❓ A WA parliamentary question seeks details on the Minister and Department's actions and timelines regarding the Conservation Commission's assessment of flora and understorey species protection. The answer provides general information about existing programs and priorities, but lacks specific steps and timelines requested.
AnsweredQoN 5306Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the Conservation Commission's performance assessment '
Protection of significant flora and understorey species
' of December 2011, and regarding each of the nine findings listed in the assessment, and I ask -
(1) What steps is the Minister and/or your Department taking (please provide full details)?
(2) What is the timeline for each of those steps?
Protection of significant flora and understorey species
' of December 2011, and regarding each of the nine findings listed in the assessment, and I ask -
(1) What steps is the Minister and/or your Department taking (please provide full details)?
(2) What is the timeline for each of those steps?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
15 May 2012
Responded by
Minister for Mental Health representing the Minister for Environment
Response time
56 days
(1)-(2) The Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) performs its flora conservation functions on a statewide basis and applies its resources on the basis of statewide needs and priorities. In regard to the Conservation Commission's findings in its Forest Management Plan performance assessment,
Protection of significant flora and understorey species
(December 2011), the following comments are provided.
Finding 1
Regional wildlife management programs for flora are in place across the area of the
Forest Management Plan 2004-2013
(FMP). The preparation of conservation statements is based on statewide priorities and the level of threat to the flora taxa.
Finding 2
DEC's Nature Conservation Division is the primary custodian of flora information and maintains registers of threatened (as listed pursuant to the
Wildlife Conservation Act 1950
) and priority flora, including their occurrence across the State.
Finding 3
DEC's
Planning checklist for disturbance activities
has been in use since July 2010 and is applied to all disturbance activities across State forest and timber reserves other than mining operations and fire planning.
Finding 4
The planning checklist provides a consistent procedure to manage disturbance activities across State forest and timber reserves.
Finding 5
An update of maps of flora species richness and other attributes, and a review of the tables in
Management of Significant Flora Values in South-West Forests and Associated Ecosystem
s (2003), have not been undertaken. Such reviews and updates are undertaken on a priority basis.
The Threatened Flora Database is updated regularly to reflect current information on populations of threatened and most priority flora within the FMP area.
A range of programs to protect biodiversity and landscape values off conservation reserves are delivered by DEC, including Land for Wildlife and the Nature Conservation Covenant Program. DEC also administers the
Environmental Protection Act 1986
and Regulations that protect native vegetation.
Research projects relevant to the impact of fire in areas of high flora species richness and centres of endemic, disjunct and relictual flora have been or are underway. For example, the findings of work undertaken with the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre investigating the effect of variations in fire interval sequences on species richness in south-west Western Australia have recently been published in the journal Forest Ecology and Management.
Listing species as threatened occurs as nominations are presented to the Western Australian Threatened Species Scientific Committee and then to the Minister for Environment for endorsement. The public is invited to nominate species to add to the threatened species lists. The priority flora list is reviewed on an ongoing basis as information on species becomes available from any source.
Finding 6
The Conservation Commission has completed a position statement
Preparation of Terrestrial Conservation Reserve Management Plans
. The position statement has been developed at a strategic level reflecting the planning principles for the delivery of area management plans and so has not addressed detailed guidance for the protection and management of high flora species richness, centres of endemic flora, disjunct flora or relictual flora.
Finding 7
The guidance document
Silvicultural Practice in the Jarrah Forest
(December 2004) provides guidance that is consistent with the requirements of the FMP.
Finding 8
Preparation of the
Goals for Understorey Structural Diversity
has commenced, but the timetable for completion is dependent on work priorities.
Finding 9
Outcome reporting is occurring, for example:
DEC annual reports and yearbooks provide a summary of significant research activities and findings relevant to FMP objectives, and lists of scientific publications;
since 2002, annual progress reports for the FORESTCHECK monitoring project have been prepared;
since 2004, research activity reports have been published on an annual basis, containing a comprehensive list of publications relating to work undertaken by DEC; and
in 2008, reporting against a range of FMP key performance indicators was undertaken as part of the mid-term audit of performance report for the FMP.
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Protection of significant flora and understorey species
(December 2011), the following comments are provided.
Finding 1
Regional wildlife management programs for flora are in place across the area of the
Forest Management Plan 2004-2013
(FMP). The preparation of conservation statements is based on statewide priorities and the level of threat to the flora taxa.
Finding 2
DEC's Nature Conservation Division is the primary custodian of flora information and maintains registers of threatened (as listed pursuant to the
Wildlife Conservation Act 1950
) and priority flora, including their occurrence across the State.
Finding 3
DEC's
Planning checklist for disturbance activities
has been in use since July 2010 and is applied to all disturbance activities across State forest and timber reserves other than mining operations and fire planning.
Finding 4
The planning checklist provides a consistent procedure to manage disturbance activities across State forest and timber reserves.
Finding 5
An update of maps of flora species richness and other attributes, and a review of the tables in
Management of Significant Flora Values in South-West Forests and Associated Ecosystem
s (2003), have not been undertaken. Such reviews and updates are undertaken on a priority basis.
The Threatened Flora Database is updated regularly to reflect current information on populations of threatened and most priority flora within the FMP area.
A range of programs to protect biodiversity and landscape values off conservation reserves are delivered by DEC, including Land for Wildlife and the Nature Conservation Covenant Program. DEC also administers the
Environmental Protection Act 1986
and Regulations that protect native vegetation.
Research projects relevant to the impact of fire in areas of high flora species richness and centres of endemic, disjunct and relictual flora have been or are underway. For example, the findings of work undertaken with the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre investigating the effect of variations in fire interval sequences on species richness in south-west Western Australia have recently been published in the journal Forest Ecology and Management.
Listing species as threatened occurs as nominations are presented to the Western Australian Threatened Species Scientific Committee and then to the Minister for Environment for endorsement. The public is invited to nominate species to add to the threatened species lists. The priority flora list is reviewed on an ongoing basis as information on species becomes available from any source.
Finding 6
The Conservation Commission has completed a position statement
Preparation of Terrestrial Conservation Reserve Management Plans
. The position statement has been developed at a strategic level reflecting the planning principles for the delivery of area management plans and so has not addressed detailed guidance for the protection and management of high flora species richness, centres of endemic flora, disjunct flora or relictual flora.
Finding 7
The guidance document
Silvicultural Practice in the Jarrah Forest
(December 2004) provides guidance that is consistent with the requirements of the FMP.
Finding 8
Preparation of the
Goals for Understorey Structural Diversity
has commenced, but the timetable for completion is dependent on work priorities.
Finding 9
Outcome reporting is occurring, for example:
DEC annual reports and yearbooks provide a summary of significant research activities and findings relevant to FMP objectives, and lists of scientific publications;
since 2002, annual progress reports for the FORESTCHECK monitoring project have been prepared;
since 2004, research activity reports have been published on an annual basis, containing a comprehensive list of publications relating to work undertaken by DEC; and
in 2008, reporting against a range of FMP key performance indicators was undertaken as part of the mid-term audit of performance report for the FMP.
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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