The listing process
The Threatened Species Conservation Act provides for the listing of threatened species, populations, ecological communities and key threatening processes.
The Act establishes an independent Scientific Committee which is responsible for determining which species, populations and ecological communities should to be listed as endangered, vulnerable or extinct under the TSC Act, and also to determine key threatening processes.
The listing process is used to add a species, population or ecological community to the list, reclassify a species or ecological community from one schedule to another, or delist a species, population or ecological community.
The process by which species, populations and ecological communities are listed as threatened is the foundation of the Act, which requires that listing decisions are:
- made by an independent scientific body (i.e. the Committee);
- scientifically robust and based on the best available scientific information;
- completed within a suitable time period that allows for thorough assessment against appropriate criteria;
- made on scientific grounds only.
The NSW Scientific Committee
First established in 1996, the NSW Scientific Committee is an independent committee established under the Threatened Species Conservation Act.
The Scientific Committee is responsible for assessing the status of native animal and plant species, populations and ecological communities that are considered to be threatened in NSW.
The Committee’s other functions include:
- determining which threatening processes are to be listed under the TSC Act as key threatening processes;
- advising the Minister for the Environment and the Natural Resources Commission (NRC) on matters relating to the conservation of threatened species, populations and ecological communities;
- advising the Director-General on the identification of critical habitat;
- reviewing draft joint management agreements and the performance of parties under executed joint management agreements;
- advising the Director-General on the preparation and review of the Priorities Action Statement;
- advising the Director-General on the preparation of recovery and threat abatement plans.
The Scientific Committee does not make decisions about threatened fish and marine vegetation. This is the responsibility of the NSW Fisheries Scientific Committee.
Members of the NSW Scientific Committee
Scientific Committee members must have expertise in relevant scientific fields - collectively the Committee's expertise covers the areas of: vertebrate biology, invertebrate biology, plant biology, terrestrial ecology, plant community ecology, limnology, aquatic biology, genetics of small populations, and population dynamics (including population viability analysis or evolutionary ecology).
The Scientific Committee is currently composed of 11 members. The members are appointed by the Minister for the Environment.
Members of the Scientific Committee are:
- Associate Professor Lesley Hughes (Chairperson) - Macquarie University
- Dr Peter Clarke (Deputy Chairperson) - University of New England
- Dr Brad Murray - Ecological Society of Australia
- Dr Geoff Barrett - Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
- Dr Steven Kennelly - Department of Primary Industries
- Dr David Keith - Department of Environment and Climate Change
- Dr Mike Curll - scientist with expertise in agricultural science and natural resource management
- Mr Bob Makinson - Department of Environment and Climate Change (Botanic Gardens Trust)
- Dr Richard Major - Australian Museum
- Dr Letitia Silberbauer - Australian Entomological Society
- Dr Todd Soderquist - Department of Environment and Climate Change
Contact the Scientific Committee at:
NSW Scientific Committee
C/- PO Box 1967, Hurstville NSW 2220
Tel: 02 9585 6940; Fax: 9585 6606
scientific.committee@environment.nsw.gov.au
Making a nomination
Any person or organisation can nominate a species, population, ecological community or key threatening process for listing, delisting or changing its threat category under the TSC Act.
To find out how to make a nomination see: How species are listed as threatened.
What criteria does the Scientific Committee consider when determining the status of a species?
The Threatened Species Conservation Regulation 2002 prescribe the criteria used by the Scientific Committee to classify species, populations and ecological communities into one of three categories - critically endangered, endangered or vulnerable.
The criteria require consideration of factors such as population size, reduction in geographic distribution and habitat quality, sensitivity to human activities and stochastic events and are adapted from the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Regulations 2000 and World Conservation Union (IUCN) criteria.
Table 1. Criteria for listing threatened species
A native species is in the critically endangered, endangered or vulnerable category if, in the opinion of the Scientific Committee, it meets any of the following criteria.
