Biodiversity

State of Biodiversity

Changes to the state of biodiversity during 2005/06 are illustrated using the following key indicator.

Pressure to Biodiversity

The drought, the presence of pest animals, the loss of habitat and invasion of weeds continues to impact on flora and fauna species.

Response to Biodiversity

The response to the state and pressures of biodiversity during 2005/06 includes:

• The Native Vegetation Act 2003 and Native Vegetation Regulation 2005 commenced.
  
• The Lithgow and District Community Nursery distributed approximately 40,000 native tubestock to numerous organisations and individuals.
  
• The Regent Honeyeaters habitat has been further enhanced with the planting of a further 3,600 shrubs on 2 properties in the Capertee Valley . Approximately 100 volunteers assisted including a group of students from the University of New South Wales .
  
• The Hawkesbury Nepean Catchment Management Authority prepared a Gorse Strategy and offered funding to assist landholders to control gorse.
  
• Receipt of grants for biodiversityenhancement activities such as willow eradication, improving seed bank collections and the Purple Copper Butterfly habitat.

Current Actions 2006/07

The completion of the weed removal and environmental improvement grants.