Local Biodiversity Strategy
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LOCAL BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY Adopted by Council –22 October 2013 Geraldton Local Biodiversity Strategy (October 2013) ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This document has been prepared by the Perth Biodiversity Project, EcoLogical Australia Pty Ltd and We Are Arising. Funding and support has come from the City of Greater Geraldton, Shire of Chapman Valley, and the State NRM Program. The State NRM Program contribution funded a Western Australian Planning Commission project delivered by the Perth Biodiversity Project and supported by the Western Australian Local Government Association. Photographs provided by the City of Greater Geraldton, Perth Biodiversity Project, Danielle Matthews and Renata Zelinova. DOCUMENT TRACKING ITEM DETAIL Project Name Geraldton and Chapman Valley Local Biodiversity Strategy Project Number 10PERNRM-001 Prepared by Approved by Status Final Version Number Last saved on 23 April 2014 2 Geraldton Local Biodiversity Strategy (October 2013) Contents CONTENTS ...................................................................................................................................... 3 ABBREVIATIONS .............................................................................................................................. 6 GLOSSARY ....................................................................................................................................... 7 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................... 8 GUIDE FOR READERS ....................................................................................................................... 9 1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 10 1.1 DEFINING AND VALUING BIODIVERSITY................................................................................................ 10 1.2 LGAS’ ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS ......................................................................................................... 10 1.3 AREA AND SCOPE ............................................................................................................................ 13 1.4 THE NEED FOR A LOCAL BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY ................................................................................... 13 1.5 PRINCIPLES OF BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION ....................................................................................... 14 1.6 PREVIOUS BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION REPORTS ................................................................................ 14 1.7 ADDITIONAL RELEVANT FEDERAL AND STATE LEGISLATION AND POLICY ................................. 14 1.8 LOCAL BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY PLANNING PROCESS ............................................................................. 15 1.9 DEFINING PROTECTION AND RETENTION ............................................................................................. 15 1.10 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY .......................................................................................................... 16 2 BIODIVERSITY STATUS ............................................................................................................ 18 2.1 GLOBAL CONTEXT ........................................................................................................................... 18 2.2 NATIONAL CONTEXT ........................................................................................................................ 18 2.3 REGIONAL CONTEXT ........................................................................................................................ 18 2.4 VEGETATION COMMUNITIES IN THE STUDY AREA .................................................................................. 19 2.4.1 Beard Vegetation Associations ........................................................................................................ 19 2.4.2 Plant Communities ................................................................................................................ 19 2.5 NATIVE VEGETATION EXTENT AND PROTECTION .................................................................................... 20 2.5.1 Protection levels of natural areas .................................................................................................... 20 2.5.2 Threatened Ecological Communities ....................................................................................... 21 2.6 THREATENED FLORA SPECIES ............................................................................................................. 21 2.7 ECOLOGICAL LINKAGES ..................................................................................................................... 21 2.8 OTHER IMPORTANT BIODIVERSITY FEATURES ........................................................................................ 23 3 THREATS ................................................................................................................................ 24 4 GOALS ................................................................................................................................... 25 4.1 STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PROCESS ............................................................................................... 25 4.2 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OUTPUTS ............................................................................................... 25 4.3 GOALS ........................................................................................................................................ 27 Goal 1: Retention - Retain natural areas ......................................................................................................... 27 Goal 2: Protection - Protect natural areas and specific biodiversity features ................................................. 27 Goal 3: Management - Manage protected natural areas for conservation ..................................................... 28 Goal 4: Engagement – Increased community contributions to biodiversity conservation .............................. 28 Goal 5: Regeneration - Ensure the rate of regeneration exceeds the rate of degradation .......................... 28 5 CONSERVATION SIGNIFICANCE OF VEGETATION ..................................................................... 29 5.1 LEGISLATIVE AND POLICY FRAMEWORK AND CONSERVATION SIGNIFICANCE CRITERIA .................................. 29 5.2 REGIONALLY AND LOCALLY SIGNIFICANT VEGETATION ........................................................................... 29 5.2.1 Regionally Significant Vegetation Types .......................................................................................... 30 5.2.2 Locally Significant Vegetation Types........................................................................................ 30 3 Geraldton Local Biodiversity Strategy (October 2013) 5.3 CONSERVATION SIGNIFICANCE CATEGORIES ......................................................................................... 31 6 PLANNING FRAMEWORK ........................................................................................................ 36 6.1 REGIONAL AND LOCAL STRATEGIES ..................................................................................................... 37 6.2 LOCAL PLANNING SCHEMES ............................................................................................................. 37 7 IDENTIFYING PRIORITY AREAS OF CONSERVATION VALUE ....................................................... 40 7.1 REQUIREMENTS TO ACHIEVE A REPRESENTATIVE, ADEQUATE AMD COMPREHENSIVE NETWORK OF LOCAL NATURAL AREAS ........................................................................................................................................ 40 7.2 OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSTRAINTS FOR NATIVE VEGETATION RETENTION ................................................. 40 7.3 IDENTIFICATION OF AREAS OF CONSERVATION VALUE ...................................................................... 43 7.3.1 Criteria for ACVs ............................................................................................................................... 43 7.3.2 Prioritising ACVs ............................................................................................................................... 43 7.3.3 Contribution of ACVs to LBS Goals ................................................................................................... 45 7.3.4 Recommended actions for ACVs with different opportunities ................................................... 45 8 ACHIEVING THE GOALS ........................................................................................................... 47 8.1 MECHANISMS FOR BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION ................................................................................. 47 8.1.1 Policy and planning tools ................................................................................................................. 47 8.1.2 Management Tools .......................................................................................................................... 49 8.1.3 Engagement and Education tools............................................................................................ 50 8.2 PRIORITIES TO ACHIEVE THE GOALS .................................................................................................... 52 8.2.1 Goal 1: Retention - Retain natural areas .........................................................................................