Upper Lachlan
Indicator: Native Species
Results for this indicator are also available for [an error occurred while processing this directive]
What the results tell us for Upper Lachlan
The full extent of native animal and plant species diversity in Upper Lachlan Shire is not known. About 788 plant species (native and introduced) and 314 animal species have been recorded there, but these records are not comprehensive. The differences between reporting periods are primarily the result of differing and updated data sources.
Five plant and 33 vertebrate animal species that occur in the Shire are listed as Vulnerable or Endangered. The number of species in the area listed as nationally threatened increased by one during the reporting period. One fauna species had its status raised to Critically Endangered within New South Wales (NSW). An additional 82 threatened plant and animal species are predicted to occur in the Shire.
Native plants and animals in the area are subject to national, state and local laws relating to biodiversity protection. Formal recovery plans were in place for three of the 39 threatened species known to occur in the Shire. Seventeen species were covered by three 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 species was not known.
What native species occur in the Council area?
No comprehensive lists of plant or animal species were available for Upper Lachlan 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 788 plant species, most of them native and including many lichens and other lower plant species, have been recorded in the Shire. This is a decrease of 32 species on the previous reporting period. This result is due to the use of differing and more refined fauna data sources for this reporting period. No information was available on the abundance of native plant species during the reporting period.
Five plant species recorded in the Shire are listed as vulnerable or endangered in NSW and/or nationally (see Table 1) all were listed prior to the current reporting period. One species, the Buttercup Doubletail, had its status raised from Vulnerable to Endangered in NSW. No updated information was provided for predicted species occurrences, but based on data gathered for the previous reporting period, scientific experts predict that an additional 37 vulnerable or endangered species may also be present (see Table 2), although there were no confirmed records of them at the end of the reporting period.
| Common name | Scientific name | Conservation status | Recovery Plan or Action Plan | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National† | NSW‡ | Change* | |||
| Aromatic Peppercress | Lepidium hyssopifolium | E | E | No | None |
| Buttercup Doubletail | Diuris aequalis | V | E | NSW status raised to endangered | None |
| Cambage Kunzea | Kunzea cambagei | V | V | No | None |
| Floating Swamp Wallaby-grass | Amphibromus fluitans | V | V | No | None |
| Yass Daisy | Ammobium craspedioides | V | V | No | None |
# 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 2005; NSW Government 2005
| Common name | Scientific name |
|---|---|
| Hygrocybe anomala var. ianthinomarginata | |
| Philotheca ericifolia | |
| Solanum armourense | |
| A spear grass | Austrostipa wakoolica |
| Austral Toadflax | Thesium australe |
| Button Wrinklewort | Rutidosis leptorrhynchoides |
| Cotoneaster Pomaderris | Pomaderris cotoneaster |
| Creeping Hop-bush | Dodonaea procumbens |
| Crimson Spider Orchid | Caladenia concolor |
| Crimson Spider Orchid | Caladenia concolor |
| Deane's Boronia | Boronia deanei |
| Delicate Pomaderris | Pomaderris delicata |
| Dwarf Kerrawang | Rulingia prostrata |
| Few-seeded Bossiaea | Bossiaea oligosperma |
| Flockton Wattle | Acacia flocktoniae |
| Kanangra Wattle | Acacia clunies-rossiae |
| Kowmung Hakea | Hakea dohertyi |
| Kydra Westringia | Westringia kydrensis |
| Lemon Zieria | Zieria citriodora |
| Mauve Burr-daisy | Calotis glandulosa |
| McBarron's Goodenia | Goodenia macbarronii |
| Michelago Parrot-pea | Dillwynia glaucula |
| Monaro Golden Daisy | Rutidosis leiolepis |
| Mountain Trachymene | Trachymene saniculifolia |
| Needle Geebung | Persoonia acerosa |
| Pale Pomaderris | Pomaderris pallida |
| Pine Donkey Orchid | Diuris tricolor |
