Upper Lachlan

Issue: Biodiversity

This issue is discussed for these areas:  [an error occurred while processing this directive]

For more information refer to the following Indicators:
Ecological Communities | Fire | Native Species | Pest Animals | Pest Plants | Riparian Conditions

What does the Shire have?

Upper Lachlan Shire has a moderately rich biodiversity—53 different vegetation types have been mapped with 36 being of conservation significance, and at least 788 plant species (native and introduced).Fauna species recorded in the Shire include 163 bird species, 21 fish species, 61 mammal species, 53 reptile species and 16 amphibian species.

This reflects the habitat diversity in the Shire—from coastal escarpment and hinterland areas, mountainous country of the Blue Mountains to extensive tableland areas. About 23% of the Shire is native bushland, while conservation areas comprise about 5% of the Shire.

The Shire contains occurrences of four endangered ecological communities and populations of six plant and 33 animal species that are vulnerable or endangered nationally or in New South Wales (NSW). An additional 37 plant species and 45 animal species listed as vulnerable or endangered are also predicted to occur in the Shire.

What has changed?

Insufficient data were available to assess many aspects of the Shire's biodiversity during the reporting period. There is little monitoring or systematic collection of data on species, populations or communities, so data quality is generally poor. The major data gaps included changes in the extent and condition of terrestrial and riparian ecosystems, (including vegetation change through clearing and forestry practices), changes in native species populations and abundance, changes in threatening processes, changes in aquatic macro invertebrates, the extent to which recovery plan actions have been carried out and their effectiveness and changes in the distribution and population densities of pest plant and animal species (including the effectiveness of control measures).

The number of ecological communities present in the Shire that are listed as vulnerable or endangered increased during the current reporting period. Eight ecological communities were listed as critically endangered or endangered (Note: threatened ecological community lists are generated based on Bioregions). The number of flora species (excluding non-natives) recorded in the Shire decreased by 69 due to further refinement of existing flora data sets.

Fauna species recorded in the Shire decreased by 39 during the current reporting period, primarily the result of different data sets, recent survey efforts and the inclusion of non native species for this reporting period. The number of threatened plants with occurrences in the Shire decreased by one, due to the result of further refinement of existing flora data sets. No analysis of change in status of fauna species status took place during the current reporting period, however most pressures on these species are unlikely to have been reduced during the reporting period.

Although no quantitative data is available to indicate if the condition of biodiversity is deteriorating within the Shire, general trends in NSW indicate the diversity of terrestrial species remains under threat and response mechanisms to protect them have not yet reversed this trend. Even where pressures on species are reduced, due to lag effects, it may take many years for the full effects to become evident. The number of species, populations and communities listed as threatened has generally increased over time. The distribution and abundance of many species not listed as threatened continues to decline due to habitat destruction and other pressures.

For this reason, Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (TSC Act) listings do not give a complete picture of the broader decline occurring across the region as habitats shrink and become fragmented, reducing ecological ranges and genetic diversity. Another problem may be the considerable time lag involved in the process of identifying a species of concern, nominating it for listing and obtaining the data to finally determine its status. The true level of decline is unknown as the number of species is much greater than the state of knowledge about them. The vast majority of species that make up our biodiversity, such as invertebrates, have not been described, with their ecological functions known only in general terms and their conservation status not known at all in most cases. This lack of knowledge of the full potential of impacts may itself contribute to biodiversity loss.

Habitat removal, disturbance and fragmentation, through vegetation clearing and/or modification, are thought to have continued as major threats to native species and ecosystems in the Shire. Population increases and the resulting demand for urban development within the Shire during the reporting period placed pressure on native species and communities. Disturbances such as development, fires and drought led to further degradation or loss of ecological communities. Conversely, a number of weed species benefited from these disturbances and their population size or extent increased. Pest animals continued to exert further pressure on ecological communities and species.

Insufficient information was available during the current reporting period to accurately assess on the variety of programs and projects to enhance and protect biodiversity by Shire Council, individuals and community groups.

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The 'pressure points'

The 'pressure points' are specific processes that continue to exert detrimental effects upon species and ecological communities. If these continue unabated, they will cause these species and ecological communities to slide further towards extinction. These are the main pressures that need to be relieved in order to preserve and recover species and ecological communities through effective management strategies and actions:

  • habitat removal, disturbance and fragmentation, through vegetation clearing and/or modification, were major threats to native species and ecosystems in the Shire.
  • six pest animal species and nine pest plant (weed) species were of high concern during the reporting period. These invasive species represent one of the most serious threats to biodiversity in the Shire.
  • drought conditions that were prevalent during much of the reporting period would have affected many native species and ecosystems in the Shire.
  • five wildfires occurred within the Shire during the current reporting period, however no information is available on areas burnt by these wildfires. No information is available on the number of vegetation communities, including those known to be fire sensitive, affected by fire, or the extent of impact on these communities.
  • there is already evidence of climate change impacts on biodiversity, including effects on species physiology, distribution and the timing of life-cycle events. Climate change is also expected to exacerbate other threatening processes. It may enable invasive species to expand into new areas, create more frequent forest fires and cause declining water quality. The combined effects of other pressures reduce the options for native species to adapt to climate change.

