Snowy River
Indicator: Native Species
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What the results tell us for Snowy River
The full extent of native animal and plant species diversity in the Snowy River Shire is not known. About 1,150 plant species (native and introduced) and 360 animal species have been recorded, but these records are not comprehensive. Differences in reported species diversity compared with the last reporting period reflect factors such as improved use of data sources for the current Regional State of the Environment Report (RSoER).
Seventeen plant and 34 vertebrate animal species that occur in the Shire are listed as Vulnerable or Endangered and an additional 29 threatened plant and animal species are predicted to occur in the Shire.
Native plants and animals in the Shire are subject to national, state and local laws relating to biodiversity protection. Formal recovery plans were in place for 10 of the 51 listed threatened species. Seventeen listed animal species were covered by national action plans. Although various recovery actions had been initiated for many of the threatened species, the extent to which activities were carried out in the Shire and had been effective in conserving these species was not known.
What native species occur in the Shire?
No comprehensive lists of plant or animal species were available for Snowy River Shire. As past extensive clearing has resulted in significant loss of natural habitat for native plants and animals, species occurring in vegetation remnants within or near the Shire provide some indication of the area's former native species diversity. Important areas containing remnant vegetation include national parks, nature reserves, travelling stock reserves, road reserves and cemeteries.
Plants (flora)
About 1150 plant species, most of them native and including many lichen, moss and other lower plant species, have been recorded in the Shire. This is about 135 less species than reported in the 2000 State of the Environment Report, and is likely to be the result of additional survey work since June 2000 and the use of different data sources for the current report (see Differences between reporting periods). No information was available on the abundance of native plant species during the reporting period.
Seventeen plant species recorded in the Shire are listed as endangered or vulnerable (see Table 1). This figure is in keeping with the figure calculated for the previous reporting period. Although no data has been provided on predicted plant species occurrences, based on records produced for the previous reporting period, scientific experts predict that an additional 13 vulnerable or endangered species may also occur in the Shire (see Table 2), although there were no confirmed records of them at the end of either the previous or current reporting period.
| Common name | Scientific name | Conservation status | Recovery Plan or Action Plan | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National† | NSW‡ | Change* | |||
| Anemone Buttercup | Ranunculus anemoneus | V | V | No | National Recovery Plan (2002); NSW Recovery Plan |
| Archer's Carex | Carex archeri | - | E | N/A | None |
| Austral Pillwort | Pilularia novae-hollandiae | - | E | No | None |
| Austral Toadflax | Thesium australe | V | V | No | National recovery plan in preparation (as at 27/10/2008) |
| Blue-tongued Greenhood | Pterostylis oreophila | - | CE | N/A | None |
| Buggan Mallee | Eucalyptus saxatilis Suggan | - | E | No | None |
| Feldmark Grass | Rytidosperma pumilum | - | V | No | National recovery plan 2002; NSW recovery plan |
| Kiandra Leek Orchid | Prasophyllum retroflexum | V | V | No | None |
| Leafy Anchor Plant | Discaria nitida | - | V | No | None |
| Mauve Burr-daisy | Calotis glandulosa | V | V | No | None |
| Max Mueller's Burr-daisy | Calotis pubescens | - | E | No | None |
| Monaro Golden Daisy | Rutidosis leiolepis | V | V | No | None |
| Raleigh Sedge | Carex raleighii | - | E | No | National recovery plan (2002); NSW recovery plan |
| Rough Eyebright | Euphrasia scabra | - | E | No | National Recovery Plan (2000) |
| Shining Cudweed | Euchiton nitidulus | V | V | No | National recovery plan(2002); NSW recovery plan |
| Silky Swainson-pea | Swainsona sericea | - | V | No | None |
| Small Snake Orchid | Diuris pedunculata | E | E | No | National recovery plan in preparation (as at 28/10/08) |
# Status (threat category): E=endangered; V= Vulnerable CE = Critically Endangered
† National Status under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999; ‡ NSW Status under the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995; *Change in status singe the end of the last reporting period (see also Threatened species –status).
