Threat Abatement Plan to reduce the impacts on northern Australia’s biodiversity by the five listed grasses (Cth)

Commonwealth of Australia

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

Section 270B

Making of a Threat Abatement Plan

I, TONY BURKE, Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, under section 270B(2) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth), make the threat abatement plan specified below for the purpose of reducing the effect of the key threatening process specified below.

Key Threatening Process Threat Abatement Plan Ecosystem degradation, habitat loss and species decline due to invasion of northern Australia by introduced gamba grass (Andropogon gayanus), para grass (Urochloa mutica), olive hymenachne (Hymenachne amplexicaulis), mission grass (Pennisetum polystachion) and annual mission grass (Pennisetum pedicellatum) Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (2012). Threat abatement plan to reduce the impacts on northern Australia's biodiversity by the five listed grasses. Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, Canberra.

The threat abatement plan will come into force on the day after the plan is registered on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments.

Dated this……27……………. day of ……11………2012.

…Tony Burke……………………. Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities

Threat abatement plan to reduce the impacts on northern Australia's biodiversity by the five listed grasses

CONTENTS

Introduction.........................................................2 1. Threat abatement plan to reduce the impacts on northern Australia's biodiversity by the five listed grasses..................................3 1.1. Description of the process and its impacts...........................3 1.2. Managing the threat............................................3 1.3. Implementation................................................4 1.4. Identifying priority areas for action.................................4 2. Objectives and actions..............................................5 Objective 1: Develop an understanding of the extent and spread pathways of infestation by the five listed grasses...........................5 Objective 2: Support and facilitate coordinated management strategies through the design of tools, systems and guidelines.................6 Objective 3: Identify and prioritise key assets and areas for strategic management....8 Objective 4: Build capacity and raise awareness among stakeholders.............9 Objective 5: Implement coordinated, cost-effective on-ground management strategies in high-priority areas...............................10 Objective 6: Monitor, evaluate and report on the effectiveness of management programs....................................11 3. Duration, cost and evaluation........................................12 3.1. Duration and cost.............................................12 3.2. Evaluating the implementation of the TAP..........................12 Table A ........................................................13 Glossary ........................................................14 References ........................................................16