The NSW Threatened Species Scientific Committee (the Scientific Committee) determines which species, populations and ecological communities are listed as critically endangered, endangered, vulnerable under the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016. Species can also be listed as extinct or extinct in the wild, and threatened ecological communities can be listed as collapsed.
The Scientific Committee also identifies key threatening processes.
Listing is used to:
- add a species, population of species, ecological community or key threatening process to schedules in the Biodiversity Conservation Act
- reclassify a species, population of species or ecological community and move it from one threat category to another
- delist a species, population of species, ecological community, or key threatening process, for example in relation to new information or on-the-ground improvements.
Listing decisions
The Biodiversity Conservation Act requires that listing decisions are:
- made by an independent scientific body, i.e. the Scientific 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.
How a species status is decided
The Scientific Committee determines whether threatened species, populations and ecological communities as critically endangered, endangered or vulnerable.
The assessments are based on criteria developed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
The Scientific Committee considers factors that include:
- population size
- reduction in geographical distribution and habitat quality
- sensitivity to human activities
- stochastic (randomly determined) events.
Common Assessment Method
The NSW Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Commonwealth Government and other State and Territory jurisdictions to implement a Common Assessment Method of species and ecological communities. It is based on the best practice standard developed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, as used to create the Red List of Threatened Species, with some amendments to suit the Australian context.
The Common Assessment Method aims to provide a consistent approach in the assessment of threatened species and ecological communities in Australia. Through information sharing and mutual recognition of assessments, national assessment undertaken by one jurisdiction may be accepted by other jurisdictions. This will ensure a species is listed at the same level of extinction risk at both the Commonwealth and State level and reduce the duplication of assessments.
For more information on the Common Assessment Method go to the Australian Government’s website.
Nomination and determination process
The Biodiversity Conservation Act encourages community involvement in the protection of threatened species. Anyone can propose that a species, ecological community or key threatening process be listed or removed from the threatened species list.