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Brigalow Belt South - conservation status analysis

This page shows the conservation status of the bioregion, based on protection of landscapes within formal conservation management mechanisms.

The numbered landscapes referred to in the text are described briefly in the table at the bottom of the page. These landscapes were identified in the State Conservation Monitoring Project. In this project, a total of 1167 landscapes were described, combining three layers: ruggedness, geology and subregions.

Landscape-scale conservation

There are 106 landscapes in the NSW portion of the Brigalow Belt South Bioregion (NPWS in prep). Four low-ruggedness landscapes dominate the bioregion, occupying 49.44 per cent of the area. Specifically these are: landscape 436 (1,100,200.00 hectares or 20.64 per cent of the bioregion), landscape 399 (588,200.00 hectares or 11.03 per cent), landscape 389 (484,700.00 hectares or 9.09 per cent) and landscape 83 (462,700.00 hectares or 8.68 per cent). The majority of the remaining landscapes each occupy less than 1 per cent of the bioregion.

Conservation at the landscape scale, however, does not approach any measure of comprehensiveness for any but 5 of the 106 landscapes in the bioregion.

Of the 106 landscapes found within the bioregion, less than half (43) are represented in one or more of the management mechanisms surveyed. Only 6 of these landscapes (5 of which are in national parks and nature reserves) have more than 20 per cent of their bioregional area conserved within these management mechanisms. Twenty-five of the 43 landscapes are represented in more than one mechanism.

What this means is that conservation mechanisms and, in this case, private land conservation in particular, is generally focussing on the same landscapes as are included in the reserve (national park/nature reserve and flora reserve) system, but since the overall level of representation of landscapes within the reserve system is relatively small, this contribution is important.

National parks and nature reserves

Most conservation management in the bioregion occurs through national parks and nature reserves (NPW Act 1974), both in terms of the area incorporated and the variety of landscapes covered. Nevertheless, the proportion of most landscapes included is relatively small, and only 39 landscapes and a total area of 133,975.47 hectares or 2.51 per cent of the bioregional area is included in this management program.

Of these 39 landscapes, only 5 have greater than 20 per cent of their area represented in the system of national parks and nature reserves, although 3 high-ruggedness landscapes (100 per cent of landscape 561, 57.17 per cent of landscape 556 and 83.17 per cent of landscape 420) have greater than 50 per cent of their area included in this system.

Voluntary conservation agreements

Two low-ruggedness landscapes (landscape 436 and landscape 389) are represented in the 2 voluntary conservation agreements in the bioregion. These are also represented within the reserve program and other management mechanisms although even in combination less than 10 per cent of each of these landscapes is managed for biodiversity.

Wildlife refuges

Twenty-one landscapes overlap wildlife refuges. However, most of these have less than 1 per cent of their bioregional area in a refuge. Since wildlife refuges are not represented in national parks, nature reserves or flora reserves, this contribution to the range of landscapes under some formalised conservation management is important, even though management under a wildlife refuge is not guaranteed in perpetuity. Three landscapes protected under the wildlife refuge program are not found in the system of national parks and nature reserves. These are:

• Landscape 312 with 235.78 hectares or 7.37 per cent of its bioregional area;
• Landscape 87 with 941 98 hectares or 0.45 per cent of its bioregional area; and
• Landscape 391 with 195.75 hectares or 0.17 per cent of its bioregional area.

Flora reserves

Five low-ruggedness landscapes (0.07 per cent of landscape 99, 0.54 per cent of landscape 389, 0.11 per cent of landscape 436, 0.12 per cent of landscape 598 and 0.02 per cent of landscape 602) are represented within flora reserves. Each is also represented in national parks and nature reserves and 3 are also represented in other formal conservation areas.

Property agreements

Ten low to moderate ruggedness landscapes (0.04 per cent of landscape 436, 2.24 per cent of landscape 410, 0.27 per cent of landscape 398, 0.01 per cent of landscape 399, 0.43 per cent of landscape 394, 0.03 per cent of landscape 573, 0.03 per cent of landscape 456, 0.92 per cent of landscape 658, 0.02 per cent of landscape 391 and 0.01 per cent of landscape 552) are represented in the conservation zones of property agreements. All are represented in other formal conservation areas.

Conservation and clearing

Forty-eight of the 106 landscapes are more than 70 per cent cleared (19 are 70-90 per cent cleared, 15 are 91-99 per cent cleared and 14 are 100 per cent cleared) of their native canopy. Only 12 of these are represented in conservation areas.

Profiles of landscapes referred to above
Landscape number	Description
83	Landscape 83 is an area of low ruggedness with a dominant geology of western alluvials (inactive) occurring in subregion BBS22 - Northern Outwash.
87	Landscape 87 is an area of low ruggedness with a dominant geology of inland plain sediments occurring in subregion BBS22 - Northern Outwash.
99	Landscape 99 is an area of low ruggedness with a dominant geology of sedimentary (coarse grain) occurring in subregion BBS21 - Northern Basalts.
312	Landscape 312 is an area of low ruggedness with a dominant geology of sedimentary (coarse grain) occurring in subregion BBS22 - Northern Outwash.
389	Landscape 389 is an area of low ruggedness with a dominant geology of inland plain sediments occurring in subregion BBS23 - Pilliga Outwash.
391	Landscape 391 is an area of low ruggedness with a dominant geology of sedimentary (mixed grain) occurring in subregion BBS25 - Liverpool Plains.
399	Landscape 399 is an area of low ruggedness with a dominant geology of western alluvials (inactive) occurring in subregion BBS25 - Liverpool Plains.
420	Landscape 420 is an area of high ruggedness with a dominant geology of basic/intermediate igneous and associated sediments and meta-sediments occurring in subregion BBS25 - Liverpool Plains.
436	Landscape 436 is an area of low ruggedness with a dominant geology of sedimentary (coarse grain) occurring in subregion BBS24 - Pilliga.
556	Landscape 556 is an area of high ruggedness with a dominant geology of basic/intermediate igneous and associated sediments and meta-sediments occurring in subregion BBS24 - Pilliga.
561	Landscape 561 is an area of high ruggedness with a dominant geology of sedimentary (coarse grain) occurring in subregion BBS24 - Pilliga.
598	Landscape 598 is an area of low ruggedness with a dominant geology of sedimentary (coarse grain) occurring in subregion BBS27 - Talbragar Valley.
602	Landscape 602 is an area of low ruggedness with a dominant geology of sedimentary (mixed grain) occurring in subregion BBS27 - Talbragar Valley.