Saving Wildlife Habitats:
 HSI's Million Acres Campaign

In Australia, 1247 plants, 199 birds and mammals, 52 reptiles and 27 frog species are listed as threatened with extinction. The most effective way to prevent extinction is to protect the habitats or ecological communities in which the species live. Many of Australia’s different habitats and ecological communities are under severe threat from land clearing, grazing by livestock and feral animals, weed invasion, salinity, and changes in water and fire regimes. HSI is working hard to protect them.

When we first launched our ‘Million Acres’ campaign in 1998, our aim was to secure the protection of at least 1 million acres of habitat. We have far exceeded this figure and through our nomination program have secured protection for over three million acres of Australian grassland, woodland, shrubland, alpine and coastal habitat under Australia's Commonwealth, State and Territory laws. Millions more acres nominated by HSI await adjudication under Commonwealth and state laws.

Threatened ecological communities are listed under the Commonwealth’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (1999) (EPBC) and the New South Wales Threatened Species Conservation Act (1995) (TSCA). Listings require governments to develop recovery plans (and protect critical habitats) and to guard against detrimental impact. For example, any activity that may significantly impact on any listed ecological community under the EPBC must be first assessed by the Federal Minister for the Environment. It is required for governments, in cooperation with private landholders, to develop protective management regimes for such places – this may be for example through a voluntary conservation agreement. In other examples, such listed communities may eventually be protected under national park status.

Government enforcement of these regulations often leaves a lot to be desired however, and it therefore requires constant vigilance (especially in the face of ongoing illegal clearing by farmers across the country) to protect these important wildlife habitats. The Commonwealth is also stalling on the listing of many hundreds of threatened ecological communities, and HSI has triggered an investigation, by the National Audit Office, to review delays with the listing process. HSI is also carrying out an internal review of the effectiveness of such listings and will continue to campaign for proper long-term protection.

Coolibah / black box woodlands
 Protected thanks to a HSI nomination

Coolibah black box woodlands have been protected as an endangered ecological community in New South Wales as a result of a HSI nomination.

These woodlands occur in the northern New South Wales wheatbelt and Queensland Brigalow Belt bioregion – areas subject to intense pressure from agriculture.

Extensive land clearing has led to the decimation of over two thirds of the ecological community. A massive number of threatened fauna rely on these woodlands for habitat.
  Image by John Benson


Now this ecological community is protected under the New South Wales Threatened Species Conservation Act, the New South Wales government will have to prepare a recovery plan and it should be protected from further clearing. HSI is also seeking protection under Commonwealth laws.

Left: The threatened yellow-bellied sheathtail-bat lives in coolibah woodlands.
Image by Lindy Lumsden
 

Right: Koalas live in coolibah black box woodlands.

Brigalow woodlands
804,264 ha protected thanks to a HSI nomination
 

This community occurs in Queensland and New South Wales and is dominated by tall brigalow trees, which grow up to 25 meters in height. Clearing for agriculture has reduced these woodlands to only 10% of their original extent. HSI’s nominations have led to it being listed under both New South Wales and Commonwealth legislation. Location map

Once an ecological community is protected under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, any action that could have a significant impact must be approved by the Federal Environment Minister. The Minister is also obliged to develop a
 recovery plan.

Image by the
 Len Webb Collection


 The threatened yakka skink relies on Brigalow woodlands for habitat. Image by Hal Cogger

Semi-evergreen vine thickets in NSW and Qld
Over 2500 ha protected thanks to a HSI nomination
 

Semi-evergreen vine thickets are very dense and have similarities to rainforest but are made of shorter shrubby plants. They have been fragmented, reduced in area and degraded through land clearing and agricultural/grazing practices.

 

 

 

  Image by the Len Webb Collection

This ecological community occurs in Queensland and New South Wales in areas of high agricultural intensity and is listed as endangered under both New South Wales and Commonwealth legislation as a result of HSI nominations. Location map

The golden-tailed gecko lives among semi-evergreenvine thickets. Image by Hal Cogger

 

Montane peat swamps
3000 ha protected as a result of a HSI nomination
 

These unique ecosystems have been around for about 12,000 years. They provide a refuge for endangered species like the giant dragonfly, an ancient species that grows up to 20cm in length, has a wingspan of up to 14cm, and can weigh heavier than a small bird.