| Robertson's Peppermint | Eucalyptus robertsonii subsp. hemisphaerica |
| Rough Eyebright | Euphrasia scabra |
| Silky Swainson-pea | Swainsona sericea |
| Silver-leafed Gum | Eucalyptus pulverulenta |
| Small Purple-pea | Swainsona recta |
| Small Snake Orchid | Diuris pedunculata |
| Small-leaved Gum | Eucalyptus parvula |
| Tarengo Leek Orchid | Prasophyllum petilum |
| Thick-leaf Star-hair | Astrotricha crassifolia |
| Trailing Monotoca | Monotoca rotundifolia |
Source: DEC 2005; SOE 2004
Animals (fauna)
Three hundred and fourteen vertebrate animal species have been recorded in the Shire; about 60% of them birds (see Table 3). Although this is 106 species more than recorded in the previous reporting period, it probably reflects the use of new data sources, the inclusion of non-native species within population lists and extra survey work carried out since 2004. The number of invertebrate animals (insects etc) is not known. No specific information was available on the abundance of animal species 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 | 61 | 34 |
| Amphibians | 16 | 14 |
| Birds | 163 | 136 |
| Reptiles | 53 | 42 |
| Fish | 21 | 4 |
| Total | 314 | 230 |
Source: NSW Government 2005
Thirty-three animal species recorded in Upper Lachlan Shire are listed as endangered or vulnerable (see Table 4). They include ten mammals, 16 birds, three amphibians and four fish. No updated information was provided on status change since the previous reporting period.
| Common name | Scientific name | Conservation status# | Recovery Plan or Action Plan (Date if known) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National† | NSW‡ | Change* | |||
| Mammals | |||||
| Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby | Petrogale penicillata | V | E | No | National Recovery Plan in preparation; Action Plan (1996)2 |
| Eastern Bentwing-bat | Miniopterus schreibersii oceanensis | – | V | No | None |
| Eastern False Pipistrelle | Falsistrellus tasmaniensis | – | V | No | None |
| Greater Broad-nosed Bat | Scoteanax rueppellii | – | V | No | Action Plan (1999)3 |
| Inland Forest Bat | Vespadelus baverstocki | – | V | No | None |
| Koala | Phascolarctos cinereus | – | V | No | Recovery Plan exhibited (21/03/03) |
| Large-eared Pied Bat | Chalinolobus dwyeri | V | V | No | Action Plan (1999)3 |
| Little Pied Bat | Chalinolobus picatus | – | V | No | Action Plan (1999)3 |
| Squirrel Glider | Petaurus norfolcensis | – | V | No | Action Plan (1996)2 |
| Yellow-bellied Glider | Petaurus australis | – | V | No | Recovery Plan (gazetted 07/03/03); Action Plan (1996)2 |
| Birds | |||||
| Brown Treecreeper (eastern subspecies) | Climacteris picumnus victoriae | – | V | No | Action Plan (2000)1 |
| Chestnut Quail-thrush | Cinclosoma castanotus | – | V | No | None |
| Diamond Firetail | Stagonopleura guttata | – | V | No | Action Plan (2000)1 |
| Gilbert's Whistler | Pachycephala inornata | – | V | No | None |
| Glossy Black-cockatoo | Calyptorhynchus lathami | – | V | No | None |
| Hooded Robin | Melanodryas cucullata cucullata | – | V | No | Action Plan (2000)1 |
| Magpie Goose | Anseranas semipalmata | – | V | No | None |
| Major Mitchell's Cockatoo | Cacatua leadbeateri | – | V | No | None |
| Malleefowl | Leipoa ocellata | V | E | No | National Recovery Plan (October 2000); Action Plan (2000)1 |
| Masked Owl | Tyto novaehollandiae | – | V | No | Action Plan (2000)1 |
| Painted Honeyeater | Grantiella picta | – | V | No | Action Plan (2000)1 |
| Powerful Owl | Ninox strenua | – | V | No | Action Plan (2000)1 |
| Regent Parrot (eastern subsp.) | Polytelis anthopeplus monarchoides | V | E | No | National Recovery Plan in preparation; Action Plan (2000)1 |
| Speckled Warbler | Pyrrholaemus sagittatus | – | V | No | Action Plan (2000)1 |
| Superb Parrot | Polytelis swainsonii | V | V | No | National Recovery Plan in preparation; Action Plan (2000)1 |
| Turquoise Parrot | Neophema pulchella | – | V | No | Action Plan (2000)1 |
| Amphibians | |||||
| 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 |
| Southern Bell Frog | Litoria raniformis | V | E | No | National Recovery Plan in preparation |
| Fish | |||||
| Macquarie Perch | Macquaria australasica | E | E | No | National Recovery Plan in preparation |
