'Back on Track species prioritisation framework'
What is 'Back on Track species prioritisation framework'?
Cascade treefrog © H.B. Hines EPA
'Back on Track species prioritisation framework' is an initiative of the Queensland Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that prioritises Queensland's native species (marine, terrestrial and aquatic species of flora and fauna) to guide conservation, management and recovery.
'Back on Track species prioritisation framework' is designed to prioritise all species, regardless of their current classification under the Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992 (NCA) or the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC). This will better reflect the level of management required to conserve Queensland's native wildlife. Species are prioritised using multiple criteria, to allow the identification of species that are in trouble, and those which have the greatest chance of recovery.
Fungi © Sara Williams
The process identifies common threats and actions that affect a range of species; this encourages a multi-species or landscape approach to conservation as well as opportunities for cross regional projects.
'Back on Track species prioritisation framework' increases the capacity of government, Natural Resource Management (NRM) bodies and communities to make decisions about where to focus on-ground action and investment to deal with threatened species and communities.
How have decisions been made previously?
Traditional efforts in wildlife conservation have focussed on highly threatened, or well-known species. In particular, species listed as 'Critically Endangered', 'Endangered,' 'Vulnerable' or 'Rare' have determined conservation priorities, and as a result, where resources are focussed, often with little assessment of success.
That system encourages a single-species approach and has the tendency to focus on iconic species. Often resources can be used to protect a species which may not have a high chance of recovery, or is only threatened in one area, but has a large population elsewhere.
How does it work (in brief)?
Yellow-footed rock-wallaby © EPA
There are six stages in the 'Back on Track species prioritisation framework' that contribute to determining the priority species (at both a regional and the state wide scale), identifying the key and common threats to these priority species and then working to address these threats and focus investment or management action through using a multi-species or landscape level approach.
Stage 1
Identify priority threatened species for each NRM region and the State of Queensland
The first stage of the 'Back on Track species prioritisation framework' is based on the work of Professor Helene Marsh et al. 2007. The Marsh et al. method has been adapted for use by the EPA.
Using the 'Back on Track' species prioritisation criteria, a panel of technical experts score each species against seven criterion, by considering the probability of extinction, consequences of extinction and the potential for recovery of the species over the whole state of Queensland. When technical scores are combined with the managers' criteria weightings a list of priority species is identified for recovery actions.
Stage 2
Regionally specific information collated
The priority species list identified for the region and species presence in the region are verified by experts nominated by the regional group.
Priority species distributions are mapped using EPA WildNet records where possible. Known threats are collated for each species from existing documents, such as recovery plans.
Stage 3
Workshop to gather local expertise and knowledge of threats and actions to achieve species recovery
A two day workshop is organised where participants that have a range of regional biodiversity knowledge and experience (marine, freshwater and terrestrial) are invited to attend.
Participants are asked to identify threats to species and to develop actions that address these threats. The actions developed are to be achievable within a five year timeframe.
Stage 4
Post workshop research, action plan development and consultation
Considerable input is provided post workshop to further detail and prioritise actions to address key threats and to ensure actions are as focused as possible to ensure the most efficient and successful use of resources to achieve recovery.
The resulting report provides a five year action plan to address the decline of priority species in the region and provides details on research needs for species found to be 'data deficient'.
Sea grass © Jenita Enevoldsen
Stage 5
Agreement of the Regional Biodiversity Action Plan by the NRM Regional Board
The Biodiversity Action Plan will guide investments supported by the Regional Board and other stakeholders and partners to meet the goals and targets of the Regional Natural Resource Management Plan over the next five years.
Stage 6
Implementation and review
As actions identified in this plan are implemented, annual reporting will be required to monitor progress and update the plan with new information, especially as it relates to details on species and as new technical assessments are undertaken. A formal review of progress will be undertaken in the final year.
In the future reporting will be encouraged through the online Recovery Actions Database (RAD).
For more detail, read about each stage of the 'Back on Track species prioritisation framework' approach
'Back on Track species prioritisation framework' criteria
'Back on Track species prioritisation framework' as part of determining priority species, assesses each species against three major sets of criteria:
- Probability of extinction — determined by expert assessment against IUCN criteria (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources also known as The World Conservation Union).
- Consequences of extinction — comprised of ecological value, endemicity, and social value.
- Potential for successful recovery — comprised of the knowledge of threatening processes, capacity to affect recovery and the need for ongoing management.
Polyalthia nitidissima © Kerri Woodcock
A panel of technical experts scores each species against the criteria (regardless of their current threatened classification under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 or Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999). The NRM Board members and senior Environmental Managers also weight each criterion based on how the criteria are valued when allocating resources in the NRM region. The technical expert scores are multiplied by the Managers' Weightings to determine the total score for each species.
Species are ranked as 'Critical', 'High', 'Medium', 'Low' priority or as 'data deficient'. Those species ranked as 'Critical' or 'High' are used as the starting point for the regional workshop. 'Data deficient' species are reviewed to determine priorities for research.
The ranking of priority species is the first step towards the implementation of multi-species actions (that will be developed through the identification of common threats and actions in regional workshops), which will form a more integrated approach to species recovery and conservation management.
For more details, read a full explanation of the 'Back on Track species prioritisation framework' criteria.
Outputs and outcomes of 'Back on Track species prioritisation framework'
Angelfish © EPA
'Back on Track species prioritisation framework' identifies lists of priority species for each NRM region in Queensland, and also for the state. This allows government, NRM groups and partners to focus on-ground action, planning, monitoring and research and community engagement where it will be most effective in working to achieve species conservation.
