Environment Information Australia has released a new geospatial dataset.
The dataset shows areas of habitat that are important for threatened and migratory species protected under the EPBC Act.
Existing national datasets show:
- where threatened species are predicted to occur
- how many different threatened species are likely to be in an area.
The new dataset goes a step further. It highlights areas across Australia that are important for species with small, restricted ranges.
While all habitat matters, some areas are more important to threatened species than others.
This is especially true for:
- threatened species with small or restricted ranges
- migratory species that rely on small areas of habitat for key parts of their life cycle, such as breeding, feeding or shelter.
This includes species such as the critically endangered mountain pygmy possum (Burramys parvus). This animal lives only in the alpine and subalpine regions of south-eastern Australia.
Damage to these species' habitats can have a greater impact on their survival compared to species whose habitat spans larger areas across Australia.
The new dataset will help planners and developers:
- identify biodiversity risks early in the planning process
- inform decisions about where development can occur
- minimise impacts on nationally threatened species.
This will help balance Australia's infrastructure needs and:
- minimise environmental impacts
- protect the nation's most threatened species.
