SUSTAINABILITY REPORT - Landcom

PROJECT
INDICATORS
CONTINUED
LANDCOM MUST BALANCE A GROWING
POPULATION’S NEED FOR HOUSING WITH THE
NEED FOR BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION.
INDICATOR 11 – NATIVE
VEGETATION MANAGEMENT
PURPOSE
This indicator measures Landcom’s
performance in conserving threatened
ecological communities encountered
on Landcom projects. Landcom aims
to conserve and enhance existing
vegetation and to minimise the
potential for any adverse impact on
threatened communities and species
from its activities.
TARGET
Landcom’s vegetation conservation
targets are:
– No net loss in threatened ecological
communities’ habitat of “high
conservation significance”.
– Establish Vegetation Management
Plans for all Landcom projects where
this indicator applies.
In the absence of established ratios
and strategies for vegetation offsetting
targets have not been set for
threatened ecological communities of
“moderate conservation significance”
or “low conservation significance”.
Instead, offsetting ratios are currently
negotiated with the National Parks
and Wildlife Service on a project by
project basis.
Campbelltown, Liverpool and Lake
Macquarie. 10.9 hectares will be
conserved.
The threatened species recorded
within this 27.3 hectares habitat area
are Melaleuca Biconvexa, Downy
Wattle (Acacia pubescens), Cumberland
Land Snail (Meridolum corneovirens),
Grey-headed Flying-fox (Pteropus
poliocephalus), Tetratheca juncea,
Greater Broad-nosed Bat (Scoteanax
rueppellii), Common Bent-wing Bat
(Miniopterus schreibersii oceanensis)
and the Little Bent-wing Bat
(Miniopterus australis).
53.1% (20.34 hectares) of threatened
ecological communities will be
cleared, with 17.9 hectares to be
conserved. Also, 9.5 hectares of
threatened ecological communities
will be replanted.
Only 0.44 hectares of threatened
ecological communities of high
conservation significance will be
cleared, while 9 hectares will
be conserved.
All clearing will be carried out in
accordance with approvals from
relevant authorities.
CHALLENGES
Conserving native vegetation is a major
challenge for Landcom. The Corporation
recognises there will always be conflict
between its role as a land developer
and its vegetation conservation targets.
This conflict will be exacerbated as
new land releases in Sydney encroach
into areas of native vegetation. It will
also increase as Landcom attempts to
strike a balance between conservation
objectives and the future housing
needs of Sydney’s growing population.
ACTIONS FOR 2004/2005
Landcom is seeking to implement a
Native Vegetation Offset Strategy in
consultation with the NSW Department
of Environment and Conservation
(DEC). The strategy will provide
greater guidance on offsetting native
vegetation that is cleared for urban
development.
ON TRACK FOR ACHIEVING TARGET WITHIN
SPECIFIED TIMEFRAME
AREA OF CONCERN
RESULTS
This indicator is calculated for projects
that received masterplan approval in
2003/2004. A few remaining projects
which are in delivery phase are also
included this year. In future this
indicator will be calculated based
on masterplans.
60% (16.4 hectares out of 27.3) of
native vegetation that is habitat for
threatened communities and/or species
will be cleared, to accommodate urban
development in the local government
areas of Wyong, Penrith, Bankstown,
70% of Landcom projects where
threatened communities or species
were found had a Vegetation
Management Plan.
Performance (%)
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
CURRENT
VEGETATION
MANAGEMENT PLANS
TARGET
03 04 05 06 07 08
30