Some key benefits of the project include:
- The identification of species in trouble, allowing for early action and prevention strategies.
- More effective and efficient use of conservation effort and limited resources.
- Greater direction to NRM Regional Bodies and government agencies in targeting investment and focussing conservation and recovery efforts.
- Species assessments and regional workshops identifying threatening processes that affect a range of species, encouraging multi-species and landscape management approaches, as well as opportunities for cross-regional projects.
- Increased awareness and interest in a broader range of threatened species e.g. insects, marine species, grasses.
- Clear priorities established for future research undertaken on species for conservation and management purposes.
Epping National Park (scientific)
© EPA
Examples of outputs from 'Back on Track species prioritisation framework' to date:
- Development of Biodiversity Action Plans. These Plans will guide investments supported by NRM bodies, EPA and partners to meet the goals and targets of the Regional NRM Plans over the next five years.
- A Recovery Actions Database (RAD) is being built. RAD will be a publicly accessible and interactive web-based information system that allows for the collection, management and dissemination of information on Queensland species at local, regional and state wide levels.
- $170,000 funding for 'Bringing Back the Beach Scrub' project. Burdekin Dry Tropics, Fitzroy Basin and Mackay Whitsunday NRM groups are delivering a multi-species and landscape approach to address threats to beach scrub in consultation with EPA Central Region staff.
- $150,000 funding for 'Enhancing Biodiversity Hotspots along Western Queensland Stock Routes'. This project will work across Southern Gulf, Desert Channels, South West and Queensland Murray-Darling NRM groups to identify and prioritise biodiversity values on stock routes and develop Biodiversity Best Management information resources for managers of stock routes.
- Directing research priorities. During technical workshops 'data deficient' species are identified for research. This list also identifies those species that require taxonomic review or reclassification. For example, a palm species identified as 'data deficient' by the 'Back on Track species prioritisation framework', is currently being studied at James Cook University.
Common greenshank © Tim Holmes
Other areas where 'Back on Track species prioritisation framework' is being applied:
- Legislative threatened species listing. Following amendments to the Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992 (NCA), the category 'Rare' will no longer be valid after June 2010. Consequently 843 'Rare' species have been prioritised for review using their ranking from 'Back on Track species prioritisation framework' technical workshops. Some of these species may be subsequently listed as 'Endangered', 'Vulnerable', 'Near Threatened' or 'Least Concern'.
- Scientific permit assessments. All species require a permit for scientific studies under the NCA to regulate the impacts on populations, but only the permit applications for species listed under the NCA are further scrutinised and permits restricted to protect sensitive populations. However, there are some species that are threatened even though they are not listed under the NCA. 'Back on Track species prioritisation framework' can identify these species, during technical workshops. 'Back on Track species prioritisation framework' has already been used to limit the collection of specimens and put conditions on permits on non-listed threatened species as part of assessing sustainability.
- Recovery plans are written for species listed as threatened under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC). These plans identify the key threats for a species (or group of species), and methods used to mitigate these threats. 'Back on Track species prioritisation framework' is being used to identify priority non-listed threatened species, so that they can be included in recovery plans for EPBC listed species that face the same threats.
Assessment of taxonomic groups
Land mullet © Tim Holmes
The aim of 'Back on Track species prioritisation framework' is to assess as many species as possible that are native to Queensland. To date over 2367 of Queensland's animal species and 1778 plant species have been assessed by species experts. Results of this work are being used to determine key threats to priority species and developing a landscape level or multi-species approach on where to focus investment, for example the `Back on Track' Biodiversity Action Plans.
Animal taxonomic groups that have been assessed during species assessment workshops include:
- Freshwater fish
- Mammals
- Birds (marine and terrestrial)
- Reptiles (freshwater, marine and terrestrial)
- Whales and dolphins (marine mammals)
- Sharks and rays
- Trapdoor/tarantula spiders
- 25 insects
- Anemone fish, hawkfish and angelfish
- Pipefish and seahorses
Due to time constraints, not all animals will be assessed immediately. However, particular groups of species face common threats (e.g. over-collection) and need to be prioritised for conservation management. The following taxonomic groups have been covered by preliminary assessments:
- Butterflies
- Frogs
With over 8000 native plant species known to occur in Queensland, the assessment of plant species poses a formidable challenge. The species assessment workshops for plants undertaken so far have been based on a variety of taxonomic, ecosystem and regional themes:
Whistling spider © Robert Raven
- Grasses
- Orchids
- Rainforest plants
- Plants of northern Queensland
- Palms and pandanus
- Sedges
- Cycads
- Eucalypts
- Plants of southeast Queensland
- Brigalow Belt plants
- Plants of coastal heaths (Wallum)
- Plants of the New England Tablelands
How is 'Back on Track species prioritisation framework' funded?
'Back on Track species prioritisation framework' is funded by the Queensland Environmental Protection Agency and the Australian Government through the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts.
Contact us
Paper daisy © Sara Williams
Contact the 'Back on Track species prioritisation framework' team to find out more about this initiative:
Threatened Species Strategy Unit
Sustainable Communities
Queensland Environmental Protection Agency
PO Box 15155
City East QLD 4002
Phone: (07) 3225 1295
Fax: (07) 3227 6386
Email: sara.williams@epa.qld.gov.au
Last updated: 01 September 2008
