of their value as coastal wetlands and estuarine habitat (WBM Oceanics Australia 2004b). Connective habitats of bioregional significance are also associated with the Clyde River estuary (WBM Oceanics Australia 2004a). The Shire Council is currently preparing maps of likely fauna habitat corridors in the Shire.

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Vegetation extent and condition

Pressures on vegetation extent

Loss of native vegetation continues to be one of the greatest threats to Australia’s biodiversity. The clearing of native vegetation is a threatening process operating on both ecosystems and species (DEHWA 2006). Even if all clearing were to cease now, the decline in vegetation condition is likely to continue for many years, because of the lag effects of vegetation fragmentation and growing pressure from climate change (DECC 2006). The main responses are the Native Vegetation Act 2003 (and supporting Regulations) and improved compliance monitoring. The new legislative regime is expected to provide a means to address this issue.

Clearing was the main pressure on the extent of native vegetation in Eurobodalla Shire during the previous reporting period. Increased fragmentation and clearing have both been identified as particular threats to the 12 endangered ecological communities with occurrences in the Shire. It appears that the trend in the overall rate of clearing is difficult to accurately assess (see About the data).

No information was available on mapped vegetation change relating to extent of native vegetation in the Shire in the current and previous reporting periods.

Very little remnant vegetation was present along the coastal plain and riparian fringes of estuaries in the Tuross and Coila catchments within the Shire because grazing pressures there have resulted in the clearing of extensive amounts of natural floodplain and riparian vegetation (WBM Oceanics Australia 2004b).

Four clearing applications were approved within the Shire during the reporting period under the NSW Native Vegetation Act 2003. They included clearing for two residential subdivisions, powerlines and an eco-tourism resort. The total area of vegetation cleared in the Shire was not available, however a total 43.4 hectares of vegetation was approved for clearing within the Southern Rivers Catchment region, which encompasses Eurobodalla Shire, during the reporting period.

The occurrences in the Shire of six endangered ecological communities in low lying areas around townships, beside rivers and creeks, in the lower catchment of lakes and estuaries and behind dunes require particular consideration in future land use decisions (SRCMA 2005).

Pressures on vegetation condition

Fire was a broadscale pressure on the condition of native vegetation in parts of Eurobodalla Shire during the reporting period. Approximately 15,498 hectares of land were burnt in Eurobodalla Shire during the current reporting periods, all for prescription burns. No information was available on wildfires within Eurobodalla Shire during the current reporting period. No information is available on the number of forest communities affected by very low severity fires (generally fuel reduction burns) or by fires of unknown severity (generally wildfires).

In the preceding reporting period, approximately 83,600 hectares of land (about 20% of the Shire) were affected by wildfire and approximately 23,400 hectares by very low severity fires (generally fuel reduction burns) in the period 2000–04. Fuel reduction burns were carried out in three vegetation communities. Fire severity levels were unknown for wildfires, however they affected 43 forest vegetation communities. In the preceding reporting period, about 1,600 hectares were burnt, with 24 forest communities being affected by very low severity fires and 12 from fires of unknown severity.

Mapping of growth stages of the Shire's forests as part of the Southern CRA work showed there was a relatively high proportion of old growth and mature forest (i.e. forest with a relatively undisturbed canopy) protected within national parks. On private lands, past logging had significantly lowered the condition of forest canopy and is likely to have adversely affected threatened species' habitat requirements. Felling of timber on private land is now governed more closely and canopy recovery in impacted areas anecdotally is observed to be occurring. Understorey vegetation condition in uncleared ecosystems is generally thought to be moderate or better since conditions for vegetation recovery on the south coast of the Shire are good. However, extant grassy woodlands and riparian vegetation is still being impacted by grazing (SRCMA 2005).

Other factors such as drought and weed invasion (including the spread of noxious plants such as Bitou Bush (Chrysanthemoides monilifera), Scotch/English Broom (Cytisus scoparius), and Fireweed (Senecio madagascariensis) also caused broadscale pressure on vegetation condition within the Shire during the current reporting period.