| Silver Perch | Bidyanus bidyanus | – | V | No | Native Fish Strategy for the Murray-Darling Basin 2003–2013 (2003)4 |
| Southern Pygmy Perch | Nannoperca australis | – | V | No | None |
| Trout Cod | Maccullochella macquariensis | E | E | No | National Recovery Plan 1998–2005 |
# 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). References: 1 = Garnett and Crowley 2000; 2 = Maxwell et al. 1996; 3 = Duncan et al. 1999; 4 = MDBMC 2003; Other sources: Birds Australia 2005; CSIRO 2005; DEC 2005b; DEH 2005; DPI 2005; Graham 2005; NSW Government 2005
No updated information on predicted species occurrence was provided, however based on data gathered for the previous reporting period, scientific experts predict that an additional 45 vulnerable or endangered animal species may occur in the Shire (see Table 5), although there were no confirmed records of them at the end of the current or previous reporting period. They include the Critically Endangered Golden Sun Moth (Synemon plana) and Giant Dragonfly (Petalura gigantea).
| Common name | Scientific name |
|---|---|
| Alpine Tree Frog | Litoria verreauxii alpina |
| Australasian Bittern | Botaurus poiciloptilus |
| Barking Owl | Ninox connivens |
| Black-chinned Honeyeater (eastern subspecies) | Melithreptus gularis gularis |
| Black-tailed Godwit | Limosa limosa |
| Blue Mountains Water Skink | Eulamprus leuraensis |
| Blue-billed Duck | Oxyura australis |
| Broad-headed Snake | Hoplocephalus bungaroides |
| Brolga | Grus rubicundus |
| Brush-tailed Phascogale | Phascogale tapoatafa |
| Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby | Petrogale penicillata |
| Bush Stone-curlew | Burhinus grallarius |
| Eastern Bentwing-bat | Miniopterus schreibersii oceanensis |
| Eastern Freetail-bat | Mormopterus norfolkensis |
| Eastern Long-eared Bat (southeastern form) | Nyctophilus timoriensis |
| Eastern Pygmy-possum | Cercartetus nanus |
| Freckled Duck | Stictonetta naevosa |
| Giant Burrowing Frog | Heleioporus australiacus |
| Giant Dragonfly | Petalura gigantea |
| Golden Sun Moth | Synemon plana |
| Grassland Earless Dragon | Tympanocryptis pinguicolla |
| Greater Broad-nosed Bat | Scoteanax rueppellii |
| Grey Falcon | Falco hypoleucos |
| Grey-crowned Babbler (eastern subspecies) | Pomatostomus temporalis temporalis |
| Grey-headed Flying-fox | Pteropus poliocephalus |
| Large-eared Pied Bat | Chalinolobus dwyeri |
| Large-footed Myotis | Myotis adversus |
| Little Whip Snake | Suta flagellum |
| Littlejohn's Tree Frog | Litoria littlejohni |
| Olive Whistler | Pachycephala olivacea |
| Pied Honeyeater | Certhionyx variegatus |
| Pink Robin | Petroica rodinogaster |
| Pink-tailed Worm-lizard | Aprasia parapulchella |
| Red-crowned Toadlet | Pseudophryne australis |
| Rosenberg's Goanna | Varanus rosenbergi |
| Sooty Owl | Tyto tenebricosa |
| Spotted-tailed Quoll | Dasyurus maculatus |
| Square-tailed Kite | Lophoictinia isura |
| Squirrel Glider | Petaurus norfolcensis |
| Striped Legless Lizard | Delma impar |
| Stuttering Barrred Frog | Mixophyes balbus |
| Swift Parrot | Lathamus discolor |
| Yellow-bellied Glider | Petaurus australis |
| Yellow-bellied Sheathtail-bat | Saccolaimus flaviventris |
| Yellow-spotted Bell Frog | Litoria castanea |
Source: DEC 2005b
In the broader South Eastern Highlands and South Western Slopes bioregions within which Upper Lachlan 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 | + | |
| Black Swan | Cygnus atratus | + | |
| Brown Falcon | Falco berigora | + | |
| Buff-rumped Thornbill | Acanthiza reguloides | + | |
| Crested Shrike-tit | Falcunculus frontatus | + | |
| Crimson Rosella | Platycercus elegans | + | |
| Dusky Moorhen | Gallinula tenebrosa | + | |
| Eastern Yellow Robin | Eopsaltria australis | + | |
| Golden Whistler | Pachycephala pectoralis | + | |
| Grey Fantail | Rhipidura albiscapa | + | |
| Hardhead | Aythya australis | + | |
| Masked Lapwing | Vanellus miles | + | |
| Mistletoebird | Dicaeum hirundinaceum | + | |
| Nankeen Kestrel | Falco cenchroides | + | |
| Noisy Friarbird | Philemon corniculatus | + | |
| Pied Currawong | Strepera graculina | + | |
| Red Wattlebird | Anthochaera carunculata | + | |
| Restless Flycatcher | Myiagra inquieta | + | |
