Commonwealth of Australia

Amendment to the lists of threatened species, threatened ecological communities and key threatening processes under sections 178, 181 and 183 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) (EC 152)

I, GREG HUNT, Minister for the Environment, pursuant to paragraph 184(1)(a) and (b) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, hereby amend the list referred to in section 181 of that Act by:

deleting from the list in the endangered category

Natural Temperate Grassland of the Southern Tablelands of NSW and the Australian Capital Territory; and

including in the list in the critically endangered category

Natural Temperate Grassland of the South Eastern Highlands

as described in the Schedule to this instrument.

Dated this…..................31st......................day of….........................March.........................2016

Greg Hunt

GREG HUNT

Minister for the Environment

SCHEDULE

Natural Temperate Grassland of the South Eastern Highlands

The Natural Temperate Grassland of the South Eastern Highlands ecological community occurs in and around the South Eastern Highlands bioregion, as defined by version 7 of the Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation of Australia (2012).

The ecological community is characterised by a dominance of native perennial tussock grasses, the tallest stratum of which is typically up to 1.0 m in height, when present. There is usually a second, lower stratum of shorter perennial and annual grasses and forbs growing between the taller tussocks, and there may be a third discontinuous stratum of even smaller forbs, grasses and cryptogams. Sedges and rushes may also occur, particularly in seasonally wet areas. A tree and shrub stratum may be present, but with only up to 10% projective foliage cover of each being present.

Variation in the composition and structure of the ecological community occurs as a result of intrinsic site factors (e.g. drainage patterns, soil characteristics) and agricultural practices applied since post-1788 settlement.

The major dominant or co-dominant grass species are: Themeda triandra syn. T. australis (kangaroo grass), Poa sieberiana (snowgrass), Poa labillardierei (river tussock grass), Austrostipa bigeniculata (kneed speargrass), Austrostipa scabra (slender speargrass), Bothriochloa macra (red grass), various Rytidosperma species syn. Austrodanthonia species (wallaby grasses), Lachnagrostis filiformis (blowngrass) and Sorghum leiocladum (wild sorghum).

Other grasses commonly occur and might form dominant areas within a broader patch. Native sedges may be dominant or co-dominant in some areas, typically Carex appressa (tussock sedge) or C. bichenoviana (plains sedge).

Forb species that are more frequently dominant or co-dominant with the grasses include Acaena ovina (sheep's burr), Asperula spp (woodruffs), Chrysocephalum apiculatum (common everlasting, yellow buttons), Convolvulus spp. (bindweed), Euchiton spp., Leptorhynchos spp., Lomandra spp., Plantago varia (variable plantain) and Vittadinia muelleri (narrow-leaf New Holland daisy).

Other common forb genera include Brachyscome, Dichondra, Erodium, Eryngium, Geranium, Glycine, Goodenia, Helichrysum, Pimelea, Rumex, Solenogyne, Stackhousia, and Wahlenbergia.