General threats to the condition of the 12 threatened ecological communities with occurrences in the Shire include (DECC 2008l; DEWHA 2008c):

• land degradation and fragmentation of remnants
• grazing and trampling by stock
• weed invasion
• erosion and sedimentation
• soil disturbance caused by feral animals
• harvesting of firewood and collection of on-ground woody debris
• high frequency or high intensity fires
• climate change.

Changes to water tables and surface flows caused by drainage works or altered flows in catchments are also considered threats to some of the endangered ecological communities (DECC 2008).

Sattler and Creighton (2002) reported the main threatening processes for nationally important wetlands in Australia were grazing, feral animals, exotic weeds and changes in hydrological conditions leading to salinisation and other modifications. Specific issues affecting ecological communities and habitats of estuaries and lakes in some areas of Eurobodalla Shire include (WBM Oceanics Australia 2004b):

• human development and pedestrian and vehicular access (threaten the natural ecological values of estuaries)
• poor water quality and sedimentation (impact on aquatic habitats)
• lack of knowledge and appreciation of estuary values and biodiversity needs.

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Conservation and management

Law and policy

Some national and state laws require recovery plans or action plans to be prepared for endangered ecological communities, and for the presence of such communities to be taken into account during decision-making on developments applications. Recently the NSW Government has developed a Priority Action Statement that summarises the actions that need to be taken to reverse the threatening processes impacting on a wide range of plant and animal species, and replaces the need for separate species-based recovery plans. These laws and plans aim to minimise the effects of threatening processes on endangered ecological communities or prevent communities from becoming endangered.

Laws such as the Native Vegetation Act 2003, also aim to minimise the effects of threatening processes and to protect, conserve and improve the condition of existing native vegetation, particularly at a local and regional level. The Native Vegetation Act 2003 and other legislation also now govern felling of timber on private land in NSW.

Eurobodalla Shire is located within the Southern Rivers Catchment Management Authority (SRCMA) area established under the NSW Catchment Management Authorities Act 2003. Each CMA is required to work in partnership with Local Government as well as other stakeholders, and must develop and administer a regional vegetation management plan. These plans and the catchment blueprints prepared by the catchment management boards which preceded the CMAs, also support the conservation of native ecosystems. The Southern Rivers Catchment Action Plan includes a range of management actions to restore, maintain or conserve biodiversity values in the catchment area (SCRMA 2002).

Local government legislation, regulations and planning documents such as local environment plans (LEPs) may also provide some protection for ecological communities, or limit or prohibit certain activities that may lead to the further decline of endangered ecological communities.

The Shire Council has also prioritised the development of Plans of Management for council-owned or managed community land many of which contain natural areas with high value vegetation communities (Purss 2005). Estuary Management Plans which have been developed for all of the Shire’s major estuary systems also include a strong focus on effective management of high value ecological communities to help achieve a range of ecological outcomes.

The Shire Council has made excellent progress during this reporting period in the mapping of endangered ecological communities across the Shire. These computer-based mapping tools, in conjunction with relevant strategic frameworks and plans, are being increasingly used to inform appropriate land use planning, development assessment and natural resource project development and implementation.

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Conservation reserves

Twelve national parks, nature reserves and state conservation areas either fall within or intersect Eurobodalla Shire, and cover approximately 137,000 hectares or 40% of its area.

Four new conservation reserves totalling approximately 25,000 hectares were gazetted in the Shire and additions totalling about 32,400 hectares were made to five reserves during the previous reporting period, many as outcomes of the Southern Regional Forest Agreement. No new conservation reserves or additions to existing conservation reserves were gazetted during the current reporting period.

No information was available on forest communities which were considered poorly represented within the regional reserve system in 2004 meeting regional reservation targets during the current reporting period. No information was available on forest communities still classed as vulnerable changing their status within the current reporting period.

Five of the 12 conservation reserves within the Shire had formal plans of management. Budawang National Park, Clyde River National Park and Wadbillaga National Park all had fire management plans prepared, while Gulaga National Park had a draft fire management plan.

