Ecological Communities Section Warkworth Sands Woodland of the Hunter Valley update (critically endangered, May 2016). Banksia Woodlands of the Swan Coastal Plain Over the past year, the crucial role of conserving (endangered, Sep 2016). Australia’s most threatened ecological communities has Illawarra and South Coast Lowland Forest and progressed, with several new listings and many new Woodland (critically endangered, Sep 2016). assessments underway. The Ecological Communities Section continues to work closely with the Threatened A summary on each TEC is included later in this newsletter. Species Scientific Committee (TSSC) to conduct rigorous Further information regarding all nationally listed ecological scientific assessments on ecological communities nominated communities, including full Conservation Advices, detailed for listing. Publishing information to promote protection descriptions, threat analyses, distribution maps, and priority and recovery of ecological communities listed as threatened research and conservation actions (within national under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity conservation advices and/or recovery plans), can be found on Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) is another key the Department’s website at: responsibility of the section. Newly-listed Threatened Ecological Communities (TECs) Finalised Priority Assessment List The Minister for the Environment and Energy, the Hon Josh The following ecological communities have been added to Frydenberg MP, approved the Finalised Priority Assessment the national list: List (FPAL) for the assessment period beginning 1 October Southern Highlands Shale Forest and Woodland in 2016. the Sydney Basin Bioregion (critically endangered, Aug 2015). The FPAL for this assessment period included three Eucalypt Woodlands of the Western Australian ecological communities nominated for consideration in the Wheatbelt (critically endangered, Dec 2015). critically endangered category: Natural Temperate Grassland of the South Eastern Tuart (Eucalyptus gomphocephala) woodlands of the Highlands (critically endangered, April 2016) Swan Coastal Plain. (replaced previous listing of Natural Temperate Tasmanian White Gum (Eucalyptus viminalis) wet forest. Grassland of the Southern Tablelands of NSW and River-flat eucalypt forest on coastal floodplains of the Australian Capital Territory (endangered), New South Wales. which was delisted at the same time). Red capped parrot (Purpureicephalus spurius) feeding on Banksia sessilis in Banksia Woodlands of the Swan Coastal Plain (© Copyright B Knott).
Ecological Communities Section update Over the past year, the crucial role of conserving Australia’s most threatened ecological communities has progressed, with several new listings and many new assessments underway. The Ecological Communities Section continues to work closely with the Threatened Species Scientific Committee (TSSC) to conduct rigorous scientific assessments on ecological communities nominated for listing. Publishing information to promote protection and recovery of ecological communities listed as threatened under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) is another key responsibility of the section. Newly-listed Threatened Ecological Communities (TECs) The following ecological communities have been added to the national list: Southern Highlands Shale Forest and Woodland in the Sydney Basin Bioregion (critically endangered, Aug 2015). Eucalypt Woodlands of the Western Australian Wheatbelt (critically endangered, Dec 2015). Natural Temperate Grassland of the South Eastern Highlands (critically endangered, April 2016) (replaced previous listing of Natural Temperate Grassland of the Southern Tablelands of NSW and the Australian Capital Territory (endangered), which was delisted at the same time). Warkworth Sands Woodland of the Hunter Valley (critically endangered, May 2016). Banksia Woodlands of the Swan Coastal Plain (endangered, Sep 2016). Illawarra and South Coast Lowland Forest and Woodland (critically endangered, Sep 2016). A summary on each TEC is included later in this newsletter. Further information regarding all nationally listed ecological communities, including full Conservation Advices, detailed descriptions, threat analyses, distribution maps, and priority research and conservation actions (within national conservation advices and/or recovery plans), can be found on the Department’s website at: Finalised Priority Assessment List The Minister for the Environment and Energy, the Hon Josh Frydenberg MP, approved the Finalised Priority Assessment List (FPAL) for the assessment period beginning 1 October 2016. The FPAL for this assessment period included three ecological communities nominated for consideration in the critically endangered category: Tuart (Eucalyptus gomphocephala) woodlands of the Swan Coastal Plain. Tasmanian White Gum (Eucalyptus viminalis) wet forest. River-flat eucalypt forest on coastal floodplains of New South Wales. Red capped parrot (Purpureicephalus spurius) feeding on Banksia sessilis in Banksia Woodlands of the Swan Coastal Plain (© Copyright B Knott).