Source: DEC 2005; DEH 2008; NSW Government 2005
| Common name | Scientific name |
|---|---|
| Archer's Carex | Carex archeri |
| Baeuerlen's Gentian | Gentiana baeuerlenii |
| Button Wrinklewort | Rutidosis leptorrhynchoides |
| Doubletail Buttercup | Diuris aequalis |
| Kydra Westringia | Westringia kydrensis |
| Lemon Zieria | Zieria citriodora |
| Michelago Parrot-pea | Dillwynia glaucula |
| Pale Pomaderris | Pomaderris pallida |
| Small Purple-pea | Swainsona recta |
| Small-leaved Gum | Eucalyptus parvula |
| Swamp Everlasting | Xerochrysum palustre |
| Tarengo Leek Orchid | Prasophyllum petilum |
| Trailing Monotoca | Monotoca rotundifolia |
Source: DEC 2005; DEH 2008; NSW Government 2005
Animals (fauna)
Three hundred and sixty vertebrate animal species have been recorded in the Shire, over two thirds of them birds (see Table 3). This is 97 more than reported in the 2004 State of the Environment Report, and is probably the result of inclusion of non native species in the source data, extra survey work since 2004, particularly for fishes, which did not appear in the previous reporting period. The number of invertebrate species (insects etc) is not known. No specific information was available on the abundance of animals during the current reporting period.
| Animal group (Order) | Number of Species | Number of Species |
|---|---|---|
| State of the Environment 2008 | State of the Environment 2004 | |
| Mammals | 80 | 33 |
| Amphibians | 16 | 12 |
| Birds | 189 | 180 |
| Reptiles | 52 | 31 |
| Fish | 23 | - |
| Total | 360 | 256 |
Source: NSW Government 2005
Thirty-four threatened fauna species have been recorded in Snowy River Shire (see Table 4). They include 10 mammals, 16 birds, five amphibians, and three reptiles. The Mountain Pygmy-possum is considered to be one of the species most threatened in Australia under climate change, as it lives on mountain-tops and has adapted to a cold climate (DEH 2005b).
| Common name | Scientific name | Conservation status# | Recovery Plan or Action Plan (Date if known) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National† | NSW‡ | Change* | |||
| Mammals | |||||
| Broad-toothed Rat | Mastacomys fuscus | – | V | No | None |
| Eastern False Pipistrelle | Falsistrellus tasmaniensis | – | V | No | None |
| Eastern Quoll | Dasyurus viverrinus | – | E | No | None |
| Eastern Pygmy-possum | Cercartetus nanus | – | V | No | None |
| Greater Broad-nosed Bat | Scoteanax rueppellii | – | V | No | Action Plan (1999)3 |
| Koala | Phascolarctos cinereus | – | V | No | Recovery Plan exhibited (21/03/03) |
| Large-footed Myotis | Myotis adversus | – | V | No | Action Plan (1999)3 |
| Mountain Pygmy-possum | Burramys parvus | E | E | No | National Recovery Plan in preparation (as at 28/02/04); Action Plan (1996)2 |
| Smoky Mouse | Pseudomys fumeus | E | E | No | National Recovery Plan in preparation (as at 28/02/04) |
| Spotted-tailed Quoll | Dasyurus maculatus | E | V | No | National Recovery Plan in preparation (as at 28/02/04); Action Plan (1996)2 |
| Birds | |||||
| Barking Owl | Ninox connivens | – | V | No | Recovery Plan exhibited (10/03/03); Action Plan (2000)1 |
| Blue-billed Duck | Oxyura australis | – | V | No | Action Plan (2000)1 |
| Brown Treecreeper (eastern subspecies) | Climacteris picumnus victoriae | – | V | No | Action Plan (2000)1 |
| Diamond Firetail | Stagonopleura guttata | – | V | No | Action Plan (2000)1 |
| Freckled Duck | Stictonetta naevosa | – | V | No | Action Plan (2000)1 |
| Glossy Black-cockatoo | Calyptorhynchus lathami | – | V | No | None |
| Hooded Robin (south-eastern form) | Melanodryas cucullata cucullata | – | V | No | Action Plan (2000)1 |
| Masked Owl | Tyto novaehollandiae | – | V | No | Action Plan (2000)1 |
| Olive Whistler | Pachycephala olivacea | – | V | No | None |
| Painted Snipe | Rostratula benghalensis | V | E | No | Action Plan (2000)1 |
| Pink Robin | Petroica rodinogaster | – | V | No | None |
| Powerful Owl | Ninox strenua | – | V | No | Action Plan (2000)1 |
| Regent Honeyeater | Xanthomyza phrygia | E | E | No | National Recovery Plan adopted (for period 1999–2003); Action Plan (2000)1 |
| Speckled Warbler | Pyrrholaemus sagittatus | – | V | No | Action Plan (2000)1 |
