Title

Leadbeater's Possum 200m buffer for confirmed colonies within Central Highlands RFA 

Alternate title

LBPAG_BUFF_CHRFA 

Purpose

To protect confirmed Leadbeaters Possum (Gymnobelideus leadbeateri) colonies (Action 1, LBPAG_SITES_CHRFA) by establishing a 200m radius protection buffer around each colony. These buffers will provide a basis to control timber harvesting (Action 1.1) and manage risks, such as from bushfires (Action 8.1) that threaten the possum. This includes excluding all forms of timber harvesting including thinning, and associated processes such as the creation of new roads within these areas without the approval of DELWP, or where existing roads exist, that works can be undertaken where they do not impact the vegetation beyond the existing road footprint and verge. This dataset defines the extent of the LBP 200m buffers across all land tenures and is based on the confirmed colonies depicted in the LBPAG_SITES_CHRFA dataset. Given one of the actions of the LBPAG is to identify and protect an additional 200 colonies within General Management Zone (GMZ) or Special Management Zone (SMZ) in state forest, this data will be subject to periodic updates. New colonies verified through the Victorian Biodiversity Atlas or through the Land Management Policy process for assessing threatened species from community groups will be published to LBPAG_SITES_CHRFA and new buffers generated. Once 200 new colonies that impact upon GMZ or SMZ within state forest are identified, or after two years of surveying, there will be a review of this LBPAG action. DELWP have commenced a review of the effectiveness of this action, based on the 200 new colonies being reached, in supporting the recovery of the Leadbeater's Possum while maintaining a sustainable timber industry. The review will provide important information into the Forest Industry Taskforce process. Beyond the 200, the Victorian Government will continue to provide protection for Leadbeater¿s Possum colonies through the creation of 200m buffers in state forest when new records are found and verified. Buffers located within state forest will trigger a zoning update, with the establishment of a Special Protection Zone within the Forest Management Zone (FMZ100) dataset. This dataset is applicable to the Central Highlands Regional Forest Agreement area. 

Supplemental Information

Related Documents: Leadbeater's Possum Advisory Group, Recommendations Report and Technical Report, January 2014. - null,Threatened Species Survey Standard: Leadbeater's Possum, April 2015.. - null 

Status

Completed  

Code

4283 

Maintenance and update frequency

As needed  

Topic category

• Biota
• Farming

Use limitation

Fire management (e.g. avoid impact through fire break creation; deemed an asset to protect from fire), road creation (avoid creating new roads through these areas or restricting upgrade or development to existing road footprint where applicable), timber harvesting management (timber exclusion zone within state forest). 

Classification

Unclassified  

Statement

Dataset Source: 200m radius protection buffers derived from LBPAG_SITES_CHRFA dataset. Dataset Originality: Derived 

Description

Collection Method: Derived 

Description

A. LBP COLONY BUFFERS (200m radius) All LBP recorded locations defined within LBPAG_SITES_CHRFA were buffered by 200 metres. Areas of overlap were dissolved to create a flat (non-overlapping) extent across all land tenures. Each unique area is attributed with a unique identifier and categorised into one of the following: 1. LBP colony - Existing (EX) - where part or all of the buffered area falls outside of an existing reserve (i.e. state forest) 2. LBP colony - Reserve (RS) - where the entire buffer resides within an existing reserve 3. LBP colony - Towards 200 (TT) - where part or all of the buffered area falls outside of an existing reserve (i.e. state forest) 4. LBP colony - Beyond 200 (BT) - where part or all of the buffered area falls outside of an existing reserve (i.e. state forest) B. ADDITIONAL LBP COLONIES All new verified LBP records added to LBPAG_SITES_CHRFA will be assessed as to whether or not a buffer is generated. This information will be specified in the LBPAG_SITES_CHRFA dataset under the LBP_USAGE attribute, as either of the following: - 200m radius timber harvest exclusion zone applied (LBPAG 2014, Rec. 1.1) - 200m radius buffer applied within existing reserve (LBPAG 2014, Rec. 8.1) - 200m radius timber harvest exclusion zone not applied (refers primarily to the targeted surveys undertaken by DELWP where two cameras are establish at each survey site in trees set approximately 100m apart. If a possum is detected on both cameras then one record is used to create a protection buffer, usually the one that protects better habitat or provides greater connectivity (refer to the LBP Survey Standard document for more information)) - Existing site (buffer already generated), that is, the records falls within an existing 200m buffer, therefore is deemed to be part of the same colony. Once there are 200 additional LBP locations, then the target has been met and this will trigger a review of this action. Beyond this point all additional colonies within state forest will be labelled 'Beyond 200 LBP colonies', pending the outcomes of the review process. 

Classification

Unclassified  

Attribute Quality

Comments

Attributes are complete and 100% accurate. Subject to updates. 

Positional Accuracy

Comments

Buffers based on LBP records extracted from the Victorian Biodiversity Atlas. Refer to LBPAG_SITES_CHRFA and the VBA for more information. 

Conceptual Consistency

Missing Data

Comments

Complete for Central Highlands Regional Forest Agreement area. Completeness Verification: Refer to LBPAG_SITES_CHRFA. 

Excess Data