❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice regarding the strategic review and recovery plan for the Western Ringtail Possum. The Minister's response indicates delays in the review but provides updates on findings, habitat identification, and the expected completion date.
AnsweredQoN 5209Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the statement made in Parliament on 22 September 2009, by the then Minister for Environment, the Hon Donna Faragher regarding the Department of Environment and Conservation's strategic review of the habitat of the Western Ringtail Possum: 'The strategic review needs to take into account both State and Commonwealth interests and development assessments, and comprises (1) field survey and literature review; (2) collation of information on habitat, development interests and land tenure; (3) the identification of potential management strategies; (4) consultation with stakeholders; and (5) production of a final report. Phases 1 and 2 of the strategic review were completed in 2007 and 2008. Phase 3 will commence in October 2009. While early completion of the review is desirable, the review needs to be comprehensive and address the significant development pressures in the area. The Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) plans to complete phase 3 in the first quarter of 2010, and phases 4 and 5 in the third quarter of 2010.' and ask -
(1) Has the strategic review been completed?
(2) If no to (1), why not?
(3) If no to (1), when is the completion of the strategic review expected?
(4) Will the final report be tabled by the Minister?
(5) If no to (4), why not?
(6) Will the final report be made available to the public?
(7) If no to (6), why not?
(8) Has an analysis of the integrity and condition of remnant vegetation been incorporated in the strategic review?
(9) If yes to (8), what are the outcomes and key recommendations arising from the strategic review?
(10) Have key habitats been identified?
(11) If no to (10), why not?
(12) If yes to (10), will their protection be incorporated into planning and development decisions?
(13) If no to (12), why not?
(14) As the current Interim Recovery Plan No.17 (1997-1999) is still the only available document regarding the Western Ringtail Possum recovery actions, is updating and reviewing of the Interim Recovery Plan still in progress?
(15) If yes to (14), when is the final recovery plan expected?
(16) If no to (14), why not?
I further refer to the
Background Paper to EPBC Act Policy Statement 3.10 - Nationally Threatened Species and Ecological Communities Significant impact guidelines for the vulnerable western ringtail possum (Pseudocheirus occidentalis) in the southern Swan Coastal Plain, Western Australia
, Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts – 2009, which states on Page 7: 'A National Recovery Plan for the western ringtail possum is currently being prepared by the Western Australian Department of Environment and Conservation', and ask -
(17) Is the final recovery plan the same as the National Recovery Plan as outlined in the Background Paper to EPBC Act Policy Statement 3.10?
(1) Has the strategic review been completed?
(2) If no to (1), why not?
(3) If no to (1), when is the completion of the strategic review expected?
(4) Will the final report be tabled by the Minister?
(5) If no to (4), why not?
(6) Will the final report be made available to the public?
(7) If no to (6), why not?
(8) Has an analysis of the integrity and condition of remnant vegetation been incorporated in the strategic review?
(9) If yes to (8), what are the outcomes and key recommendations arising from the strategic review?
(10) Have key habitats been identified?
(11) If no to (10), why not?
(12) If yes to (10), will their protection be incorporated into planning and development decisions?
(13) If no to (12), why not?
(14) As the current Interim Recovery Plan No.17 (1997-1999) is still the only available document regarding the Western Ringtail Possum recovery actions, is updating and reviewing of the Interim Recovery Plan still in progress?
(15) If yes to (14), when is the final recovery plan expected?
(16) If no to (14), why not?
I further refer to the
Background Paper to EPBC Act Policy Statement 3.10 - Nationally Threatened Species and Ecological Communities Significant impact guidelines for the vulnerable western ringtail possum (Pseudocheirus occidentalis) in the southern Swan Coastal Plain, Western Australia
, Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts – 2009, which states on Page 7: 'A National Recovery Plan for the western ringtail possum is currently being prepared by the Western Australian Department of Environment and Conservation', and ask -
(17) Is the final recovery plan the same as the National Recovery Plan as outlined in the Background Paper to EPBC Act Policy Statement 3.10?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
1 May 2012
Responded by
Minister for Mental Health representing the Minister for Environment
Response time
56 days
(1) No
(2) Changes in staffing and priorities, as well as the need to contribute to planning processes and development assessments that impact on western ringtail possums, have led to delays in completion of the review.