| Swift Parrot | Lathamus discolor | E | E | No | National Recovery Plan adopted (for period 2001–2005); Action Plan (2000)1 |
| Turquoise Parrot | Neophema pulchella | – | V | No | Action Plan (2000)1 |
| Amphibians | |||||
| Alpine Tree Frog | Litoria verreauxii alpina | V | E | No | National Recovery Plan in preparation (as at 28/02/04) |
| Booroolong Frog | Litoria booroolongensis | – | E | No | Recovery Plan in preparation |
| Green and Golden Bell Frog | Litoria aurea | V | E | No | National Recovery Plan in preparation (as at 28/02/04) |
| Southern Bell Frog | Litoria raniformis | V | E | No | National Recovery Plan in preparation (as at 28/02/04) |
| Southern Corroboree Frog | Pseudophryne corroboree | E | E | No | National and NSW Recovery Plan (2001) |
| Reptiles | |||||
| Grassland Earless Dragon | Tympanocryptis pinguicolla | E | E | No | National Recovery Plan 2000–2004 (April 2000) |
| Little Whip Snake | Suta flagellum | – | V | No | None |
| Striped Legless-lizard | Delma impar | V | V | No | National Recovery Plan 1999–2003 |
# Status (threat category): E = Endangered; V = Vulnerable† National status under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999; ‡ NSW status under the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995; * Change in status since the end of the last reporting period (see also Threatened species—status) Sources: 1 = Garnett and Crowley 2000; 2 = Maxwell et al. 1996; 3 = Duncan et al. 1999; Other sources: Birds Australia 2005; CSIRO 2005; DEC 2005b; DEH 2005; Graham 2005; NSW Government 2005
No updated information on predicted species was provided for this reporting period, however based on data gathered for the previous reporting period, scientific experts predict that an additional 16 vulnerable or endangered animal species may occur in the Shire (see Table 5), including the Critically Endangered Golden Sun Moth (Synemon plana), although there were no confirmed records of them at the end of this or the previous reporting period.
| Common name | Scientific name |
|---|---|
| Australasian Bittern | Botaurus poiciloptilus |
| Brush-tailed Phascogale | Phascogale tapoatafa |
| Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby | Petrogale penicillata |
| Eastern Bentwing-bat | Miniopterus schreibersii oceanensis |
| Giant Burrowing Frog | Heleioporus australiacus |
| Golden Sun Moth | Synemon plana |
| Northern Corroboree Frog | Pseudophryne pengilleyi |
| Painted Honeyeater | Grantiella picta |
| Pink-tailed Worm-lizard | Aprasia parapulchella |
| Rosenberg's Goanna | Varanus rosenbergi |
| Square-tailed Kite | Lophoictinia isura |
| Squirrel Glider | Petaurus norfolcensis |
| Superb Parrot | Polytelis swainsonii |
| Yellow-bellied Glider | Petaurus australis |
| Yellow-bellied Sheathtail-bat | Saccolaimus flaviventris |
| Yellow-spotted Bell Frog | Litoria castanea |
Source: DEC 2005b
In the broader Australian Alps, South Eastern Highlands and South East Corner bioregions within which Snowy River Shire is located, some bird species not listed as threatened are reported to have decreased in abundance over the last 20 years, although others are reported to have increased (Barrett et al. 2003). A selection of these species that occur in the Shire is listed in Table 6.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Declining | Increasing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Raven | Corvus coronoides | + | |
| Brown Falcon | Falco berigora | + | |
| Buff-rumped Thornbill | Acanthiza reguloides | + | |
| Crested Shrike-tit | Falcunculus frontatus | + | |
| Crimson Rosella | Platycercus elegans | + | |
| Dusky Woodswallow | Artamus cyanopterus | + | |
| Eastern Yellow Robin | Eopsaltria australis | + | |
| Emu | Dromaius novaehollandiae | + | |
| Grey Butcherbird | Cracticus torquatus | + | |
| Hardhead | Aythya australis | + | |
| Jacky Winter | Microeca fascinans | + | |
| Little Eagle | Hieraaetus morphnoides | + | |
| Masked Lapwing | Vanellus miles | + | |
| Nankeen Kestrel | Falco cenchroides | + | |
| Nankeen Night Heron | Nycticorax caledonicus | + | |
| Noisy Friarbird | Philemon corniculatus | + | |
| Red Wattlebird | Anthochaera carunculata | + | |
