VNPA VISION & MISSION • Victoria is a place with a diverse, secure and healthy natural environment that is protected and respected by all • VNPA is an independent, not for profit, non party political, supporter and membershipbased group
State of the State – SnapShot On Land: •
Victoria is the most cleared state 50%-70% gone. On private land 80% - 90%.
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Less habitat means: •
more than 80 species terrestrial are extinct, more than 1000 threatened
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about a fifth of Victoria’s mammals, birds, reptiles, frogs and plants are threatened
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more than half the state’s habitat types (ecological vegetation classes) are threatened
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eleven habitats (ecological communities) are listed nationally as endangered or critically endangered
State of the State – SnapShot On the coast: • Coastal species threatened include more than 30 plants and more than 30 birds. • Threatened marine species include 17 invertebrates, 10 seabirds and five mammals
In wetlands/ Rivers : • Victoria has 3820 named watercourses extending 56,000 kilometres. Around 30 % of wetlands have been lost, more substantially degraded. • Less than one quarter (23%) of river length was in good or excellent condition • close to one-third (32%) was in poor or very poor condition, with the remainder (43%) in moderate condition.
Distribution of habitat (EVCs) in Victoria prior to 1750
Nature Print + Parks & Reserves
Why are species declining in Vic ? • Legacy of land clearing – squatters, gold rush, solider & closer settlement, urban development, agriculture intensification • Habitat loss continues both extent & condition Victorian State of Environment Report (2013) the, most common threatening process for species: • Habitat loss (109) species • Weed Invasion (108 species) • Grazing (99 species) • Inappropriate fire regimes (63 species) + climate change will make it worse
• Diverse, intact, healthy ecosystems will always fare under climate change better than neglected, damaged ones. • Many of the things we need to do to help nature adapt to a new climate are not new… we need to do much more, more tools, more resources……. 10 Things We can help Nature Adapt to a new climate http://vicnature2050.org/
A new Act should help us ? • Stop creatures and habitats on the brink disappearing from the wild • Stop more common creatures and habitats becoming ‘critical’ • Stop & reduce threats (threatening process's) • Helps us cope with quickly changing & complex shifts • Deal with the whole landscape (across tenues private & public land) at the correct scale
Lead beater's Possum Our only endemic mammal - Critically Endangered (nationally)
ORIGINAL EXTENT
WHATS LEFT !
Northern growth areas Sunbury growth area
existing urban existing urban
existing urban
Western growth area existing urban
Southern Brown Bandicoot • Listed as Endangered – Nationally • Threatened in Victoria
What about local or regional species decline ?
Brush-tailed Phascogale (Tuan) Threatened – FFG Act
Brush-tailed Phascogale “Threatened” – Habitat Distribution
Brush-tailed Phascogale (Tuan)
• Range reduced by about 50%, nationally due to loss of habitat • Presumed extinct in SA (last reliable record 1967). • Dependent on dry forests and open woodlands that contain hollow-bearing trees • Greatest current threat is the increasing decline in the availability of hollow-bearing trees + cats
Possibly thousands of hollow bearing trees have been removed by DELWP as part of hazardous tree removal programs to prepare for prescribed burning
Deer Distribution
Alpine Cattle - Photos from Treasure ‘Scientific Grazing’ site, Alpine National Park Jan 2011.
• Long Spined Sea urchins • Native species • Moving South due climate change • Creates ‘urchin barrens” "The equivalent is that you take a bulldozer into a rainforest and razing it back to bare earth," Professor Craig Johnson, marine scientist with University of Tasmania
• Main predator LARGE ROCK LOBSTERS
ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE - Flaws • Nine Auditor General reports between 2009-2013, two state of the environment reports and numerous community, academic reports. • Highlight systemic flaws in governance systems • Consistent pattern of failures and deficiencies include: • lack of integration of laws, administration, programs and plans • poor leadership and coordination • weak laws and inadequate enforcement • low political commitment to the environment • funding is extremely inadequate • progress made under earlier reforms is slipping back.
5 key messages – ACT on Extinction - A fair go for threatened species by removing exemptions and special treatments for government departments and some industries. - Stronger stop and protect powers with clear requirements for the Minister to intervene when important species or habitats are under threat - A nature cop on the beat with stronger enforcement, real penalties and better monitoring - Clear targets and timelines to direct investment and programs for threatened species protection and recovery, across the whole state. - Giving community power to act, including capacity to determine regional plans and ability to initiate legal action to protect threatened species.
THANK YOU
www.vnpa.org.au