Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L00002:front:0:p49
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L00002
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 143342–146335

may decide to have a threat abatement plan for a listed key threatening process under the Act. As a Commonwealth agency for the purposes of the Act the Director is required not to take an action that would contravene one of these plans. At the time of preparing this plan there were only a small number of documented recovery plans relevant to Kakadu's threatened species. It is anticipated that additional recovery plans will be developed during the life of this plan.

  Figure 9 illustrates the line of sight for this section of the plan.

       Figure 9: Line of sight for Section 5.2: Looking after country

     Overarching principles for managing natural values
     When managing the natural values, the following overarching principles will apply:

          * Bininj/Mungguy will continue to be encouraged and supported to guide and participate in the development, implementation and review of natural heritage management programmes (Section 4: Joint management)
          * Bininj/Mungguy and Balanda knowledge of and priorities related to the management of native plants and animals and their habitats will be incorporated into management programmes (Section 4: Joint management)
          * A regional approach will be taken to managing natural values by liaising and collaborating with neighbours, government agencies and other stakeholders (Section 9.7: Neighbours, stakeholders and partnerships)
          * Management of natural values will be considered and planned at a landscape level, but not exclude finer scale approaches as needed, to optimise management outcomes.

Stone country – Kun-warddewardde

Outcome

    * The abundance of significant species is increased (where possible and appropriate) or maintained.

Performance indicator

    * Abundance of significant species

Background

   'The stone country is important, it's where all the rivers start, it's where all the water comes from, it's where everything comes from… it's all connected.'
Jeffrey Lee, Djok clan

The stone country of Kakadu makes up the western edge of the Arnhem Land Plateau, an extensive, rugged and ancient sandstone formation markedly distinct in geology and biodiversity from the surrounding lowlands. It comprises some of the oldest exposed rocks in the world and a spectacular escarpment occurs along its western edge and contributes to its grandeur. Some 140 million years ago, when much of Kakadu is believed to have been under a shallow sea, the plateau formed a flat land above the sea and the prominent escarpment wall formed sea cliffs along the shoreline.

Because of its age and its extraordinary topographic complexity, the stone country has long served as a refuge area for biodiversity. It has sheltered plant and animal species from changes in climate and sea level, and allowed for the persistence of many plant and animal species of extremely ancient lineages, such as the biogeographic relict northern brown pine Podocarpus grayae. The stone country has