| Silvereye | Zosterops lateralis | + | |
| Spotted Pardalote | Pardalotus punctatus | + | |
| Striated Pardalote | Pardalotus striatus | + | + |
| Superb Fairy-wren | Malurus cyaneus | + | |
| Wedge-tailed Eagle | Aquila audax | + | |
| Weebill | Smicrornis brevirostris | + | |
| Whistling Kite | Haliastur sphenurus | + | |
| White-faced Heron | Egretta novaehollandiae | + | |
| White-necked Heron | Ardea pacifica | + | |
| White-throated Needletail | Hirundapus caudacutus | + | |
| White-throated Treecreeper | Cormobates leucophaeus | + |
* For a complete list of declining/increasing species in the bioregion, see Barrett et al. 2003 pages 757–788
Source: Barrett et al. 2003; CSIRO 2005; Birds Australia 2005; NSW Government 2005
Threats and impacts on native species
Habitat disturbance and fragmentation are major threats to the distribution and abundance of native plant and animal species within the Shire; with changes in landcover and landuse being significant factors. There is little documented information however on the specific impacts of habitat disturbance, fragmentation or other threatening factors on species.
Although native plants and animals in the Shire would have been subject to prolonged drought conditions during the current reporting period, actual drought impacts on species are generally not known and/or poorly understood. Such a natural event may however affect the abundance of species by causing localised deaths (plants and animals) or migration out of the area (animals).
Threatening processes affecting plants
Several key processes listed as threatening in Schedule 3 of the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 are relevant to plant species in Snowy River Shire. They include:
- alteration to the natural flow regimes of rivers and streams and their floodplains and wetlands
- clearing of native vegetation
- competition and grazing by the feral European Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)
- competition and habitat degradation by Feral Goats (Capra hircus)
- invasion of native plant communities by exotic perennial grasses.
The main known threats to some of the endangered/vulnerable plants occurring in the Shire are outlined in Table 7. For information on known threats for other threatened plants in the area, including species predicted to occur there, see http://www.maps.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/tsprofile.
| Species | Known threats |
|---|---|
| Anenome Buttercup | horse and rabbit grazing if these animals become more prevalent loss of plans and habitat through ski slope developments |
| Austral Toadflax, Silky Swainson-pea | habitat loss and degradation from residential, infrastructure and agricultural developments, intensification of grazing regimes, weed invasion, road works (particularly widening or re-routing) |
| Rough Eyebright | habitat degradation from pig and deer damage, illegal stock grazing, off-road vehicular disturbance, changes to swamp hydrology and vegetation competition from the vigorous native Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) and blackberries |
Source: DEC 2005b
Threatening processes affecting animals
Several key processes listed as threatening in Schedule 3 of the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 are relevant to animal species in Snowy River Shire. They include:
- alteration to the natural flow regimes of rivers and streams and their floodplains and wetlands
- bushrock removal
- clearing of native vegetation
- competition and grazing by the feral European Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)
- competition and habitat degradation by Feral Goats (Capra hircus)
- competition from feral honeybees (Apis mellifera)
- infection of frogs by amphibian chytrid causing the disease chytridiomycosis
- invasion of native plant communities by exotic perennial grasses
- predation by Plague Minnow or Mosquito Fish (Gambusia holbrooki)
- predation by the European Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes)
- predation, habitat degradation, competition and disease transmission by Feral Pigs (Sus scrofa)
- predation by the Feral Cat (Felis catus)
- removal of dead wood and dead trees.
