Land clearing impact on threatened fauna habitat
You are viewing an archived copy of the 2017 report.
Key finding
Land use clearing for pasture is the greatest pressure on threatened fauna pre-clear habitat, increasing by 29% from the 2014-2015 reporting period and 376% from 2009-2010, when clearing rates were at their lowest since annual reporting began in 1999-2010.
Queensland
Land use associated with clearing is monitored by the Statewide Landcover and Trees Study (SLATS) annual reporting program. The analysis of land clearing pressure for threatened fauna pre-clear habitat refers to SLATS woody vegetation replacement landcover. Pre-clear habitat refers to the modelled extent of species habitat, prior to European settlement.
Across Queensland, clearing of threatened fauna pre-clear habitat within woody vegetation increased 29% from the 2014-2015 reporting period and 376% from 2009-2010, when clearing rates were at their lowest since annual reporting began in 1999-2010.
Clearing for pasture was the greatest pressure for threatened fauna pre-clear habitat across Queensland. Thinning and forestry were the second and third highest pressures respectively.
Some threatened fauna species may be unable to utilise woody regrowth vegetation as habitat. Threatening processes such as habitat degradation, loss of habitat connectivity, disease, predation, invasive species, grazing and inappropriate fire management place significant additional pressure on threatened fauna in both remnant and non-remnant habitat.
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Brigalow Belt
In 2015-2016, the Brigalow Belt bioregion recorded the highest clearing of threatened fauna pre-clear habitat within woody vegetation across Queensland, an increase of 35% from the 2014-2015 reporting period and a 5-fold increase from the lowest clearing rate which was recorded in 2009-2010.
Clearing land for pasture was the greatest pressure.
Some threatened fauna species may be unable to utilise woody regrowth vegetation as habitat. Threatening processes such as habitat degradation, loss of habitat connectivity, disease, predation, invasive species, grazing and inappropriate fire management place significant additional pressure on threatened fauna in both remnant and non-remnant habitat.
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Cape York Peninsula
In 2015-2016, clearing of threatened fauna pre-clear habitat within woody vegetation in the Cape York Peninsula bioregion decreased by 20% from the 2014-2015 reporting period. Clearing in 2015-2016 period was 261% of the lowest rate of clearing which was recorded in 2010-2011.
Clearing land for mining was the greatest pressure. Clearing for pasture and infrastructure were other pressures.
Some threatened fauna species may be unable to utilise woody regrowth vegetation as habitat. Threatening processes such as habitat degradation, loss of habitat connectivity, disease, predation, invasive species, grazing and inappropriate fire management place significant additional pressure on threatened fauna in both remnant and non-remnant habitat.
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Central Queensland Coast
In 2015-2016, clearing of threatened fauna pre-clear habitat within woody vegetation in the Central Queensland Coast bioregion increased by 42% since the previous reporting period of 2014-2015, and by 609% from the 2009-2010 period when clearing rates were at their lowest.
Pasture and forestry were the dominant clearing pressures.
Some threatened fauna species may be unable to utilise woody regrowth vegetation as habitat. Threatening processes such as habitat degradation, loss of habitat connectivity, disease, predation, invasive species, grazing and inappropriate fire management place significant additional pressure on threatened fauna in both remnant and non-remnant habitat.
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Channel Country
In 2015-2016, clearing of threatened fauna pre-clear habitat within woody vegetation in the Channel Country bioregion decreased by 2662% from the 2014-2015, the second lowest clearing rate since 2008-2009.Compared to other bioregions, the clear rate remains relatively low.
Clearing land for pasture was the main pressure followed by minor clearing for infrastructure.
Some threatened fauna species may be unable to utilise woody regrowth vegetation as habitat. Threatening processes such as habitat degradation, loss of habitat connectivity, disease, predation, invasive species, grazing and inappropriate fire management place significant additional pressure on threatened fauna in both remnant and non-remnant habitat.
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Desert Uplands
In 2015-2016, clearing of threatened fauna pre-clear habitat within woody vegetation in the Desert Uplands bioregion increased by 15% from the 2014-2015 reporting period. The 2015-2016 clearing rate was 1708% that of the lowest clearing rate which was experienced in 2009-2010.
Clearing land for pasture was the greatest pressure.
Some threatened fauna species may be unable to utilise woody regrowth vegetation as habitat. Threatening processes such as habitat degradation, loss of habitat connectivity, disease, predation, invasive species, grazing and inappropriate fire management place significant additional pressure on threatened fauna in both remnant and non-remnant habitat.
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Einasleigh Uplands
In 2015-2016, clearing of threatened fauna pre-clear habitat within woody vegetation in the Einasleigh Uplands bioregion increased by 46% since the previous reporting period of 2014-2015. This was a 271% increase from the lowest clearing rate which was experienced in 2011-2012.
Clearing land for pasture was the greatest pressure, thinning was another pressure.