| Richard's Pipit | Anthus novaeseelandiae | + | |
| Sacred Kingfisher | Todiramphus sanctus | + | |
| Silvereye | Zosterops lateralis | + | |
| Striated Pardalote | Pardalotus striatus | + | |
| Sulphur-crested Cockatoo | Cacatua galerita | + | |
| Superb Fairy-wren | Malurus cyaneus | + | |
| Varied Sittella | Daphoenositta chrysoptera | + | |
| White-browed Woodswallow | Artamus superciliosus | + | |
| White-faced Heron | Egretta novaehollandiae | + | |
| White-naped Honeyeater | Melithreptus lunatus | + | |
| White-plumed Honeyeater | Lichenostomus penicillatus | + | |
| White-throated Treecreeper | Cormobates leucophaeus | + |
* For a complete list of declining and increasing species in the bioregion, see Barrett et al. 2003 pages 757–788; Source: Barrett et al. 2003; Birds Australia 2005; CSIRO 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 land cover 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 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 Upper Lachlan 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); and
- invasion of native plant communities by exotic perennial grasses.
The main known threats to some of the endangered/vulnerable plant species in the Shire are outlined in Table 7. For information on known threats for other listed plant species in the area, and others predicted to occur there, see: http://www.threatenedspecies.environment.nsw.gov.au/index.aspx.
| Species | Threats |
|---|---|
| Cambage Kunzea | road maintenance (e.g. road widening, weed spraying) |
| Dense Cord-rush | pigs rooting for food |
| Doubletail Buttercup | habitat loss and damage from rural-residential subdivision and associated land uses (e.g. horse and goat grazing), modification of tree layer, illegal rubbish dumping, road works |
| Floating Swamp Wallaby-grass | drainage of swamps and use for agricultural purposes road maintenance and upgrades use of herbicides |
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 Upper Lachlan 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
- predation by Plague Minnow or Mosquito Fish (Gambusia holbrooki)
- predation by the European Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes)
- predation by the Feral Cat (Felis catus) and;
- 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 for other threatened species predicted to occur there, see http://www.threatenedspecies.environment.nsw.gov.au/index.aspx.
| Species | Threats |
|---|---|
| Mammals* | |
| Eastern False Pipistrelle; Inland Forest Bat; Koala; Little Pied Bat | habitat loss, fragmentation and/or degradation through native vegetation clearance, loss of hollow bearing and mature roost trees removal of old buildings |
| Birds* | |
| Brown Treecreeper (eastern subspecies); Diamond Firetail; Gilbert's Whistler; Glossy Black-cockatoo; Hooded Robin (southern form); Malleefowl; Masked Owl; Painted Honeyeater; Powerful Owls; Regent Parrot; Speckled Warbler; Superb Parrot; Turquoise Parrot | habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation through native vegetation clearance, residential development, tree loss through altered water tables, overgrazing by stock and rabbits, loss in availability of nest trees fox and cat predation reduction in suitably-sized prey poisoning, disturbance and predation by foxes on fledglings competition with Starlings for nest sites road mortality |
| Amphibians* | |
| Booroolong Frog; Green and Golden Bell Frog; Southern Bell Frog | habitat loss, fragmentation and/or degradation through destruction of wetlands, modification of steam channels, loss of cobble banks, loss of native streamside vegetation, stock damage to stream margins, weed invasion of streamside habitats (particularly by willows), use of herbicides and other weed-control measures, pollution, salinisation of waterbodies, sedimentation disease—chytrid fungus alteration of drainage patterns and stormwater runoff alteration to natural flooding regimes from irrigation and river regulation road mortality, where populations are already small due to other threats predation by feral animals such as foxes predation on eggs and tadpoles from exotic fish species such as carp, goldfish and mosquito fish |
* 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.