Eight key threats identified for native fish within the Murray-Darling Basin (MDBMC 2003) may also be relevant to fish species within the Shire. These threats are low regulation, habitat degradation, lowered water quality, barriers, alien species, exploitation, diseases, and translocation and stocking.
Specific threats identified for many of the endangered/vulnerable animals occurring in the Shire are shown in Table 8. The threats include a range of factors that affect species habitat, food sources or population viability. Habitat clearance and fragmentation threaten many of the species. For information on known threats for individual threatened animal species in the area and other threatened species predicted to occur there, see http://www.threatenedspecies.environment.nsw.gov.au/index.aspx.
| Species | Known threats |
|---|---|
| Mammals* | |
| Broad-toothed Rat;Eastern False Pipistrelle; Spotted-tailed Quoll | habitat loss, fragmentation and/or degradation from roads, ski runs and buildings, loss of trees for foraging and hollow-bearing trees for roosting, weed invasion, grazing and trampling by stock, grazing by rabbits and hares, application of pesticides in or adjacent to foraging areas, global warming localised extinction from catastrophic fire events, hazard reduction burning predation by Red Fox and probably by cats; rabbits attract predators to areas of habitat disturbance to winter roosting and breeding sites |
| Birds* | |
| Barking Owl (southern form); Blue-billed Duck; Brown Treecreeper (eastern subspecies); Glossy Black-cockatoo; Hooded Robin (southern form); Masked Owl; Olive Whistler; Powerful Owl; Regent Honeyeater; Speckled Warbler | habitat loss, fragmentation and/or degradation from native vegetation clearance, tree loss through altered water tables, residential development, overgrazing by stock and rabbits, loss in availability of nest trees, reduction of river flows fox and cat predation poisoning, disturbance and predation by foxes on fledglings reduction in suitably-sized prey competition with Starlings for nest sites road mortality |
| Amphibians | |
| Green and Golden Bell Frog | habitat loss, fragmentation and/or degradation from infilling and destruction of wetlands, alteration of drainage patterns and stormwater runoff, use of herbicides and other weed-control measures, fungal pathogen—Frog Chytrid Fungus predation by feral animals such as foxes, and by exotic fish such as Plague Minnow road mortality, where populations are already small due to other threats |
| Reptiles* | |
| Grassland Earless Dragon; Little Whip Snake; Striped Legless Lizard | habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation from land clearance for residential, agricultural, rural lifestyle subdivision and industrial developments, collection of bush rock, removal of rocks and fallen timber for pasture management, slashing, ploughing, heavy grazing and trampling by stock and rabbits, invasion by weeds or escaped pasture species, tree-planting in native grasslands, application of fertilisers and other agricultural chemicals, changed hydrology changed fire regimes that result in changes to vegetation structure and composition and also to invertebrate populations that are the food sources predation by feral animals, domestic cats and dogs |
* Each threat listed does not necessarily apply to every species
Source: DEC 2005b
What is being done to conserve native species?
Laws and policy
National and state laws provide a framework for the protection of native plant and animal species within the Shire. Two state laws were enacted during the previous reporting period: the Native Vegetation Act 2003 and the Catchment Management Authorities Act 2003. These two laws and the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 provide a landscape scale framework for biodiversity management. The National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974, other state laws including the Fisheries Management Act 1994 and Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 and the national Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 provide the framework for the recognition and protection of threatened plant and animal species, and usually require the species to be taken into account during proposed developments.
Snowy River Shire is located within the Murrumbidgee and Southern Rivers Catchment Management Authority (CMA) areas. Each CMA is required to work in partnership with Local Government as well as other stakeholders. No updated information on CMA actions during the current reporting period was provided, however The Murrumbidgee Catchment Blueprint (Murrumbidgee Catchment Management Board 2003) and South East Catchment Blueprint (South East Catchment Management Board 2002), both completed during the previous reporting period, include a range of management actions to restore, maintain or conserve biodiversity values.
