Abstract for presentation at Biodiversity Extinction Crisis Conference - A Pacific Response

Does Meaningful Vertebrate Species Conservation Require the Adoption of a Landscape–based Radical Restoration Strategy? The Central West of NSW: a case study

  • Prof David Goldney, Charles Sturt University and the University of Sydney, Orange Campus, Australia
  • Dr Anne Kerle, Private Consultant, Australia
  • Dr Donna Johnston, Private Consultant,, Australia
  • Barb Mactaggart, University of Sydney, Orange Campus, Australia
  • Dr Mike Fleming, NSW Department of Environment and Conservation, Australia

    • Significant numbers of vertebrate species in the Central West of New South Wales, not listed under either the TSC or the EPBC Acts, are regionally vulnerable or threatened with regional extinction. Located west of the Great Dividing Range, the Central West of NSW, occupying approximately 25% of the area of NSW is an ecological transition zone. Here as elsewhere, land degradation and species diversity loss appear to be exponential in nature and tightly coupled through ecosystem processes. The significant loss in ecosystem resilience that has occurred since European settlement, concurrent with crossing of seemingly irreversible ecological thresholds, has resulted in landscapes where restoration intervention is urgently required. There is little evidence that the current strategies for conserving species in Australia, and within the Central West, have been particularly successful. Despite our best efforts, biodiversity loss, landscape process dysfunction and landscape degradation continue to increase. ‘More of the same’ responses will no longer do.

    While degradation processes are exponential, the provision of monetary resources to initiate repair and conservation strategies, are linear, and hopelessly inadequate. We present a strategy, already being wholly or partly implemented by a number of progressive and innovative landholders, as a way forward. Such a strategy values functional repair more highly than strategies that result in little more than amenity restoration, is based on long established, but poorly understood landscape process paradigms and can be implemented cost effectively. We address the issue of rewarding landholders for agreed outcomes likely to substantially benefit species conservation. We believe a GST levied on food, and wholly quarantined for environmental repair in agricultural landscapes should be implemented. Should this occur, for the first time, we would have the potential to no longer subsidise Australia's food and fibre production through biodiversity loss and land degradation and to fully fund comprehensive restoration strategies.

    Conference Organiser - ICMS Pty Ltd