Some threatened fauna species may be unable to utilise woody regrowth vegetation as habitat. Threatening processes such as habitat degradation, loss of habitat connectivity, disease, predation, invasive species, grazing and inappropriate fire management place significant additional pressure on threatened fauna in both remnant and non-remnant habitat.
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Gulf Plains
In 2015-2016, clearing of threatened fauna pre-clear habitat within woody vegetation in the Gulf Plains bioregion increased by 91% from the previous reporting period of 2014-2015. This was a 3765% increase from the lowest clearing rate experienced in 2010-2011.
Clearing land for pasture was the greatest pressure.
Some threatened fauna species may be unable to utilise woody regrowth vegetation as habitat. Threatening processes such as habitat degradation, loss of habitat connectivity, disease, predation, invasive species, grazing and inappropriate fire management place significant additional pressure on threatened fauna in both remnant and non-remnant habitat.
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Mitchell Grass Downs
In 2015-2016, clearing of threatened fauna pre-clear habitat within woody vegetation in the Mitchell Grass Downs bioregion halved from that of 2014-2015 but was 192% of the lowest clearing rate experienced in 2010-2011.
Clearing land for pasture was the greatest pressure.
Some threatened fauna species may be unable to utilise woody regrowth vegetation as habitat. Threatening processes such as habitat degradation, loss of habitat connectivity, disease, predation, invasive species, grazing and inappropriate fire management place significant additional pressure on threatened fauna in both remnant and non-remnant habitat.
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Mulga Lands
The Mulga Lands bioregion recorded the second highest clearing of threatened fauna pre-clear habitat within woody vegetation across Queensland in 2015-2016. There was a 7% increase in clearing from the reporting period of 2014-2015, which is a 5-fold increase from the lowest clearing rate recorded in 2009-2010.
Clearing land for pasture was the greatest pressure.
Some threatened fauna species may be unable to utilise woody regrowth vegetation as habitat. Threatening processes such as habitat degradation, loss of habitat connectivity, disease, predation, invasive species, grazing and inappropriate fire management place significant additional pressure on threatened fauna in both remnant and non-remnant habitat.
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New England Tableland
In 2015-2016, clearing of threatened fauna pre-clear habitat within woody vegetation in the New England Tableland bioregion decreased by 125% from the previous reporting period, 2014-2015. The 2015-2016 clearing rate was double that of the lowest clearing rate experienced in 2010-2011.
Clearing land for pasture was the greatest pressure.
Some threatened fauna species may be unable to utilise woody regrowth vegetation as habitat. Threatening processes such as habitat degradation, loss of habitat connectivity, disease, predation, invasive species, grazing and inappropriate fire management place significant additional pressure on threatened fauna in both remnant and non-remnant habitat.
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Northwest Highlands
In 2015-2016, clearing of threatened fauna pre-clear habitat within woody vegetation in the North West Highlands bioregion increased by 27% since the previous reporting period of 2014-2015 and by 67% from 2000-2001 reporting period in which no clearing occurred in the Northwest Highlands. Compared to other bioregions, the clearing was relatively low.
Clearing land for pasture was the greatest pressure.
Some threatened fauna species may be unable to utilise woody regrowth vegetation as habitat. Threatening processes such as habitat degradation, loss of habitat connectivity, disease, predation, invasive species, grazing and inappropriate fire management place significant additional pressure on threatened fauna in both remnant and non-remnant habitat.
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Southeast Queensland
In 2015-2016, clearing of threatened fauna pre-clear habitat within woody vegetation in the South East Queensland bioregion decreased by 19% from the previous reporting period of 2014-2015, but had increased 149% from the period of lowest clearing in 2008-2009.
Clearing land for forestry and pasture were the greatest pressures.
Some threatened fauna species may be unable to utilise woody regrowth vegetation as habitat. Threatening processes such as habitat degradation, loss of habitat connectivity, disease, predation, invasive species, grazing and inappropriate fire management place significant additional pressure on threatened fauna in both remnant and non-remnant habitat.
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Wet Tropics
In 2015-2016, clearing of threatened fauna pre-clear habitat within woody vegetation in the Wet Tropics bioregion increased by 30% from the 2014-2015 reporting period. The 2015-2016 clearing rate was 3 times that of the lowest clearing rate experienced in 2009-2010.
Land clearing for forestry and pasture continued to be the greatest clearing pressures.
Some threatened fauna species may be unable to utilise woody regrowth vegetation as habitat. Threatening processes such as habitat degradation, loss of habitat connectivity, disease, predation, invasive species, grazing and inappropriate fire management place significant additional pressure on threatened fauna in both remnant and non-remnant habitat.
More information:
Indicator: Land use resulting in clearing and its impact on threatened fauna habitat
An analysis between native vegetation clearing types and habitat for threatened fauna. Data is based on the latest Regional Ecosystems (version 10, 2016) and Statewide Landcover and Trees Study (SLATS) 2015-2016.