Local government regulations, legislation or planning documents such as local environmental plans (LEPs) may also provide some protection for native species, or limit or prohibit certain activities that may lead to the further decline of protected species. Clause 43 of Snowy River Shire Council's LEP addresses the protection of biological diversity, while development applications within LEP zones 1a, 1c, 1d, 6 and 7 are assessed for threatened species. Shire Council has identified eastern approaches and river corridors as areas of particular environmental significance requiring assessment and development controls under its LEP.
Threatened species recovery planning
Of the 51 threatened species known to occur in Snowy River Shire, formal recovery plans were in place for only 10 species (see Tables 2 and 6); plans for seven species were completed during the previous reporting period. During that same period, plans were being prepared for another seven species and were exhibited for two other species. Seventeen animal species were covered by three national action plans, at least two of which were completed prior to 2001.
Although no data on the current reporting period was provided, an array of actions has been previously detailed by various conservation management agencies for many of the threatened species occurring in the Shire. Although recovery actions had been initiated during the previous reporting period by researchers and the NSW Department of Environment and Conservation for some of threatened species with no recovery plans (DEC 2004), these actions did not necessarily occur within the Shire. The extent to which recovery actions are proving effective in conserving targeted threatened species is not clear.
Other activities
No updated information on Council activities was provided for the current reporting period, however some actions carried out by Council during the previous reporting period may have had flow on effects. For example, during the previous reporting period Snowy River Council participated in the Local Management Team of the Snowy Monaro Biodiversity Conservation Strategy Project, and carried out a project (funded jointly by Council and WWF) to protect high conservation value grassland sites on Councils roadsides and cemeteries. Sites were mapped and signposted, and operations staff trained in ways to minimise their impact when working in these areas. The project also involved a community awareness campaign. Council also carried out various projects to provide incentives to control perennial grassy weeds which threaten native grasslands in the region. New regional weed plans developed by Shire Council with their partners in the Monaro Regional Weeds Committee, will have a positive impact on native species in the Shire.
Furthermore, a range of nationally funded activities undertaken during the previous reporting period in the Murrumbidgee and Southern Rivers catchments (DIPNR 2004) may also have enhanced the conservation of plant and animal species in the Shire. The conservation of species associated with native grasslands would also have benefited from work carried out through the Monaro Grasslands Conservation Management Network (see Ecological communities). Also, the Snowy River Shire supports ten Landcare groups.
About the data
Data for species lists were obtained from the sources listed below.
- BioNet (NSW Government 2005)—this database includes records from the Australian Museum, Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) and Department of Primary Industries (DPI). The DEC data includes data from the former NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Atlas of NSW Wildlife database (DEC 2005a) and the Sydney Royal Botanic Gardens Herbarium Collection database (Royal Botanic Gardens 2005). The DPI data includes data from the former NSW State Forests and the former NSW Fisheries.
- Atlas of NSW Wildlife (DEC 2005a)—species records are submitted to the Atlas as incidental sightings or systematic surveys, or imported from existing databases. Location details are validated on data entry, based on the grid references supplied. An accuracy index of location is applied and all records are automatically assigned a reliability category, based on the observers' experience. Unusual sightings that fail validations are queried and further validation may occur.
- Australian National Wildlife Collection Database (CSIRO 2005).
- Australia's Virtual Herbarium database—contains flora records from the Australian National Herbarium and other major herbaria in Australia (ANH 2005).
- NSW State Forests data—flora and fauna records held by NSW State Forests South Coast, Eden and Riverina Regions.
- Atlas of Australian Birds database (Birds Australia 2005)—records of threatened and migratory birds only. Detail about the database, accuracy of its records and other relevant information is outlined in Barrett et al. (2003)
Selection of species records
Species records were selected from between July 1955 to October 2008. This date range was used to eliminate species which had not been recorded in the last 50 years, and to eliminate historic records with poor locational or taxonomic detail.
Due to extensive data and time constraints, some exotic plant species may be included in the list of native plant species and hence also included in the plant species total for the Shire Council area.
Some species, especially plants, may appear more than once in the species lists of native plants and animals where slight variations in spelling or formatting of scientific names have occurred between or within the datasets used to compile these lists.
The total number of plant and animal species referred to in this report equals the total number of taxa listed in the lists of native plant and animal species (i.e. the total 'species' count includes varieties, subspecies, forms and hybrids).
