Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L00045:body:0:p6
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L00045
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 14518–17589

in the area today including the Ngunnawal, Wiradjuri, Warundjeri, Ngarigo, Monaro Ngarigo, Wolgalu, and the Taungurung peoples. Wiradjuri, Wolgalu and Ngunnawal are known by their own totems but are acknowledged through the matrilineal bloodline of the Monaro Ngarigo peoples. Many other clans also have associations with the mountains (NSW DEC, 2006).

On the mainland, most of these traditional owner groups share representation on the Australian Alps Traditional Owners Reference Group, where Traditional Owners engage with other land managers in the Alps through the Australian Alpine Liaison Committee. Discussion in 2014 with members regarding the significance of the ecological community to their people suggested that the wetland and bogs areas in the Australian Alps were likely used historically for food gathering and cultural activities.

Traditional Owners were highly aware of the threats faced by the ecological community and the Alps more broadly, and were supportive of the implementation of actions to protect the Alpine Sphagnum Bogs and Associated Fens. It was acknowledged that significant sites known to the Traditional Owners were also at risk from many of the same threats: in particular, fires, grazing and trampling. Opportunities for Traditional Owners to contribute to management of the ecological community were strongly supported by the reference group.

1.4  Biodiversity impacts and benefits

The ecological community is known to provide significant habitat for a number of endemic and threatened flora and fauna species. The persistence of this ecological community is likely to be critical to the survival of a number of these species.

Sphagnum vegetation and the underlying peat organosols have a significant water-holding capacity, which is important in modulating water flow and maintaining the hydrology of surrounding environments (Ashton and Williams, 1989). The manner in which bog and fen communities gradually release water from the spring snow melt is critical to the survival of numerous other ecological communities (Good, 1992). Intact areas of Sphagnum act as a natural filter for nutrients, pathogens and sediments, thus, playing an important role in maintaining water quality throughout catchments (McDougall, 1989).

The ecological community occurs as part of a mosaic of alpine and subalpine communities with close hydrological and ecological connections. By necessity and cost effectiveness, the management of threats such as fire and exotic fauna are likely to be enacted at a landscape scale with benefits for the full range of catchment flora and fauna.

  2.           The ecological community
   2.1.          Description

The Alpine Sphagnum Bogs and Associated Fens ecological community occurs across alpine, sub-alpine and montane landscapes of Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory in permanently wet areas, such as along streams, drainage lines, valley edges and valley floors. The ecological community also occurs on slopes where soils are waterlogged (Slattery, 1998;