Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L00346:reg:1:p1
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L00346
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 1 (pt 1/2)
Character Range: 9955–13091

1               Summary

1.1                 Conservation status
Pimelea spinescens subsp. spinescens (Spiny Rice-flower) is listed as Critically Endangered under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) effective from 1 May 2003 (TSSC 2003).
Spiny Rice-flower is listed as Critically Endangered under the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 (FFG Act) (DELWP 2021).

1.2                 Species information
Spiny Rice-flower is a sub-shrub endemic to grasslands and grassy woodlands in western and northern Victoria. In 2022, it is known from more than 325 wild populations containing a total of 70,000 to 90,000 mature individuals. Most populations are restricted to small, isolated grassland habitat on roadsides and railway lines in highly fragmented landscapes (DELWP 2021). The term 'viable' is defined within the recovery plan to describe dioecious populations consisting of a minimum of 20 individuals with half of each sex.

1.3                 Threats
Principal threats to Spiny Rice-flower include the loss and fragmentation of habitats through clearing for urban and agricultural development, as well as habitat degradation induced by competition from both native and exotic plants. Fire regimes that cause declines in biodiversity, and prolonged drought have also contributed to the species decline (TSSC 2003; DELWP 2021). Overgrazing by livestock, in some sites, is deemed as a large threat to the subspecies (TSSC 2003).

1.4                 Recovery Plan objectives, performance criteria, and actions

Objective
The long-term vision for Spiny Rice-flower recovery is to ensure Spiny Rice-flower can survive, flourish and retain its potential for evolutionary development in the wild through the continuation of threat abatement that maintains and/or enhances viable in situ populations.
This Recovery Plan sets out actions that will ensure significant progress towards achieving this vision.
The objectives over the 10-year life of this Recovery Plan (by 2032) are to:
    * Maintain or increase positive trend in the area of occupancy.
    * Maintain or increase the number of viable populations (compared to 2021/22 baseline counts).
    * Identify, manage and protect all populations of the Spiny Rice-flower from key threats to ensure its persistence.
    * Maintain and enhance community and institutional support.

Performance criteria
This Recovery Plan will be deemed successful if, by 2033, all the following criteria have been achieved:
    1. The number of known viable 2021/22 populations (both wild and translocated) has been maintained or increased from 2021/22 baseline counts.
    2. The number of individuals in each population has been maintained or increased from 2021/22 baseline counts.
    3. All known population records are surveyed and accurately and mapped in 2028 and every 5 years thereafter.
    4. All known populations are identified, protected and managed to support recovery.
    5. The area of occupancy of Spiny Rice-flower has increased through the establishment and protection of new viable populations.
    6. The number of