Differences between reporting periods
The DECC Wildlife Atlas is the only source used to generate species lists for vulnerable and threatened flora species during this reporting period. This tool allows for geographic searching by Local Government Area Boundaries, hence revealing a more spatially accurate data set for the LGA in question. It is possible that the differences in threatened fauna species between 2008 and the 2004 report are due to a different geographic boundary being utilised for the previous reporting period (i.e. CMA regions), which do not correspond entirely with LGA boundaries.
Threatened species—status
Plant and animal species listed under the Commonwealth Government's Endangered Species Protection Act 1992 were automatically transferred to the new Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) and were formally listed under the EPBC Act on 16 July 2000. Although this listing date falls within the current reporting period, the status of such species was considered to remain unchanged from the previous reporting period. Data on the status of plant and animal species listed under NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (TSC Act) was not provided for this reporting period and was considered to remain unchanged.
Threatened species predicted to occur in the Shire
No data was provided for predicted threatened species in the current reporting period. Data given here is based on that provided for the previous reporting period. This data was sourced from the DECC, Threatened Species Unit, Southern Directorate as an extract from its Property Vegetation Planning Database.
References
ANH—see Australian National Herbarium
Australian National Herbarium (2005) Australia's Virtual Herbarium database, Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, CSIRO and Australian National Botanic Gardens, Department of Environment and Conservation, Canberra.
Barrett, G, Silcocks, A, Barry, S, Cunningham, R and Poulter, R (2003) The New Atlas of Australian Birds, Royal Australasian Ornithologist's Union, Melbourne.
Birds Australia (2005) Atlas of Australian Birds database, Birds Australia, Melbourne.
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (2005) Australian National Wildlife Collection Database, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Sustainable Ecosystems, Canberra.
CSIRO—see Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
DEC—see Department of Environment and Conservation (NSW)
DEH—see Department of Environment and Heritage (Commonwealth)
Department of Environment and Conservation (NSW) (2004) Recovery Planning Database, Threatened Species Unit, Department of Environment and Conservation, Hurstville.
Department of Environment and Conservation (NSW) (2005a) Atlas of NSW Wildlife Database, Department of Environment and Conservation, Hurstville.
Department of Environment and Conservation (NSW) (2005b) Threatened Species, Populations and Ecological Communities of NSW Catchments, viewed October 2008, http://www.threatenedspecies.environment.nsw.gov.au/index.aspx.
Department of Environment and Conservation (NSW) (2005c) South West Slopes Conservation Management Network Database, Department of Environment and Conservation, Queanbeyan.
Department of Environment and Heritage (Commonwealth) (2008) Species Profile and Threats Database , http://www.deh.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/sprat.pl.
Department of Infrastructure Planning and Natural Resources (NSW) (2004) 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)
Garnett, ST and Crowley, GM (2000) The Action Plan for Australian Birds, Environment Australia, Canberra.
Graham, C (2005) Charles Sturt University, personal communication.
Lachlan Catchment Management Board (2003) Lachlan Catchment Blueprint, Department of Land and Water Conservation, Sydney, online at http://www.dlwc.nsw.gov.au/care/cmb/blueprints/pdf/lachlan_blueprint.pdf.
Landcare Australia, 2004, New South Wales Landcare Project Tackling Salinity (The Saltshaker Project) Wins Prestigious National Landcare Award. Media Release http://esvc000182.wic017u.server-web.com/award_details.asp?award_id=19&year=2004
Maxwell, S, Burbidge, AA and Morris, K (eds) (1996) The 1996 Action Plan for Australian Marsupials and Monotremes, Environment Australia, Canberra.
MDBMC—see Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Shire Council
Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Shire Council (2003) Native Fish Strategy for the Murray-Darling Basin 2003–2013, Murray Darling Basin Commission, Canberra.
NSW Government (2005) BioNet System, NSW Government, viewed October 2008, http://www.bionet.nsw.gov.au/BioNet.cfm?is_ie5up.
OCE—see Office of the Commissioner for the Environment
Office of the Commissioner for the Environment (2000) Australian Capital Region State of the Environment Report 2000, Office of the Commissioner for the Environment, Canberra.
Royal Botanic Gardens (2005) Herbarium Collection Database, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney.
