DARLING RIVERINE PLAINS BIOREGION Background Report

16/08/02 Darling Riverine Plains Bioregion Background Report
1.2 THE DRP BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION ASSESSMENT PROJECT
This Background Report forms part of Stage 1 of the DRP Biodiversity Conservation
Assessment Project. The recommendations for further work presented here together with the
results of the data audit and gap analysis will be used to determine the content of the
associated projects.
1.2.1 Objectives of the DRP project
The objectives of the DRP Biodiversity Conservation Assessment Project are to:
compile appropriate bioregion-wide biotic and abiotic data for use by planners and land
managers;
identify bioregional conservation values for use in regional planning processes such as
regional vegetation management planning, catchment management planning and river
management planning;
provide advice about appropriate conservation measures and management practices;
provide advice about further detailed assessment needed for the creation of reserves;
involve the community in information gathering and to present the findings in plain
English; and
establish long term monitoring sites that will allow ecological health to be assessed and
the conservation management practices to be evaluated and reviewed.
The two stages in the project (NPWS 1999a) are:
Stage 1: Compilation and analysis of background information, broad data collection,
development of broad conservation criteria and a biodiversity survey of sites selected
to cover the ecological variation of the DRP. To undertake a preliminary analysis that
identifies gaps in the data layers and establishes an understanding of environmental
patterns and variation within the bioregion.
Stage 2: Information collected from Stage 1 of this project will be reviewed and used to
design a targeted survey program, detailed assessment of the conservation status of the
region and possible modelling to provide more detailed information for use in the
broader conservation assessment. Areas targeted for more detailed analysis may
include areas of high conservation value and those considered under greatest threat.
Stage 2 will be used to identify the processes and funding requirements needed to
complete the Integrated Biodiversity Conservation and Assessment process across the
whole bioregion.
1.2.2 Funding for the DRP project
The DRP Biodiversity Conservation Assessment Project is funded from two sources:
under priority action 13 of the New South Wales State Biodiversity Strategy (SBS); and
the Commonwealth Natural Heritage Trust (NHT).
The SBS funding covers conservation assessment and vegetation mapping. The NHT funding
covers community based nature conservation planning. SBS also funds long term monitoring
sites established for invertebrate diversity assessment, a project conducted by the Australian
Museum. A separate report will be produced for each project.
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