Protecting and enhancing biodiversity

Biodiversity is the variety of life: the different plants, animals and micro-organisms, their genes and the ecosystems of which they are a part. Biodiversity is vital in supporting human life on Earth. The natural environment maintains many essential functions that form the foundation of a healthy and sustainable environment. These are often called 'ecosystem services' and include air and water purification, waste detoxification and decomposition, crop and natural vegetation pollination, dispersal of seeds and nutrients and regulation of climate.

Local Councils are in a prime position to take a leading role in maintaining these vital ecosystem services. A range of activities in the Shire during the reporting period were aimed at improving the condition of native ecosystems and the habitat of native species and reducing the pressures on them. The main responses to biodiversity loss on a state level are amendments to the TSC Act, introduction of the Priorities Action Statement, increasing reservation in the protected area system, and the natural resource management reforms.

Both Blue Mountains National Park and Tarlo River National Park have fire management plans, the latter being adopted during the current reporting period.

Of the 38 threatened species known to occur in Upper Lachlan Shire, formal recovery plans were in place for only three species. Seventeen species were covered by three national action plans, at least two of which were completed prior to2001.

No data was available to assess change in the distribution or population densities of pest plant or pest animal species, or the effectiveness of control activities.

Activities to control pest plant (weed) species of high concern were conducted in the Shire during the current reporting period, however changes in the relative abundance of targeted species was not known. Available data only showed changes resulting from implementation of controls and management plans for priority weeds between 2001 and 2008, ie. over two reporting periods. Council prepared plans and strategies to help enhance biodiversity within the Shire and continued its involvement in on-ground projects. Council and community groups also undertook a number of ecological restoration projects. No information was available on these projects.

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The future—what does this mean for Council?

The continued lack of data to allow a full assessment of the Shire's biodiversity status carries with it the risk that approved development proposals will have unanticipated adverse impacts. Lack of monitoring of native species, populations and communities within the Shire may also hamper conservation efforts, as impacts from urban and rural development, industry, forestry practices and other pressures (e.g. fire, drought) cannot be determined and remediation measures cannot be planned to appropriate levels. Monitoring is also essential to determine whether environmental plans and strategies and on-ground management projects are achieving the desired biodiversity outcomes.

Council needs to maintain appropriate effort and resources in the following areas of its environmental management:

  • improve our knowledge of the regions biodiversity through linking databases and information relating to biodiversity to other government agencies. This, and close liaison with these agencies to encourage programs of data collection will aid conservation planners, land managers and members of the public to gain a clearer and more up-to-date picture of biodiversity within the region and associated management issues relevant to it. The greatest information need (and the one that will be most important in the longer term) is agreed methodologies for assessing vegetation condition that will facilitate its monitoring and reporting.
  • utilise a range of existing government agency programs (as outlined in the NSW Biodiversity Strategy) which protect native species and ecosystems across NSW. This includes initiatives such as adopting regional strategies (eg. pest management strategies) and management plans conducted with other agencies, local government, landowners and the community.
  • implement the 'Threatened Species Assessment Guideline' to assist the community, developers and Council assessment staff with ensuring the legislative requirements are readily understood. Utilise Regional-scale Biodiversity Survey and Assessment Guidelines that provide information about how to approach survey and assessment of biodiversity to inform regional planning.
  • continue to ensure biodiversity impacts are adequately taken into account in planning for and implementing land use zoning, assessment of development applications, road management and construction activities, stormwater management, hazard control burning and weed control activities. The regulation of these activities needs to be in accordance with legislative requirements and also include, as a minimum, consideration of terrestrial and aquatic native species and ecosystems generally, in addition to specific consideration of endangered ecological communities and vulnerable or endangered plant and animal species known or predicted to occur in the Shire.
  • incorporate best practice’ for biodiversity planning as outlined in the Biodiversity Planning Guidelines for Local Government document. This Guide aims to assist Councils to carry out biodiversity conservation as part of their day-to-day functions, especially those relating to planning and development. It provides Councils with a 'good practice guide'. The Guide highlights the importance of plan making for biodiversity conservation, as well as the need to integrate both regulatory and positive approaches. It shows how Councils can conserve biodiversity through their existing regulatory and operational functions. The Guide does not create new plan making processes, but presents a package of strategies and tools that can be applied within existing frameworks.
  • education of staff and the wider community on biodiversity is required. There exists a general poor understanding of the importance of biodiversity in maintaining life support systems for human and environmental health. A broader understanding and appreciation of the values of biodiversity and will underpin future success in conserving biodiversity and critical ecological services.
  • help ensure appropriate (relevant and achievable) monitoring programs are in place to measure the effectiveness of Council's environmental policies, strategies, management activities and on-ground restoration projects in achieving desired biodiversity outcomes.
  • continue to support and encourage community involvement in biodiversity conservation and monitoring.
  • maintain collaborative arrangements with other land management agencies within the region to ensure ongoing success with pest animal and plant control and fire management, and to develop awareness of new land management principles, innovations or approaches.
  • work closely with the Southern Rivers Catchment Management Authority to help ensure consistency in approach to biodiversity conservation and complementary actions to achieve this.

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