Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L00270:body:0:p63
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L00270
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 173426–176628

notably those currently supporting Leadbeater's possum colonies, at Yellingbo and sites with suitable hydrology elsewhere in the Yarra Valley (for example, Haining Farm). The long-term target is to provide at least 220 ha of suitable foraging habitat for lowland Leadbeater's possum, and hence to reverse the current decline of the subpopulation in lowland swamp forest.

Performance criteria
1)        Enhanced spatial distribution models, and a dynamic spatially explicit population viability model, are developed and form a robust basis for current and future conservation planning.
2)        Areas that can provide suitable habitat now, and over the next 50 years, are modelled and mapped including identification of climate refugia.
3)        Sufficient additional areas of current and future suitable habitat are incorporated in an expanded dedicated and informal reserve system to ensure that the system maximises the likelihood of persistence of Leadbeater's possum, over at least a 100-year period.
4)        Options for fire management are better evaluated for impacts on Leadbeater's possum. Fire management policy, planning and actions are implemented in a manner that minimises risks to the viability of Leadbeater's possum and reduces the likelihood of extensive and severe bushfires.
5)        A suite of priority actions to enhance recovery of Leadbeater's possum after extensive bushfire is developed, and implemented should such fires occur.
6)        The effectiveness of nest boxes, artificially excavated hollows and manipulation of midstorey is understood and these management actions are implemented where appropriate.
7)        All live and dead trees that are either large (over 1.5 m DBH) or hollow-bearing (over 80 cm DBH) are protected as much as possible, including during forest management activities such as removal of hazardous trees.
8)        Active habitat management and restoration at Yellingbo and designated sites throughout the Yarra Valley to provide increased habitat extent and suitability for the lowland swamp forest subpopulation.
Table 2: Objective 2 deliverables
Timing                Outcome
By end of 1st year        * Improved distributional models are developed that combine distribution and habitat models developed by Victorian government and other researchers, and incorporate substantial new data from recent surveys and mapping of additional habitat features (Action 2.1).
                          * The risks, consequences and effectiveness for Leadbeater's possum viability of fire management options are evaluated (Action 2.4).
                          * A management regime is in place to ensure that all large, live and dead trees, and hollow-bearing trees, are progressively identified and effectively protected (Action 2.7).
By end of 2nd year        * Dynamic population viability modelling is refined such that likelihood of extinction can be calculated robustly across a range of reservation and management options, and across a range of plausible future disturbance episodes. This modelling is then linked to distributional modelling to identify reservation and management scenarios that provide an acceptably low risk of extinction