Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2019L00153:body:0:p31
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2019L00153
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 85073–88191

* significant areas of Littoral Rainforest in the Wet Tropics fall within the Wet Tropics WHA

      * some stands of Littoral Rainforest on the Fraser Island and Cooloola sand masses within two kilometres of the coast may be included in the listed ecological community and are within the Great Sandy WHA

      * numerous islands of the Great Barrier Reef support the ecological community adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef WHA; protection of the ecological community assists in the protection of the Great Barrier Reef WHA through reduction in sediment loads to the Great Barrier Reef

      * Littoral Rainforest provides habitat for several migratory bird species listed under the Japan-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (JAMBA), the China-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (CAMBA) and the Republic of Korea-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (ROKAMBA)

      * Littoral Rainforest occurs adjacent to wetlands protected under the Ramsar Convention, thus their conservation is consistent with this agreement, and

      * Littoral Rainforest provides habitat for a number of flora and fauna species listed as threatened under the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

   4     Habitat critical to the survival of Littoral Rainforest

Current knowledge indicates that significant areas of Littoral Rainforest that existed at the time of European settlement have been cleared or converted to other land uses. Remaining remnants of the ecological community are highly fragmented and isolated across the natural distribution range; many remnants are degraded and in lower condition states.
The Littoral Rainforest and Coastal Vine Thickets of Eastern Australia ecological community is rated nationally as Critically Endangered. Given the small area remaining, all sites that meet the criteria for the listed community should be considered habitat critical to the survival of the ecological community.
From an ecological perspective, derived native vegetation structures (or patches on the pathway of succession towards Littoral Rainforest) may also be habitat critical to survival of the ecological community, if they adjoin, buffer or connect high integrity remnants, provide habitat critical for functionally important or threatened species, expand the potential habitat available to some species, or have good potential for restoration.

   5     Recovery program

5.1      Overarching objective
The overarching objective of the Recovery Plan is to:

      * Provide for the management and research actions necessary to stop the decline, and support the recovery, of Littoral Rainforest so that its chances of long term survival are maximised.

5.2      Recovery strategies
The recovery strategies outlined below have been developed to achieve the overarching objective of the Recovery Plan. Strategies have been designed with the following outcomes in mind:

      * Protect – actions that prevent further decline in the conservation status of Littoral Rainforest, principally its size, condition and functional integrity.

      * Manage and restore– actions that improve the quality of patches or increase the