Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 (Vic)

 This key piece of legislation provides for state-wide programs preventing further loss of habitat, maintenance of extant habitats and species.  It is an important law designed to maintain natural ecological processes.

 Victoria’s threatened species and communities have been identified, along with the processes that threaten their survival.  The legislation recommends action to be taken for protection, as well as identifying critical habitat.

 Action statements are prepared by staff from the Department of Sustainability and Environment after careful and thorough research and investigation.  These detailed documents describe the recommended conservation management practices for specific threatened species.  These documents are a valuable resource for land managers, government agencies and conservation groups and can be accessed at DSE offices and on the DSE website.

Objectives:  The flora and fauna conservation and management objectives, as outlined under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988, are: (a) to guarantee that all taxa of Victoria's flora and fauna ….. can survive, flourish and retain their potential for evolutionary development in the wild (b) to conserve Victoria's communities of flora and fauna (c) to manage potentially threatening processes (d) to ensure that any use of flora or fauna by humans is sustainable (e) to ensure that the genetic diversity of flora and fauna is maintained

 (f) to provide programs: (i) of community education in the conservation of flora and fauna (ii) to encourage co-operative management of flora and fauna through, amongst other things, the entering into of land management co-operative agreements under the Conservation, Forests and Lands Act 1987 (iii) of assisting and giving incentives to people, including landholders, to enable flora and fauna to be conserved  (g) to encourage the conserving of flora and fauna through co-operative community endeavours.

Task 1  Investigate how aspects of the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act (1998) apply to the Bogong High Plains.  Use resources such as the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act, Internet and your own knowledge from visiting the region to research 3 animals and/or plants that are extinct or endangered within this region.  For each species record whether it is extinct or endangered. If endangered, record whether this is at a global, national or local level. Suggest reasons for its extinction or decline in numbers.

Task 2- Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act Answer the following:  What is it?  How does it work?  Is it effective?  Your opinion of the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act and its effectiveness on sustaining outdoor environments.