| ITEM | CRITERION | CATEGORY | ||
| Critically endangered | Endangered | Vulnerable | ||
| 1 | The species has undergone, is observered, estimated, inferred or suspected to have undergone or is likely to undergo within a time frame appropriate to the life cycle and habitat characteristics of the taxon: | a very large reduction in population size based on either: a) an index of abundance appropriate to the taxon; or b) geographic distribution, habitate quality or diversity, or genetic diversity | a large reduction in population size based on either: a) an index of abundance appropriate to the taxon; or b) geographic distribution, habitate quality or diversity, or genetic diversity | a moderate reduction in population size based on either: a) an index of abundance appropriate to the taxon; or b) geographic distribution, habitate quality or diversity, or genetic diversity |
| 2 | The geographic distribution of the species is estimated or inferred to be: | very highly restricted | highly restricted | moderately restricted |
and either: (a) a projected or continuing decline is observed, estimated or inferred in either: an index of abundance appropriate to the taxon; or geographic distribution, habitat quality or diversity, or genetic diversity; or (b) two of the following threee conditions apply: i) the population or habitat is observed or inferred to be severely fragmented; ii) all or nearly all mature individuals are observed or inferred to occur within a small number of populations or locations; iii) extreme fluctuations are observed or inferred to occur in either: an index of abundance appropriate to the taxon; or geographic distribution, habitat quality or diversity. | ||||
| 3 | The estimated total number of mature individuals of the species is: | very low | low | moderately low |
| and either: (a) a projected or continuing decline is observed, estimated or inferred in either: an index of abundance appropriate to the taxon; or geographic distribution, habitat quality or diversity, or genetic diversity; or (b) two of the following threee conditions apply: i) the population or habitat is observed or inferred to be severely fragmented; ii) all or nearly all mature individuals are observed or inferred to occur within a small number of populations or locations; iii) extreme fluctuations are observed or inferred to occur in either: an index of abundance appropriate to the taxon; or geographic distribution, habitat quality or diversity. | ||||
| 4 | The estimated total number of mature individuals of the species is observed, estimated or inferred to be: | extremely low | very low | low |
| or, the geographic range of the species is observed, estimated or inferred to be: | N/A | N/A | very higly restricted such that it is prone to the effects of human activities or stochastic events within a very short time period. |
Table 2. Criteria for listing endangered populations
A population of a native species is in the endangered category if, in the opinion of the Scientific Committee, it is any one or more of the following:
(a) disjunct or near the limit of its geographic range;
(b) is or is likely to be genetically, morphologically or ecologically distinct;
(c) otherwise of significant conservation value,
and it also meets any one of the following criteria:
| ITEM | CRITERION | CATEGORY |
| Endangered | ||
| 1 | The population has undergone, is observered, estimated, inferred or suspected to have undergone or is likely to undergo within a time frame appropriate to the life cycle and habitat characteristics of the taxon: | a large reduction based on either: a) an index of abundance appropriate to the taxon; or b) geographic distribution, habitate quality or diversity, or genetic diversity |
| 2 | The geographic distribution of the population is estimated or inferred to be: | highly restricted |
| and either: (a) a projected or continuing decline is observed, estimated or inferred in either: an index of abundance appropriate to the taxon; or geographic distribution, habitat quality or diversity, or genetic diversity; or (b) two of the following threee conditions apply: i) the population or habitat is observed or inferred to be severely fragmented; ii) all or nearly all mature individuals are observed or inferred to occur within a small number of populations or locations; iii) extreme fluctuations are observed or inferred to occur in either: an index of abundance appropriate to the taxon; or geographic distribution, habitat quality or diversity. | ||
| 3 | The estimated total number of mature individuals of the species is observed, estimated or inferred to be: | low |
| and either: (a) a projected or continuing decline is observed, estimated or inferred in either: an index of abundance appropriate to the taxon; or geographic distribution, habitat quality or diversity, or genetic diversity; or (b) two of the following threee conditions apply: i) the population or habitat is observed or inferred to be severely fragmented; ii) all or nearly all mature individuals are observed or inferred to occur within a small number of populations or locations; iii) extreme fluctuations are observed or inferred to occur in either: an index of abundance appropriate to the taxon; or geographic distribution, habitat quality or diversity. | ||
| 4 | The estimated total number of mature individuals of the species is observed, estimated or inferred to be: | very low |
Table 3. Criteria for listing threatened ecological communities
| ITEM | CRITERION | CATEGORY | ||
| Critically endangered | Endangered | Vulnerable | ||
| 1 | It has undergone, is observered, estimated, inferred or suspected to have undergone or is likely to undergo within a time span appropriate to the life cycle and habitat characteristics of the component species: | a very large reduction in geographic distribution | a large reduction in geographic distribution | a moderate reduction in geographic distribution |
| 2 | Its geographic distribution is estimated or inferred to be: | very highly restricted | highly restricted | moderately restricted |
| and the nature of its distribution makes it likely that the action of a threatening process could cause it to decline or degrade in extent or ecological function over a time span appropriate to the life cycle and habitat characteristics of component species. | ||||
| 3 | It has undergone, is observed, estimated, inferred or suspected to have undergone or is likely to undergo within a time span appropriate to the life cycle and habitat characteristics of component species: | a very large reduction in ecological function | a large reduction in ecological function | a moderate reduction in ecological function |
as indicated by any of the following: (a) change in community structure; (b) change in species composition; (c) disruption of ecological processess; (d) invasion and establishment of exotic species; (e) degradation of habitat; or (f) fragmentation of habitat. |
A native ecological community is in the critically endangered, endangered or vulnerable category if, in the opinion of the Scientific Committee, it meets any of the following criteria.
How can you comment on a listing proposal?
The Scientific Committee publishes notice of preliminary determinations in the Government Gazette, relevant regional and statewide newspapers and via DECC's website.
This step of the listing process provides an opportunity for any person or organisation to make a submission to the Committee and provide additional information for the Committee to consider prior to making a final determination. The public consultation period is generally for a period of 30 days.