Dr Matt White and Anthony Hoffman - ‘Threatened ecological communities assessments’

Matt and Anthony will discuss the progress and overall impacts from listing of ecological communities under national environment law over the past 25 years, as well as recent unique examples such as the Empodisma peatlands of south-western WA, the Karst springs of the Naracoorte Coastal Plain, and the Drooping sheoak grassy woodland of the Eyre Peninsula.

Bookings open on 11 July at https://www.trybooking.com/DANCR

Abstract
2025 is the 25^th anniversary of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, the national environment law which recognised threatened ecological communities as a specific ‘matter of national environmental significance’. This means they have the same level of protection as threatened species, migratory species, Ramsar wetlands and world and national heritage areas. Types of ecological communities that have been listed for national protection include forests, woodlands, shrublands, grasslands, wetlands, marine and cave communities. These cover over 16 million hectares of native habitat across all states and territories of Australia. Threatened ecological communities may be protected and recovered across all land tenures, not just conservation estate. Ecological community listings also allow for the protection of all plants, animals and other organisms present in the community (including species not otherwise protected) and the key ecological processes critical to natural ecosystem function and services. In addition, ecological communities have strong cultural significance for many Australians, especially for First Nations, land managers and local communities working to protect their local threatened bushland. Matt and Anthony will discuss the progress and overall impacts from listing of ecological communities under national environment law over the past 25 years, as well as recent unique examples such as the Empodisma peatlands of south-western WA, the Karst springs of the Naracoorte Coastal Plain, and the Drooping sheoak grassy woodland of the Eyre Peninsula.

Biography
Matt is Director and Anthony is a senior assessment officer within the Ecological Communities section of the Federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. For more than 15 years, both have worked closely with the national Threatened Species Scientific Committee and many other experts to identify, describe and conduct rigorous scientific assessments and write priority conservation actions for threatened ecological communities. Matt and Anthony have collectively contributed to the listing of, and/or national conservation plans for, all of the 104 ecological communities that are recognised at the national level for priority protection, management and recovery.

Bookings open on 11 July at https://www.trybooking.com/DANCR