Download Frequently Asked Questions - Eurobodalla Shire Council

Frequently Asked Questions
South Moruya Biocertification Project
Does participating in this project tie me to an outcome?
No. This proposed project is a pilot first phase investigation of natural resource constraints and
potential development areas in the south Moruya landscape. Information will be collected (free of
charge) to a standard that will allow it to be used to ‘certify’ development areas through the
Biocertification process, should that ever be pursued in the future. Landholders can choose to use
the resulting information in the design of future subdivisions, and, if considering undertaking a
development, remain free to use which ever assessment avenue they prefer. If landholders have no
immediate development plans, the information collected can be used at a later date.
How are vegetation maps developed?
There are different Vegetation Mapping Programs and vegetation maps covering the Eurobodalla
Shire. These have been developed over time through a mix of field collected botanical data,
modelled attributes such as aspect, soil type/substrate, geology, rainfall, landscape location and
elevation and aerial photograph interpretation. Council, State Government agencies and
consultants all collect field data at different times but always seek permission to enter private
properties for this purpose.
How are communities listed as endangered ecological communities (EECs)?
Anyone can nominate a species, community or population– but fairly detailed scientific information
is required to support a nomination or to change the status of a species.
The Threatened Species Conservation Regulation 2002 prescribes the criteria used by the
independent NSW Scientific Committee to classify species, populations and ecological communities
into one of three categories - critically endangered, endangered or vulnerable. The criteria require
consideration of factors such as population size, reduction in geographic distribution and habitat
quality, sensitivity to human activities and stochastic events.
A native ecological community is in the critically endangered, endangered or vulnerable category if,
in the opinion of the Scientific Committee, it meets any of the below criteria.
CRITERIA
Critically
Endangered
Endangered
Vulnerable
It has undergone, is observed, estimated, inferred or
suspected to have undergone or is likely to undergo
within a time span appropriate to the life cycle and
habitat characteristics of the component species:
a very large
reduction in
geographic
distribution
a large
reduction in
geographic
distribution
a moderate
reduction in
geographic
distribution
Its geographic distribution is estimated or inferred to be:
very highly
restricted
highly
restricted
moderately
restricted
a very large
reduction in
ecological
function
a large
reduction in
ecological
function
a moderate
reduction in
ecological
function
and the nature of its distribution makes it likely that the
action of a threatening process could cause it to decline or
degrade in extent or ecological function over a time span
appropriate to the life cycle and habitat characteristics of
component species.
It has undergone, is observed, estimated, inferred or
suspected to have undergone or is likely to undergo
within a time span appropriate to the life cycle and
habitat characteristics of component species:
as indicated by any of the following:
(a) change in community structure;
(b) change in species composition;
(c) disruption of ecological processes;
(d) invasion and establishment of exotic species;
(e) degradation of habitat; or
(f) fragmentation of habitat.
Proposed listings are publicly exhibited for 8 weeks, with notices in metropolitan and local
newspapers. All submissions are considered prior to gazettal.
Why wasn’t I told about the listing of the EEC that is on my land?
There is no requirement to contact every landholder personally to advise of a specific listing
proposal. However, the gazettal advice that is issued upon final acceptance of a nomination of a
threatened species, community or population, generally contains information on which Local
Government Areas the entity is located in and the known habitat preferences or modelled
distribution limits. Threatened species are notoriously difficult to map. There is often incomplete
scientific knowledge of species life strategies and distributions and publicly defining their location is
often avoided in order to manage risks associated with malicious damage, illegal collection and
disturbance resulting from visitation.
Council has mapped known occurrences of Endangered Ecological Communities in the Shire and
used native vegetation as a surrogate for threatened species habitat in the Biodiversity overlays of
the draft LEP in order to assist landholders to identify these assets in the vicinity of their property.
Why do anything to EEC vegetation....wont it recover in time?
Communities are only listed as endangered if they satisfy criteria prescribed in the Threatened
Species Conservation Regulation, that is, there has been a demonstrated or inferred reduction in
distribution or ecological function. The gazettal of a community as endangered means that unless
the circumstances and factors threatening its survival or evolutionary development cease to operate,
the community will proceed to extinction in nature.
Unless impacts on the remaining extent of EEC are minimised and pressure is relieved by allowing
recovery through a change in management - further loss of lowland grassy woodland will result.
Recovery and/or persistence cannot occur while remnants continue to be grazed and or cleared for
residential purposes. If remnants are continually grazed, palatable species are preferentially
removed from the system, component grassy species cannot set seed and juveniles of mid and over
storey species are continuously eaten off before reaching maturity. In time, under this
management, the soil seed bank is depleted and the opportunity to replenish seed stock is limited.
Typically, in these situations, fragmented remnants rely on a seed source from other areas and in the
south Moruya landscape this is often from adjacent unformed road reserves that are still moderately
vegetated. Further complicating the situation, these residual and often comprehensive seed sources
may be required to be cleared to facilitate subdivision access which will inevitably impact recovery
potential and persistence on the community in South Moruya Landscape.
Council has a statutory responsibility to ensure that direct and indirect impacts of all development in
the area minimises impact on the few remaining patches of these communities.
If unmanaged, would this community present a Fire Hazard?
The Endangered Ecological Communities (EEC) known as Lowland Grassy Woodland and Brogo Wet
Vine Forest are known to occur in the South Moruya landscape. The main reason that these
communities have been listed in the schedules of the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 is
that it they have been subject to extensive clearing resulting in fragmentation, loss of ecological
function and connectivity.
Lots created through subdivision in the south Moruya area need to provide for the establishment of
a dwelling and associated asset protection zone which is a fuel managed area around the dwelling,
created for fire protection purposes. Generally, effluent disposal areas and ancillary structures such
as sheds etc will be located within the asset protection zone. Council has a statutory responsibility
to ensure that direct and indirect impacts of all development in the South Moruya area minimise
negative effects on the few remaining patches of these communities. For this reason, sensitive
subdivision design requires avoidance of clearing and intense vegetation management activities
associated with the siting of dwellings in good condition remnants of EEC.
The open woodland community, is recommended to be burnt between 5-40 years (NSW State Fire
Interval Guidelines), to maintain health and diversity. Burning more frequently than this, and even
burning continually at the lower interval, can lead to irreversible damage. The Threatened Species
Conservation Act lists ‘High frequency fire resulting in the disruption of life cycle processes in plants
and animals and loss of vegetation structure and composition’ as a key threatening process. The
impacts of frequent fire on soil biota, microrizal carbon uptake and nutrient cycling are only now
being investigated and more research is required to justify more intense fire regimes.
If you believe there to be an unacceptable fire hazard on your property, you can contact the RFS to
discuss the issue of a hazard reduction certificate. Such a certificate is unlikely to be issued if a fire
has been through the area within the recommended minimum 5 year period. Additionally – there
are established conditions relating to mechanical forms of hazard reduction carried out within these
communities - no slashing, trittering or tree removal is permitted.
Any land clearing outside of a dedicated asset protection zone for an approved habitable dwelling
(as defined in Planning for Bushfire Protection 2006) and Routine Agricultural Management Activities
(RAMA) requires approval under the Native Vegetation Act 2003.