Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) (s266B) Approved Conservation Advice (incorporating listing advice) for the Tuart (Eucalyptus gomphocephala) woodlands and forests of the Swan Coastal Plain ecological community 1. The Threatened Species Scientific Committee (the Committee) was established under the EPBC Act and has obligations to present advice to the Minister for the Environment (the Minister) in relation to the listing and conservation of threatened ecological communities, including under sections 189, 194N, 266B and 269AA of the EPBC Act. 2. The Threatened Species Scientific Committee conducted a listing assessment following the ecological community being placed on the 2016 Finalised Priority Assessment List. 3. The Committee provided its advice on the ‘Tuart (Eucalyptus gomphocephala) woodlands and forests of the Swan Coastal Plain’ ecological community to the Minister within a draft conservation advice in 2018. The Committee recommended that: • the ecological community merits listing as critically endangered under the EPBC Act; and • a recovery plan is not required for the ecological community at this time. 4. In 2019, the Minister accepted the Committee’s advice, and adopted this document as the approved conservation advice. The Minister amended the list of threatened ecological communities under section 184 of the EPBC Act to include the ‘Tuart (Eucalyptus gomphocephala) woodlands and forests of the Swan Coastal Plain’ ecological community in the critically endangered category. 5. A draft conservation advice for this ecological community was made available for expert and broader public comment for a minimum of 30 business days. The Committee and Minister had regard to all comment that was relevant to the consideration of the ecological community. 6. This approved conservation advice was based on the best available information at the time it was prepared; this includes scientific literature, advice from consultations, and existing plans, records or management prescriptions for this ecological community. Approved Conservation Advice for the Tuart (Eucalyptus gomphocephala) woodlands and forests of the Swan Coastal Plain Page 1 of 158 Contents 1. CONSERVATION OBJECTIVE ............................................................................. 5 2. DESCRIPTION OF THE ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITY AND THE AREA IT INHABITS .............................................................................................................. 5 2.1 Introduction and name of the ecological community ......................................................... 5 2.2 Location and physical environment ................................................................................... 6 2.2.1 Geology, landscape and soils ........................................................................................ 7 2.2.2 Groundwater hydrology .................................................................................................. 8 2.2.3 Climate ........................................................................................................................... 8 2.3 Vegetation ......................................................................................................................... 9 2.3.1 Variation across the ecological community .................................................................... 9 2.3.2 Tree canopy ................................................................................................................. 11 2.3.3 Understorey .................................................................................................................. 12 2.3.4 Cryptogams .................................................................................................................. 13 2.4 Faunal components of the ecological community ........................................................... 13 2.4.1 Mammals ...................................................................................................................... 13 2.4.2 Reptiles......................................................................................................................... 14 2.4.3 Amphibians ................................................................................................................... 15 2.4.4 Birds ............................................................................................................................. 15 2.4.5 Invertebrates ................................................................................................................ 17 3. IDENTIFYING AREAS OF TUART WOODLANDS AND FORESTS THAT ARE PROTECTED UNDER NATIONAL ENVIRONMENT LAW ................................... 18 3.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 18 3.2 – Step 1 – Diagnostic characteristics, defining a patch .................................................. 20 3.2.1 Key diagnostic characteristics ...................................................................................... 20 3.2.2 Defining a patch of the ecological community .............................................................. 21 3.2.3 Relationship with other ecological communities .......................................................... 23 3.3 – Step 2 – Condition thresholds and categories ............................................................. 24 3.3.1 Condition categories and thresholds for patches of Tuart woodlands and forests ...... 25 3.4 – Step 3 – Further information to assist in identifying patches of the protected ecological community and avoiding significant adverse impacts ..................................................... 26 3.4.1 Buffer Zone ................................................................................................................... 26 3.4.2 Revegetated areas and areas of regrowth ................................................................... 27 3.4.3 Sampling protocol ......................................................................................................... 27 3.4.4 Timing of surveys, seasonal variation and post-disturbance surveys .......................... 28 3.4.5 Other guidance for impact assessment and mitigation ................................................ 29 3.5 Area critical to the survival of the ecological community ................................................. 30 3.6 Relationship with other vegetation classification systems .............................................. 30 3.7 Existing protection ........................................................................................................... 31 3.7.1 Formal reservation and conservation management ..................................................... 31 3.7.2 National environment law protection through Ramsar listing ....................................... 32 3.7.3 Protection through State/Territory legislation ............................................................... 32 3.7.4 Listed threatened flora and fauna species ................................................................... 32 4. SUMMARY OF THREATS ................................................................................... 37 4.1 Overview .......................................................................................................................... 37 4.2 Primary threats to the ecological community .................................................................. 37 4.3 Key Threatening Processes ............................................................................................ 37 5. SUMMARY OF ELIGIBILITY FOR LISTING AGAINST EPBC ACT CRITERIA .... 39 5.1 Criterion 1 – Decline in geographic distribution............................................................... 39 5.2 Criterion 2 – Limited geographic distribution coupled with demonstrable threat ............ 39 5.3 Criterion 3 – Loss or decline of functionally important species ....................................... 40 5.4 Criterion 4 – Reduction in community integrity ................................................................ 41 5.5 Criterion 5 – Rate of continuing detrimental change ....................................................... 41 5.6 Criterion 6 – Quantitative analysis showing probability of extinction .............................. 41 6. PRIORITY RESEARCH AND CONSERVATION ACTIONS ................................. 42 6.1 Principles and standards of protection and restoration ................................................... 42 6.2 Priority conservation actions ........................................................................................... 43 6.2.1 PROTECT .................................................................................................................... 44 6.2.2 RESTORE .................................................................................................................... 49 6.2.3 COMMUNICATION AND SUPPORT ........................................................................... 51 6.3 Research and monitoring priorities ................................................................................. 53 Approved Conservation Advice for the Tuart (Eucalyptus gomphocephala) woodlands and forests of the Swan Coastal Plain Page 2 of 158 6.4 Offsets ............................................................................................................................. 55 6.5 Existing plans/management prescriptions ......................................................................