 


 
Wingecarribee montane peat swamp. Image by Kevin Lampkan.

The ecological community comprises particular swamps in the Blue Mountains, Lithgow, Southern Highlands and Bombala regions of New South Wales. As a result of HSI nominations montane peat swamps are protected as endangered under both federal and New South Wales legislation. Location map
 

The endangered giant dragonfly relies on montane
peat swamps for habitat.  Image by Caroline Dearson

 

Mound springs of the Great Artesian Basin in arid Australia
Protected as a result of a HSI nomination
 

Another very unique ecological community that forms around mound springs arising from the Great Artesian Basin, a vast and ancient body of water that lies deep under the surface of central Australia. They appear like oases in arid Australia and support rare and delicate micro flora and fauna, many species of which are endemic to a particular mound spring. Excessive extraction of artesian groundwater has led to both the extinction of springs and a reduction in water flow of many of the remaining springs.

  Image by Linda & Ila Marks

HSI’s nomination has led to the community being listed as vulnerable under Commonwealth legislation. Location map

Cumberland Plain woodland
6420 ha protected as a result of a HSI nomination
 

Cumberland Plain woodlands are endemic to the Sydney Basin bioregion and only 6% remains. The woodlands are the only places within an hour of Sydney where wild populations of emus and kangaroos can been seen grazing in a natural area.

 

 


HSI nominations have led to the community being listed as endangered under Commonwealth and New South Wales legislation. Location map
 

Persoonia nutans, known as the ‘geebung’, is an endangered flora species
only found in the Cumberland plain woodlands. Images by the NSW Nature Conservation Council

Latest News from the "Million Acres" Campaign

Full list of ecological communities protected and those
 Ministers are considering protecting as a result of HSI nominations

Habitats Protected

Ecological communities protected under the Federal Environment Protection & Biodiversity Conservation Act, 1999 as a result of HSI nominations.

Ecological communities protected under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 as a result of HSI nominations.

  • Sandhill Pine Woodland in the Riverina, Murray-Darling Depression and NSW South Western Slopes bioregions (216,000 ha protected)

  • Weeping Myall-coobah-scrub wilga shrubland of the Hunter Valley (20 ha protected)

  • Ribbon Gum - Mountain Gum - Snow Gum Grassy Forest/Woodland of the New England Tableland Bioregion

  • Myall woodland in the Darling Riverine Plains, Brigalow Belt South, Cobar Peneplain, Murray-Darling Depression, Riverina and NSW south western slopes bioregions (extent unconfirmed)

  • Montane peatlands and swamps of the New England Tableland, NSW North Coast, Sydney Basin, South East Corner, South Eastern Highlands and Australian Alps Bioregions (almost 3,000 ha protected)

  • Coolibah-black box woodlands of the northern riverine plains in the Darling Riverine Plains and Brigalow Belt South Bioregions (extent unconfirmed)

  • Semi-evergreen vine thickets of the Brigalow Belt (North and South) and Nandewar Bioregions (2,500 ha protected)

  • Cumberland Plain Woodland (6,420 ha protected)

  • Brigalow within the Brigalow Belt South, Nandewar and Darling Riverine Plains Bioregions (13,500 ha protected)

  • Brogo wet vine forest in the South East Corner Bioregion (extent unconfirmed)

  • Dry rainforest of the south east forests in the South East Corner Bioregion (100 ha protected)

  • Candelo dry grass forest in the South East Corner Bioregion (1,578 ha protected)

  • Bega dry grass forest in the South East Corner Bioregion (4,429 ha protected)

  • New England peppermint woodland on sediments and basalt in the New England Tableland (2,300 ha protected)

  • Milton Ulladullah subtropical rainforest in the Sydney Basin Bioregion (extent unconfirmed)