(3) 2013
(4) Yes
(5) Not applicable
(6) Yes
(7) Not applicable
(8) Yes, vegetation condition has been assessed at a strategic level.
(9) Findings to date are:
? the possums are capable of persisting in a wide variety of habitats, many of which are highly disturbed, however their long-term persistence is unknown;
? highest abundance is found within a comparatively limited range where there are mature canopies free from fire for more than 20 years;
? a significant number of sites with high to very high abundance are urban, peri urban and cleared parkland, with a well established canopy but little or no native understorey, and are often well watered and fertilised;
? there are observations that possums persist in high densities under these conditions despite apparently high predator densities, which may be related to the foliage characteristics of the peppermint tree being more palatable and/or nutritious to the possums; and
? secondary metabolites (toxins) in foliage have been found to strongly influence the distribution patterns of koalas and ringtail possums on the east coast, and this may be a factor influencing the distribution and carrying capacity of possum habitat in Western Australia.
Management recommendations will be derived from the final conclusions of the review.
(10) Yes. The Department of Environment and Conservation has contributed expertise to the mapping of possum habitat in the Bunbury to Dunsborough area. This was published by the then Commonwealth Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts in 2008 as "Figure 1: Important areas for the Western Ringtail Possum in the Southern Swan Coastal Plain" in the
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
(EPBC Act) Policy Statement 3.10 Significant Impact Guidelines for the vulnerable western ringtail possum (
Pseudocheirus occidentalis
) in the Southern Swan Coastal Plain, Western Australia.
(11) Not applicable
(12) The inclusion of the important habitat areas in the Commonwealth EPBC Act Policy Statement provides a mechanism for their inclusion in statutory assessment processes undertaken by the Commonwealth Government and is also useful in terms of State planning and development decisions.
(13) Not applicable
(14) Yes
(15) The finalisation of the recovery plan is dependent on the completion of the strategic review. Recovery actions are proceeding based on current knowledge of the species.
(16) Not applicable
(17) Yes
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(2) Changes in staffing and priorities, as well as the need to contribute to planning processes and development assessments that impact on western ringtail possums, have led to delays in completion of the review.
(3) 2013
(4) Yes
(5) Not applicable
(6) Yes
(7) Not applicable
(8) Yes, vegetation condition has been assessed at a strategic level.
(9) Findings to date are:
? the possums are capable of persisting in a wide variety of habitats, many of which are highly disturbed, however their long-term persistence is unknown;
? highest abundance is found within a comparatively limited range where there are mature canopies free from fire for more than 20 years;
? a significant number of sites with high to very high abundance are urban, peri urban and cleared parkland, with a well established canopy but little or no native understorey, and are often well watered and fertilised;
? there are observations that possums persist in high densities under these conditions despite apparently high predator densities, which may be related to the foliage characteristics of the peppermint tree being more palatable and/or nutritious to the possums; and
? secondary metabolites (toxins) in foliage have been found to strongly influence the distribution patterns of koalas and ringtail possums on the east coast, and this may be a factor influencing the distribution and carrying capacity of possum habitat in Western Australia.
Management recommendations will be derived from the final conclusions of the review.
(10) Yes. The Department of Environment and Conservation has contributed expertise to the mapping of possum habitat in the Bunbury to Dunsborough area. This was published by the then Commonwealth Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts in 2008 as "Figure 1: Important areas for the Western Ringtail Possum in the Southern Swan Coastal Plain" in the
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
(EPBC Act) Policy Statement 3.10 Significant Impact Guidelines for the vulnerable western ringtail possum (
Pseudocheirus occidentalis
) in the Southern Swan Coastal Plain, Western Australia.
(11) Not applicable
(12) The inclusion of the important habitat areas in the Commonwealth EPBC Act Policy Statement provides a mechanism for their inclusion in statutory assessment processes undertaken by the Commonwealth Government and is also useful in terms of State planning and development decisions.
(13) Not applicable
(14) Yes
(15) The finalisation of the recovery plan is dependent on the completion of the strategic review. Recovery actions are proceeding based on current knowledge of the species.
(16) Not applicable
(17) Yes
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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