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| Home » Programs / Projects » Biodiversity |
The aim of Southern Rivers CMA’s Biodiversity program is to retain, and where necessary, increase the extent and quality of all native vegetation community types in order to maintain and improve catchment health and protect biodiversity. Native vegetation community types include terrestrial forest, rainforest, woodland, heathland, grassland, saltmarsh, mangrove and wetland communities. Each of these community types provides a special habitat for different species of native plants and animals
The Southern Rivers region includes large areas of NSW National Park, State Forest and Crown Land containing a diversity of landscapes and habitats. The state of the region’s biodiversity resources, the continuing pressure on these, directs Southern Rivers CMA’s efforts to improve their condition. Southern Rivers CMA’s biodiversity program also aims to protect, improve and connect remnant vegetation in over-cleared and impacted landscapes. |
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Biodiversity catchment targets: By 2016 there is an improvement in native vegetation condition and an increase in connectivity and extent.
By 2016 the regional status of priority threatened and regionally significant species, ecological communities and populations within the Southern Rivers catchment is maintained or improved. |
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| Case study: Southern Rivers Bush Incentives Program |
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This program recognises the important role landholders play in protecting and maintaining native vegetation across the region. SRBI provides funding to landholders for the conservation management of native vegetation communities (plants that occur together naturally) which have high conservation values, including: grasslands, open forests, rainforests, woodlands, heathlands and wetland plant communities. The program is particularly focussed on protecting vegetation communities that are not otherwise well conserved in national parks or other reserves, and communities that are officially listed as threatened and have been largely cleared or exist only as small, remnant patches in the landscape. A tender process is used to allocate funding. Each site is assessed for its conservation value and given a score. Participating landholders submit a bid for the amount of funds they need to carry out management activities. Bids that offer the best conservation value for money in protecting vegetation are funded. Partners: Local community and local landholders. Funding: Australian and NSW Governments Value of Project: $1.1 million |
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| Spotted Gum (Corymbia maculate) |
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| Case study: Bitou Bush Project |
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This project aims to achieve sustainable long term management of Bitou Bush at priority sites. Project works include undertaking treatment of Bitou Bush at high priority sites and planting of native species; preventing the establishment of new infestations and limiting the spread of existing Bitou Bush infestations; minimising the adverse impacts of Bitou Bush on biodiversity; expanding the commitment to the management of the Bitou Bush; and establishing and enforcing the southern containment zone. Within the Illawarra region the project focuses on engaging a contractor to supervise NSW Community Service Order clients to undertake weeding of Bitou Bush and other priority weeds with appropriate plantings of native species. These sites have been selected on the basis of extending the control efforts of agencies and community volunteers currently in progress. Partners: NSW Department of Corrective Services, Wollongong and Shellharbour City and Eurobodalla and Bega Valley Shire Councils, Landcare Illawarra and Illawarra District (Noxious) Weeds Authority. Funding: Australian and NSW Governments. Value of Project: $375,000 |
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| Works have been undertaken to limit the spread of Bitou Bush. |
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