Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2023L00199:reg:6:p2
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2023L00199
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 6 (pt 2/6)
Character Range: 55223–58387

such as Red-kneed Dotterel (Erythrogonys cinctus), Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus) and Red-necked Avocet (Recurvirostra novaehollandiae) have been found nesting near Australian Painted Snipe and may also benefit from the protection and restoration of freshwater ephemeral wetlands (Rogers et al. 2005). In total, Rogers et al. (2005) listed twenty-one species of threatened birds at Hird Swamp that could also benefit from a 'Painted Snipe Management Regime'.

   In the rice fields of southern New South Wales, Australian Painted Snipe occur alongside the Endangered Australasian Bittern (Botaurus poiciloptilus), and present challenges for targeted conservation management because of their conflicting habitat requirements (Herring and Silcocks 2014).

   Wetlands surrounding Broad Sound, Central Queensland, where three breeding records of Australian Painted Snipe were obtained in the 2000s (e.g. Jaensch et al. 2004; Black et al. 2010), form the core refuge and main breeding area for the Critically Endangered Capricorn Yellow Chat. Management of wetlands on these grazed coastal plains to favour Australian Painted Snipe is broadly likely to also deliver favourable habitat for the chat—as well as all the migratory shorebirds listed above.

   The wide distribution and unpredictable nature of temporary freshwater wetlands makes it difficult to identify population trends of species within them. As a result, it is possible that there are other species in these habitats that are threatened, but not yet recognised as such. The Australian Painted Snipe, an unusually attractive and enigmatic resident waterbird, may be of value as a flagship species to highlight the importance of conserving these wetlands – over a very wide area of the Australian continent.

               Chapter 8

               Social and economic considerations

             Wetlands are a vital element of national and global ecosystems and economies. At the most fundamental level, wetlands are a key part of the water cycle, playing critical roles in maintaining the general health of Australia's rivers, estuaries and coastal waters. Wetlands protect our shoreline from wave action, mitigate the impacts of floods, absorb pollutants and provide habitats for animals and plants, including a number of species that are threatened. Wetlands are also critical to maintaining and improving our quality of life. They provide tangible benefits to the Australian economy, such as employment opportunities. Wetlands purify our water and are a focal point for recreational activities.
             They provide nurseries for fish and other freshwater and marine life and, as such, are of critical importance to Australia's commercial and recreational fishing industries. In some areas, wetlands support grazing, forestry and cropping activities.

             Controls on further development of wetland habitats may impact on some landowners, land managers, industry groups and developers. Provision of environmental flows to selected wetlands to promote breeding by the Australian Painted Snipe may have some costs to other potential water users. However, the ecological