How Healthy is our Catchment? Management Targets

Biodiversity

High Value Ecological Communities

Management Target:
Ecological communities of high conservation value are identified within 3 years of Catchment Action Plan approval and adequately protected throughout the Catchment by negotiation with landholders, within 8 years of Catchment Action Plan approval.

What are High Value Ecological Communities?

Currently the WCMA is in the process of formally identifying and mapping all the High Value Ecological Communities within the Catchment. Generally, these are areas that represent significant biodiversity values important to the Catchment such as threatened ecological communities, wetlands, riparian areas, native vegetation communities in good condition, rare and threatened plants/animals habitat, areas having significant cultural heritage values and unique landforms.

Voluntary Conservation Agreements

One method to protect high value ecological communities is through Voluntary Conservation Landuse Agreements. Achieving the catchment target for areas managed for conservation will require much more land to be under private conservation management than is contained in the public reserve system.

This will require ready uptake by landholders of the incentives offered for entry into voluntary conservation land use agreements. Voluntary Conservation Landuse Agreements are to be in place for a minimum of 10 years. Coverage of costs of setting up the conservation area and controlling pests is available.

Activities that will help achieve this management target include:

• 15 year Voluntary Conservation Landuse Agreement over yellow footed rock wallaby habitat.
• Grazing control through fencing to protect a threatened plant
• Modification of a grazing regime to protect a pearl bluebush community in good condition
• Old growth river red gum community protected for habitat value on Darling River .
• Management plan for mound springs associated with Great Artesian Basin developed and implemented .

Priority Areas (but not limited to):

• Threatened ecological communities
• Wetlands
• Riparian areas
• Native vegetation communities in good condition
• Rare and threatened plants/animals habitat protection
• Unique landforms
• Areas with significant cultural heritage values