Managing and protecting critical endangered ecological communities

Our role
Our role
Restore nature and enhance value for landholders
Restore nature and enhance value for landholders
Critically endangered ecological communities
Critically endangered ecological communities
Native non-woody vegetation
Native non-woody vegetation
Land management MER framework
Land management MER framework
  • Terms of Reference (Strengthening the management and protection of widespread critically endangered ecological communities)

The Premier, at the request of the Minister for Agriculture has asked the Commission to advise on policy options to strengthen the management and protection of widespread critically endangered ecological communities (CEEC) under the Land Management (Native Vegetation) Code 2018.

The review will also consider mechanisms to support and incentivise landholders to protect, restore and improve the condition of CEEC.

The advice will help inform future decisions concerning how CEEC can be better managed and protected. This may include using native vegetation management options under the Land Management Framework and landholder incentives.

We will deliver our final report to the Premier, Minister for Agriculture and Minister for the Environment by June 2025.

What is a critically endangered ecological community?

An ecological community:

  • is a naturally occurring group of native plants, animals and other organisms living in a unique habitat.
  • can be at risk of extinction. This can occur because of a significant reduction in its distribution across regions or a decline in ecological function.
  • may be listed as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered under the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 depending on the level of threat and risk of its collapse.

The NSW Biodiversity Conservation Regulations 2017 defines a listed CEEC on the basis that it is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in Australia in the immediate future.