Table 3. Conservation reserves in Eurobodalla Shire with formal plan of management, June 2008

Reserve	Date plan adopted
Budawang National Park	October 2001
Cullendulla Creek Nature Reserve	February 2004
Eurobodalla National Park	August 2000
Gulaga National Park	November 1999
Murramarang National Park	November 1997

Source: DECC

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Other conservation management

Although the Shire Council has no Roadside Vegetation Management Plan for the Shire, a roadside vegetation clearing code of practice has been in force since 2002. Reviews of environmental factors are undertaken for major roadworks to assess the potential impact on fauna and flora (Sharpe 2005). The Shire Council has no specific policy to protect or manage vegetation within the Shire's roadside reserves, including management of endangered ecological communities and threatened flora occurring there (Pollock 2005).

The Shire Council has prepared a draft agreement with Country Energy which allows a consultative approach to vegetation clearance under powerlines within the Shire. The agreement's objectives include minimising environmental impact of works, replacement of unsuitable species near the electricity distribution system, raising community awareness and establishing programs to upgrade the existing infrastructure to make it more environmentally compatible (ESC 2005).

Coila saltmarsh, which supports two endangered ecological communities and a threatened plant that is known from only three locations in NSW, is the first council reserve in Eurobodalla Shire managed specifically for conservation. The Shire Council became the reserve's trust managers in 1994. Works at the site have been funded under the Flora and Fauna Habitat Recovery and Incentive Program at a cost of $10,387. Site management includes the restriction of public access, weed control, management of illegal dumping and flora survey as part of site recovery monitoring. The Shire Council will support ongoing maintenance and has a ten year management contract commencing in 2005 (Murphy 2005). Another site within the Shire has potential for future reservation.

During this reporting period the Shire Council has also entered into a conservation agreement to conserve the Bengello Reserve between the Moruya Airport and Broulee. This was achieved under a Property Vegetation Plan developed through the Southern Rivers Catchment Management Authority under the Native Vegetation Act 2003. At least three endangered ecological communities are known to occur within the Bengello Reserve, and a range of works will be undertaken over coming years to improve and protect the ecological integrity of the area.

No information was available on the number of privately owned properties in the Shire had a Voluntary Conservation Agreement (VCA) in place although a number have been entered into under Eurobodalla Shire Council’s Biodiversity Program. Information on the vegetation communities occurring within these VCAs and wildlife refuges is held by DECC, which also hold copies of plans of management or schemes of operation that have been developed and/or implemented for them.

Over twenty five Landcare groups have operated across Eurobodalla Shire over the reporting period, with a number of new groups being established during the period. These Landcare groups have a positive impact on ecological communities through a range of activities including weeding, rubbish removal and the implementation of funded improvement projects (e.g. holeybelt walkways over foredune system to reduce dunal erosion).

Please refer to annual state of environment reports on our website for information about Landcare group hours and a range of projects undertaken over the reporting period e.g. estuary projects. http://www.esc.nsw.gov.au/plans/Documents/Archive/SOEIndex.html

The challenge for conservation improvement in low lying urban and agricultural areas of Eurobodalla Shire in the future will be trying to decide what areas and communities are so over-cleared as to not warrant expenditure on conservation measures, expenditure which could be allocated to other areas and communities in which significant improvement and protection is achievable (SRCMA 2005).

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About the data

Information provided by Eurobodalla Shire Council and sources outlined below.

Forest vegetation communities referred to in this report were derived from the Southern Comprehensive Regional Assessment (CRA) forest ecosystem mapping, undertaken in 1999. All calculations are based on the extant and pre-1750 forest ecosystem layers. The extant forest ecosystem layers reflect the extent of these vegetation communities at the time of mapping.

Under the CRA mapping, a Vulnerable vegetation community was defined as one whose areal extent at the time of mapping was approaching 70% loss of its pre-European extent. A vegetation community was defined as Poorly Reserved when less than 15% of its pre-European extent was located in formal conservation reserves across the CRA region. Further information on the 70% clearing threshold and the 15% reservation threshold is provided in JANIS (1997).