Upper Lachlan Shire is located within the Lachlan, Murrumbidgee and Hawkesbury Nepean Catchment Management Authority (CMA) areas. Each CMA is required to work in partnership with Local Government as well as other stakeholders. No updated information about CMA activities was provided, however the Lachlan Catchment Blueprint (Lachlan Catchment Management Board 2003) and Murrumbidgee Catchment Blueprint (Murrumbidgee Catchment Management Board 2003), 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.
Threatened species recovery planning
Of the 38 threatened species known to occur in Upper Lachlan Shire, formal recovery plans were in place for only three species (see Table 4). Seventeen species were covered by three national action plans, at least two of which were completed prior to 2001 (Table 4).
An array of actions has been detailed by various conservation management agencies for many of the threatened species occurring or predicted to occur in Upper Lachlan Shire, but no current information on these actions was available. Although recovery actions had been initiated during the previous reporting period by researchers and the NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC) for the Yass Daisy and Tarengo Leek Orchid and some threatened animal 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 was provided but national activities undertaken during the previous reporting period may have impacts for the current reporting period. A range of nationally funded activities undertaken during the previous reporting period in the Lachlan, Murrumbidgee and Hawkesbury Nepean catchments (DIPNR 2004) may have enhanced the conservation of plant and animal species in the Shire.
The Grassy Box Woodland Conservation Management Network initiated and commenced implemented of a Biodiversity Conservation in the NSW Sheep/Wheat Belt project during the previous reporting period. The project includes gathering information to assist in assessing the status and extent of endangered ecological communities and threatened bird species across the NSW sheep/wheat belt, of which Upper Lachlan Shire is a part. On-ground surveys, which commenced at the beginning of the current reporting period, are expected to be continued for several years, with each year's survey results being provided to local and regional planning authorities. Upper Lachlan Council will benefit if future survey sites are located within its boundary.
The Shire also supports 25 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 Climate Change (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.
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 (LGA) 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 Climate Change, 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 Climate Change (NSW)
DEH—see Department of Environment and Heritage (Commonwealth)
Department of Environment and Climate Change (NSW) (2004) Recovery Planning Database, Threatened Species Unit, Department of Environment and Climate Change, Hurstville.
Department of Environment and Climate Change (NSW) (2005a) Atlas of NSW Wildlife Database, Department of Environment and Climate Change, Hurstville.
Department of Environment and Climate Change (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 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.
Department of Primary Industries (2005) Fisheries Scientific Committee Final Recommendations, viewed April 2005, http://www.fisheries.nsw.gov.au/threatened_species/fsc/recomend.
DIPNR—see Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources (NSW)
DPI—see Department of Primary Industries (NSW)
Duncan, A, Baker, GB and Montgomery, N (eds) (1999) The Action Plan for Australian Bats, Environment Australia, Canberra.
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, NSW Department of Land and Water Conservation, Sydney, online at http://www.dlwc.nsw.gov.au/care/cmb/blueprints/pdf/lachlan_blueprint.pdf.
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 Council
Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council (2003) Native Fish Strategy for the Murray-Darling Basin 2003–2013, Murray Darling Basin Commission, Canberra.
Murrumbidgee Catchment Management Board (2003) Murrumbidgee Catchment Blueprint, NSW Department of Land and Water Conservation, Sydney, online at http://www.dlwc.nsw.gov.au/care/cmb/blueprints/pdf/murrumbidgee_blueprint.pdf.
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.
