Natural Resource Issues in NSW

Regional Activities and Contacts CLIO - Maps of Landcare Groups	BIODIVERSITY Australia's fragile environment combined with past management practices means that the natural resources (soil, water and vegetation) of many areas are degraded. Natural resource degradation affects our environment and the quality and quantity of natural resources available to current and future generations. People form landcare groups to work together to improve the management of natural resources and to care for their local environment. Landcare groups throughout NSW are working on a wide range of biodiversity issues. These include: · Introduced species (feral animals and weeds) · Loss of biodiversity / threatened plants and animals · Native vegetation management Introduced Species Feral Animals The issue Introduced and domestic animals can affect the balance in natural environments and can seriously impact on agricultural land. Feral animals include pigs, goats, rabbits, foxes, cats and dogs. Feral animals can destroy native vegetation and indirectly cause erosion from wind and water. They can carry and spread weeds and diseases. Some feral animals compete with native animals for food and shelter and expose them to predators. Others, such as foxes and feral cats, prey on native fauna and domestic livestock. Rabbits are the most significant agricultural pest animal in NSW because of their ability to severely degrade the land and compete with domestic animals for food. Excessive numbers of native animals, such as kangaroos, can also place increased pressure on vegetation. What can be done? Feral animals can be controlled, and in some cases, eradicated from certain areas with the correct mix and timing of the following techniques: trapping, fencing, poisoning, habitat destruction, aerial and ground shooting, changed land use, fumigation and biological control. For more information on feral animals and other vertebrate pests please click here. (Information courtesy of the Industry and Investment NSW) The Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water also has information on feral pests. Please click here. Weeds The issue Weeds are plants which grow where they are not wanted or do not belong. Weeds can take over and replace native plants, pastures or crops, reducing productivity and degrading natural environments. They can also choke streams. Weeds can be native or introduced plant species. Weeds invade areas where the soil has been disturbed, changed or poorly managed. They are spread by animals, machinery, wind, waterways and from gardens and the dumping of garden waste. Weed invasion occurs on all types of land, including agricultural lands, national parks, State forests and other bushland areas. Common weeds include: · Blackberry, Serrated Tussock and St John's Wort in agricultural lands · Privet, Lantana and Morning Glory in urban areas · Bitou Bush in coastal areas · Giant Parramatta Grass and Groundsel Bush on the north coast of NSW · water weeds such as Water Hyacinth and Salvinia. What can be done? Weeds can be removed mechanically (by ripping them out) and chemically (by poisoning). Biological control involves introducing an insect or animal which feeds on the weed. In bushland, regeneration involving the planting of native vegetation and follow-up weed control is important to restore areas. Pasture improvement and controlled grazing is used on agricultural lands to help control weed invasion. For more information on weeds please click here. (Information courtesy of the Industry and Investment NSW) Loss of Biodiversity/Threatened Plants and Animals The issue Biological diversity is the variety of all life forms - the different plants, animals and microorganisms, the genes they contain, and the ecosystems to which they belong. Millions of years of isolation from other continents have resulted in Australia's plants and animals evolving in ways different from elsewhere. As a result, about 82% of our mammal species, 45% of our land bird species, 85% of our flowering plant species, 89% of our reptile species, and about 93% of our frog species are found only in Australia. The major threat to our biodiversity is the loss of habitat through clearing for agriculture, forestry, mining and urban development. This, combined with the effects of invasive plants and animals, and natural events such as fire, drought and flood, threatens the survival of our native species. Since European settlement, most of Australia's ecosystems have been extensively altered. The result has been dramatic declines in the distribution and abundance of many species, and the extinction of at least 17 native mammal species and ten terrestrial bird species. The effects on aquatic habitats have contributed to a decline in our native fish populations. The benefits of conserving biodiversity are numerous. The world's species provide us with all our food and many medicines and industrial products. There are also opportunities for developing new or improved food crops from our biological diversity. Biodiversity is also important for ecological processes such as regulating climate, producing soil, providing protection from erosion, storing nutrients and breaking down pollution. Biodiversity is culturally important and it maintains the aesthetic values of our landscapes. There is also the view that every species on earth has the right to survive and that no single species or generation can claim the earth as its own. What can be done? Measures which can be taken to protect our biodiversity and prevent further loss of native plants and animal include: · research to increase our knowledge and understanding of biological diversity and more effective conservation · legislation and planning controls to prevent species and habitat decline · forming parks, reserves and aquatic reserves · identifying threatened species · stopping further native vegetation clearing · revegetating and regenerating degraded sites and planting new areas · preserving and extending areas of remnant vegetation · reducing the pressure on existing natural resources by recycling and reusing · conservation programs aimed at protecting threatened species and habitats · eradicating introduced plants and animals · encouraging private land owners and users to preserve natural areas · protecting native vegetation against dumping of wastes, pesticide runoff, excess use of fertilisers and air pollution. For further information about biodiversity and threatened species please click here. (Information courtesy of Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water) Native Vegetation Management The issue At the time of European settlement, forests and woodlands covered two-thirds of NSW. Clearing for land uses, such as farming, forestry, mining, urban development and roads, has reduced the area of forest and woodland to one-quarter of the State. Inappropriate clearing has caused excessive loss of tree cover, loss of wildlife habitat, salinity, increased soil erosion, increased sedimentation in rivers, streams, wetlands and estuaries, and loss of biodiversity. Vegetation continues to be lost through clearing, dieback, overgrazing, old age and prevention of regeneration through grazing, logging and insects. What can be done? Measures which can be taken to prevent further clearing and to protect existing vegetation include: legislation and policy to protect existing vegetation preserving and extending remnant vegetation areas encouraging regeneration and planting of new areas using property management planning and regional vegetation plans developed by Regional Vegetation Committees to identify appropriate areas to retain vegetation and revegetate strategically locating trees on farms to help prevent soil degradation, runoff, wind erosion, salinity, waterlogging, and to provide shelter for crops and livestock selectively fencing to exclude stock. For further information on native vegetation management please click here. (Information courtesy of the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water)