The CRA mapping was used for this report because two CRAs (Eden (mapping carried out in 1998) and Southern) provided the most current data which covered the entire extent of the majority of local government areas in the Australian Capital Region. However the mapping data have the following limitations:

• some mapped CRA ecosystem types may be inconsistent with vegetation on the ground because the CRA vegetation types were modelled and limited ground truthing was undertaken in some areas
• the vegetation classifications were focussed primarily of forest vegetation types and may poorly reflect non-forest communities
• the vegetation classifications used to describe forest ecosystems were not a widely used system
• the vegetation classification systems used in the Eden and Southern CRAs differ and there may be some duplication of forest types at the borders of these two study areas.

No data were available regarding extant vegetation at 30 June 2008, and hence it was not possible to determine changes in the extent of forest communities within the Shire during the current reporting period. Overall vegetation condition assessment across the landscape is very difficult to achieve because remote sensing below the canopy level is still not possible (given current technology and cost requirement in achieving statistically significant results from survey) and the complexities of obtaining permission to enter private land for survey staff.

Mapping of the amount of vegetation cleared was not available at a scale suitable for application within LGA’s boundaries, and reflects significant limitations in accurately assessing this indicator. Broadscale analyses under-estimate the overall rate of clearing because current techniques only operate under large map scales. Effectively this means that it only records removal of woody vegetation that is at least two metres tall with a canopy cover of 15% or more, excluding changes in sparse open woodlands and grasslands, which are extensive and among the most affected vegetation types in NSW.

Fine-scale remote-sensing studies allow a more accurate appraisal of clearing rates in woodlands, open woodlands and shrublands, however coverage is limited to particular regions of NSW. Authors using these methods in the NSW State of the Environment Report 2006 indicate that clearing rates are substantially greater (8–10 times higher) than the estimates obtained from the coarse-scale analyses referred to above. However, being regional, they provide an incomplete view of statewide clearing. The availability of accurate vegetation clearing data is of critical importance for future reporting purposes, due to the threat that this pressure represents to biodiversity.

Data on vegetation approved for clearing within Catchment Management Association regions under the NSW Native Vegetation Act 2003 was accessed through the DECC website under the Public register of approved clearing PVPs and development applications. Geographic analysis would reveal locations within LGA boundaries, however this was unavailable during the reporting period. The data collection system was changed in 2006 with the introduction of the new Regulations. These estimates exclude the area of vegetation cleared illegally and clearing carried out legally under statutory exemptions (in 2005, 40% of all clearing was estimated to be illegal in NSW (Audit Office 2006).

Threats to each endangered ecological community was provided by DECC, under the NSW Scientific Committee - final determination page, and/or the Threatened Species, Populations and Ecological Communities endangered ecological communities profile page. The information contained in this database is available on the internet link under DECC 2008a in the references. New parks and additions to existing reserves was provided by DECC upon request, as the website only listed all the parks and reserves created over the last 12 months. Information on park and fire management plans, as well as recovery plans for endangered ecological communities was provided by DECC.

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References

Audit Office 2006, Auditor-General's Report: Performance Audit, Department of Natural Resources – Regulating the Clearing of Native Vegetation, follow-up of 2002 performance audit, Audit Office of NSW, Sydney

DECC—see Department of Environment and Climate Climate Change (NSW)

DEHWA—see Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (Commonwealth)

Department of Environment and Climate Change (NSW) (2008a) NSW Scientific Committee—Final Determination, (search on threatened ecological community - endangered ecological community listing), viewed 20 October 2008, http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/natureconservation.htm

Department of Environment and Climate Change (NSW) (2008b) Threatened Species, Populations and Ecological Communities, Final determinations by date, viewed 22 October 2008, http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/committee/FinalDeterminations.htm

Department of Environment and Climate Change (NSW) (2006), NSW State of the Environment Report 2006, Biodiversity http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/soe/soe2006/chapter6/chp_6.1.htm#6.1.60

Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (Commonwealth) (2006), Australia State of the Environment 2006, Pressures on biodiversity http://www.environment.gov.au/soe/2006/publications/report/biodiversity-2.html

Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (Commonwealth) (2008a) Australian Wetlands Database, Department of Environment and Heritage, viewed 22 October 2008, http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/wetlands/search.pl?smode=BOTH

Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (Commonwealth) (2008b), Biodiversity, search on threatened ecological community, viewed October 2008, http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/index.html

Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (Commonwealth) (2008c), EPBC Act List of Threatened Ecological Communities, Final determinations by date, viewed October 2008, http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/index.html

Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources (NSW) (2004a), 2003/04 Combined NSW Catchment Management Authorities Annual Report, Volume 1: CMA Activities and Achievements, Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources, Sydney.

