Threatened species & ecological communities
Latest news
- New Holland Mouse listed as vulnerable
- Draft recovery plans for the Australian Sea Lion and the White Shark - open for public comment
- Finalised priority assessment lists (FPAL) - The FPAL includes a full list of species, ecological communities and key threatening processes listed for assessment for the period beginning 1 October 2010.
- Extensions to EPBC Act nomination timeframes - timeframes for FPAL nominations that have recently been extended.
- Finalised priority assessment lists (FPAL) - The FPAL includes a full list of species, ecological communities and key threatening processes listed for assessment for the period beginning 1 October 2010.
- Threatened Marine Ecological Communities
Workshop Report
A workshop was held on the 7th & 8th of September 2009 by the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts and the Threatened Species Scientific Committee to bring marine scientists and other experts from across Australia together to examine how Marine Ecological Communities can be defined and assessed for listing under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). - New ecological community listing - Grey Box (Eucalyptus microcarpa) Grassy Woodlands and Derived Native Grasslands of South-Eastern Australia
- Communities for communities newsletter, issue 12: February 2010
- New ecological community listing - Lake Clifton Thrombolites, WA - The list of threatened ecological communities under the EPBC act has been amended to include the Thrombolite (microbialite) Community of a Coastal Brackish Lake (Lake Clifton)
Australia is home to between 600,000 and 700,000 species, many of which are found nowhere else in the world. About 84 per cent of plants, 83 per cent of mammals, and 45 per cent of birds are only found in Australia.
Changes to the landscape and native habitat as a result of human activity have put many of these unique species at risk. Over the last two hundred years many species of plants and animals have become extinct. For the other species of plants and animals whose survival is threatened, a range of management and conservation measures are in place.
Ecological communities are unique and naturally occurring groups of plants and animals. Their presence can be determined by factors such as soil type, position in the landscape, climate and water availability.
The Australian Government is working in partnership with state, territory and local governments, non-government organisations, tertiary institutions and community groups to ensure the protection of our native species.
Protecting threatened species and ecological communities
The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) is the Australian Government's principal piece of environment legislation.
The EPBC Act protects Australia's native species and ecological communities by providing for:
- identification and listing of species and ecological communities as threatened
- development of conservation advice and recovery plans for listed species and ecological communities
- development of a register of critical habitat
- recognition of key threatening processes
- where appropriate, reducing the impacts of these processes through threat abatement plans
Finalised priority assessment list
Nominations that will be assessed in the assessment period commencing on 1 October 2010, and the date by which the assessments are to be completed, are set out in the finalised priority assessment list.
For further information on the finalised priority assessment list please email epbc.nominations@environment.gov.au
Nominations
Any person may nominate a native species, ecological community or threatening process for listing under the EPBC Act. For more information on threatened species, ecological communities and key threatening processes, or making a nomination read more about:
- nomination and listing process
- threatened species
- threatened ecological communities
- key threatening processes