Inclusion of ecological communities in the list of threatened ecological communities under section 181 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (15/12/2008) (Cth)

Commonwealth of Australia

Inclusion of ecological communities in the list of threatened ecological communities under section 181 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

I, PETER ROBERT GARRETT, Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts, pursuant to section 184(1)(a) and (b) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, hereby amend the list referred to in section 181 of that Act by:

including in the list in the critically endangered category

Natural grasslands on basalt and fine-textured alluvial plains of northern New South Wales and southern Queensland

as described in the Schedule 1 to this instrument;

including in the list in the endangered category

Natural grasslands of the Queensland Central Highlands and northern Fitzroy Basin

as described in the Schedule 2 to this instrument; and

deleting from the list in the endangered category

Bluegrass (Dichanthium spp.) dominant grasslands of the Brigalow Belt Bioregions (north and south).

Dated this…Fifteenth....day of…December....2008

Peter Garrett

Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts

SCHEDULE 1

Natural grasslands on basalt and fine-textured alluvial plains of northern New South Wales and southern Queensland

Key diagnostic characteristics:

The Natural Grasslands on basalt and fine-textured alluvial plains of northern NSW and southern Queensland ecological community may be recognised by the following diagnostic features:

• Distribution mainly in the Darling Downs of southern Queensland and the Liverpool Plains and Moree Plains of northern NSW. Occurrence is mainly associated with fine textured, often cracking clay soils derived from either basalt or alluvium.

• Occurrence on landforms that are typically flat to very low slopes (less than 5 percent/1 degree).

• Tree canopy usually absent to sparse, comprising less than 10% projective crown cover.

• The ground layer is typically dominated by perennial native grasses and contains 3 or more of the indicator native species listed below.

Aristida leptopoda   White Speargrass

Astrebla elymoides           Hoop Mitchell Grass

Astrebla lappacea             Curley Mitchell Grass

Austrodanthonia bipartita   Wallaby Grass, Bandicoot Grass

Austrostipa aristiglumis   Plains Grass

Bothriochloa biloba   Lobed Bluegrass

Bothriochloa erianthoides    Satin Top Grass

Dichanthium sericeum   Queensland Bluegrass

Digitaria divaricatissima    Umbrella Grass

Elymus plurinervis   Wheat Grass

Eriochloa crebra    Cup Grass

Eulalia aurea   Silky Brown Top

Panicum decompositum   Native Millett

Panicum queenslandicum   Yabila Grass

Thellungia advena   Coolibah Grass

Themeda avenacea   Native Oat Grass

Themeda triandra (synonym. T. australis)         Kangaroo Grass

Walwhalleya proluta   Rigid Panic

Note that in a poor season, as in a hot summer or drought, the only visible evidence of natural grassland may be scattered tussocks that are difficult to identify as any particular species. It is therefore, highly desirable to identify and assess the condition of the ecological community during a good season.

SCHEDULE 2

Natural grasslands of the Queensland Central Highlands and northern Fitzroy Basin

Key diagnostic characteristics

The Natural grasslands of the Queensland Central Highlands and the northern Fitzroy Basin ecological community may be recognised by the following diagnostic features:

• Distribution: It occurs within the Brigalow Belt North and South subregions which are largely within the Central Highlands and northern Fitzroy River Basin regions of Queensland;
• Tree canopy absent or sparse (less than 10% projective crown cover); and,
• The ground layer is typically dominated by perennial native grasses and contains at least 3 of the indicator native species listed below:

Aristida latifolia    Feather-top Wiregrass

Aristida leptopoda    White Speargrass

Astrebla elymoides    Hoop Mitchell Grass

Astrebla lappacea    Curly Mitchell Grass

Astrebla squarrosa    Bull Mitchell Grass

Bothriochloa erianthoides                   Satin-top Grass

Dichanthium queenslandicum             King Bluegrass

Dichanthium sericeum   Queensland Bluegrass

Eriochloa crebra    Cup Grass

Panicum decompositum   Native Millet

Panicum queenslandicum                   Yabila Grass

Paspalidium globoideum                    Shot Grass

Thellungia advena    Coolibah Grass

Note that in a poor season, as in a hot summer or drought, the only visible evidence of natural grassland may be scattered tussocks that are difficult to identify as any particular species. It is therefore highly desirable to identify and assess the condition of the ecological community during a good season.