  • Native vegetation on cracking clay soils of the Liverpool Plains (extent unconfirmed)

  • Robertson basalt tall-open forest in the Sydney Basin Bioregion (400 ha protected)

  • Robertson rainforest in the Sydney Basin Bioregion (400-600 ha protected)

  • Southern Highlands shale woodlands in the Sydney Basin Bioregion (2,020 ha protected)

  • Upland wetlands of the drainage divide of the New England Tableland Bioregion (extent unconfirmed)

  • Inland Grey Box Woodlands of the NSW South Western Slopes and Riverina Bioregions; the Brigalow Belt South and Nandewar Bioregions; and the eastern Cobar Peneplain Bioregion (236,000 ha protected)

Habitat HSI is working to protect

Old man saltbush shrubland.
Image by John Benson

Low temperate grasslands of Tasmania.
 

HSI nominations pending under the Federal Environment Protection & Biodiversity Conservation Act, 1999
 

  • Inland grey box communities of NSW, Qld and Vic

  • Eucalyptus ovata (black gum) forest and woodland in Tasmania

  • White gum (Eucalyptus viminalis) wet forest in Tasmania

  • Weeping myall open woodland of the Darling Riverine Plains, Brigalow Belt South, Riverina and NSW South-western Slopes bioregions.

  • Coolibah-black box woodlands of the Northern Wheatbelt of NSW and the Qld Brigalow Belt Bioregion.

  • Austrostipa aristiglumis grasslands of the Liverpool Plains.

  • Robertson rainforest in NSW.

  • NSW Southern Highland shale woodlands.

  • New England Peppermint (Eucalyptus nova-anglica) woodland on basalt.

  • New England Peppermint (Eucalyptus nova-anglica) woodland on sediment.

  • Ribbon gum (Eucalyptus pauciflora) open forest – tall open forest with a grassy understory on basalt.

  • Robertson basalt tall open forest in NSW.

  • Brogo wet vine forest communities if South East NSW.

  • Dry rainforest of South East NSW.

  • Candelo dry grass forest of South East NSW.

  • Bega dry grass forest of South East NSW.

  • Central Gippsland Plains grassland of the South East Coastal Plain

  • Murray Valley Grassland of the Riverina Bioregion

  • Forest Red Gum grassy woodland of Gippsland, Victoria

  • Lowland temperate grasslands of Tasmania

  • Australian Antarctic Territory (National Heritage nomination)

  • Paroo River (National Heritage nomination)

  • Ningaloo Reef and Cape Range (National Heritage nomination)

  • Barrow Island (National Heritage nomination)

  • Brisbane Water National Park (National Heritage nomination)

  • Fitzgerald River - Ravensthorpe Range (National Heritage nomination)

  • Prince Regent (National Heritage nomination)

  • Beekeepers - Lesueur - Coomallo (National Heritage nomination)

  • Cape York (National Heritage nomination)

  • Lake Eyre National Park and Elliot Price Conservation Park (National Heritage nomination)

  • Great Western Woodlands (National Heritage nomination)

  • Drysdale River National Park (National Heritage nomination)

  • Macquarie Marshes

  • The Coorong and Lower Lakes (Lake Alexandrina and Albert)

 

HSI nominations pending under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act, 1995

  • Porcupine Grass – Red Mallee – Gum Coolabah hummock grassland / low sparse woodland on metamorphic ranges on the Barrier Range, Broken Hill Complex Bioregion
  • Bull Mallee – White Mallee tall mallee woodland on red sand loam soils in the central western slopes of NSW
  • Blue Mallee – Green Mallee – Broombush mallee low woodland of the NSW South-western Slopes Bioregion
  • Marsh club-rush very tall sedgeland of inland watercourses
  • Yellow gum tall woodland of the Murray River Floodplain
  • Old Man Saltbush of the semi-arid climate zones in southeastern NSW and the semi-arid hot and arid climatic zones in northwestern NSW
  • Bladder Saltbush chenopod shrubland on alluvial soils of north western NSW