Biodiversity Strategy - Gosford City Council - NSW Government

Criterion 3
Criterion 4
Criterion 5
Criterion 6
Source : LHCCREMS 2003
Loss or decline of functionally important
species
Reduction in community integrity
Rate of continuing detrimental change
Quantitative analysis showing probability of
extinction
State significant vegetation was described as those communities listed under the Threatened
Species Conservation Act 1995 as being “endangered” or “vulnerable. There are currently 9
endangered ecological communities in the Gosford LGA (see Table 5.7). No vulnerable
communities have been listed at the time of publication as of February 2006.
For Regionally Significant Vegetation and Habitat Morison and House in LHCCREMS (2003)
developed three categories for vegetation and habitat of regional significance, as follows:
• Vulnerable Communities that have an extant distribution of less than or equal to
30% of their pre-1750 (original) distribution (i.e. they have been heavily cleared) or
less than or equal to 1000 hectares (i.e. they have a restricted distribution). This
included communities that met the criteria for EPBC Act listing as endangered,
vulnerable or severely restricted.
• Specialised Communities defined as communities that provide specialised habitat
for species including rainforest, rocky complexes, riparian, aquatic and estuarine
vegetation. This included communities that were often included in state legislation
such as SEPPs.
• At Risk Communities that have an extant distribution of greater than 30% and less
than or equal to 45% of their pre-1750 distribution. Also included were communities
that met the criteria for EPBC Act listing as having a limited distribution.
Communities in this category that are found in Gosford LGA are now listed as
endangered ecological communities (Map Units 40 and 43).
Bell (2004) undertook a further assessment to consider the degree of threat that each
community faced based on the new Gosford mapping and the relative conservation status of
each community. Bell identified Vulnerable and Specialised Communities for the Gosford LGA
and prioritised the communities in terms of future acquisition and protection. Based on his
assessment Tables 5.7 and 5.8 described Endangered Ecological Communities (or State
Significant Vegetation) and Regionally Significant Vegetation. Figure 5.5 maps these
communities’ distribution.
These take into account new determinations for endangered ecological communities that
occurred since the time of Bell’s report. For example, Sydney Coastal Estuary Swamp Forest in
the Sydney Basin Bioregion has now been replaced by Swamp Sclerophyll on Coastal
Floodplain and Swamp Oak Floodplain Forest, Freshwater Wetlands on Coastal Floodplains,
Coastal Saltmarsh and Littoral Rainforest have now all been added to the list.
The Catchment Action Plan includes these categories:
• Listed native vegetation (TSC Act, FMA, EPBC ACT, Rare or Threatened Plants
(ROTAP)
• Vegetation communities (including limited distribution, low reservation status)
• Regional habitat and corridors,
• Old Growth Forest
Biodiversity - Technical Report Page 105