DIPNR—see Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources (NSW)

ESC—see Eurobodalla Shire Council

Eurobodalla Shire Council (2005) Vegetation Management "In Principle" Agreement Between Country Energy and Eurobodalla Shire Council for Powerline Vegetation Management. Eurobodalla Shire Council.

Gellie, N (2001) Summary Report on Vulnerable Ecosystems and Landscape Planning in the Eurobodalla Shire, report produced for Eurobodalla Shire Council.

JANIS—see Joint ANZECC/MCFFA National Forest Policy Statement Implementation Sub-committee

Joint ANZECC/MCFFA National Forest Policy Statement Implementation Sub-committee (1997) Nationally Agreed Criteria for the Establishment of a Comprehensive, Adequate and Representative Reserve System for Forests in Australia, Joint ANZECC/MCFFA National Forest Policy Statement Implementation Sub-committee, Commonwealth of Australia.

Murphy, A (2005) Strategic Planner, Eurobodalla Shire Council, personal communication.

NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (2000) Terrestrial Ecosystems of the Eurobodalla Local Government Area – Report of the Eurobodalla LGA Vegetation Mapping Project, derived from the Southern Comprehensive Regional Assessment (1997-2000), project undertaken with Eurobodalla Council and the Lower South Coast Catchment Management Committee by NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, May 2000, Conservation Programs and Planning Division, NSW NPWS, Southern Directorate, Queanbeyan, viewed 4 August 2005, http://www.esc.nsw.gov.au/site/Environment/ThreatenedSpecies/index.html

Pollock, P (2005) Natural Resource Officer, Eurobodalla Shire Council, personal communication

Purss, D (2005) Plans of Management Officer, Eurobodalla Shire Council, personal communication.

Sattler, P and Creighton, C (eds) (2002) Australian Terrestrial Biodiversity Assessment 2002, National Land and Water Resources Audit on behalf of the Commonwealth of Australia, Chapter 4: Threatened Ecosystems and Species, viewed 4 August 2005, http://audit.deh.gov.au/ANRA/vegetation/docs/biodiversity/bio_assess_threat.cfm.

Sharpe, W (2005) Works Manager, Eurobodalla Shire Council, personal communication.

South East Catchment Management Board (2002) South East Catchment Blueprint—An Integrated Catchment Management Plan for the South East Catchment 2002, NSW Department of Land and Water Conservation, Sydney, viewed 4 August 2005 http://www.dlwc.nsw.gov.au/care/cmb/blueprints/pdf/south_east_blueprint.pdf.

Southern Rivers Catchment Management Authority (2005) Chairperson and other officers, Southern Rivers Catchment Management Authority, personal communication.

SRCMA—see Southern Rivers Catchment Management Authority

WBM Oceanics Australia (2004a) Batemans Bay and Clyde River Estuary Management Study Final Report, report prepared for Eurobodalla Shire Council, WBM Oceanics Australia, Brisbane, viewed 4 August 2005, http://www.esc.nsw.gov.au/site/Environment/Estuaries/index.html.

WBM Oceanics Australia (2004b) Tuross Estuary and Coila Lake Estuary Management Study for Eurobodalla Shire Council – Final Report, July 2004, WBM Oceanics Australia, Newcastle, viewed 4 August 2005, http://www.esc.nsw.gov.au/site/Environment/Estuaries/index.html.

Tozer, M.G., Turner, K., Simpson, C., Keith, D.A., Beukers, P., MacKenzie, B., Tindall, D. and Pennay, C. (2006) Native vegetation of southeast NSW: a revised classification and map for the coast and eastern tablelands. Version 1.0. Department of Environment and Conservation and Department of Natural Resources

 

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Last Updated: 24 November, 2009