Land clearing impact on threatened flora habitat
You are viewing the archived 2015 report.
Key finding
Land use clearing for pasture is the greatest pressure on threatened flora pre-clear habitat affecting the eastern coastal bioregions at a higher rate, an increase of 58% from 2011-2012.
Queensland
Land use associated with clearing is monitored by the Statewide Landcover and Trees Study (SLATS) annual reporting program. The analysis of land clearing pressure for threatened flora pre-clear habitat refers to SLATS woody vegetation replacement landcover. Pre-clear habitat refers to the original extent of species habitat, prior to European settlement.
Across Queensland, clearing of threatened flora pre-clear habitat within woody vegetation has increased 58% from 2011-2012. Eastern bioregions, particularly Brigalow Belt and South East Queensland, recorded the highest clearing rates.
Clearing for pasture was the greatest pressure for threatened flora pre-clear habitat across Queensland. Forestry was the second highest pressure, particularly in the eastern bioregions, where there is a greater population.
Brigalow Belt
The Brigalow Belt bioregion recorded the highest clearing of threatened flora pre-clear habitat within woody vegetation across Queensland in 2014-2015, an increase of 45% from 2011-2012, although there has been slight decrease from the two previous reporting periods of 2012-2013 and 2013-2014.
Clearing land for pasture was the greatest pressure.
Cape York Peninsula
In 2014-2015, clearing of threatened flora pre-clear habitat within woody vegetation in the Cape York Peninsula bioregion recorded a 50% increase from 2011-2012, although this remained stable from the previous reporting period of 2013-2014.
Clearing land for pasture and mining were the greatest pressures.
Central Queensland Coast
In 2014-2015, the clearing of threatened flora pre-clear habitat within woody vegetation in the Central Queensland Coast bioregion increased by 40% since the previous reporting period of 2013-2014, and tripled from 2011-2012.
Forestry was the dominant clearing pressure, pasture was another pressure.
Channel Country
In 2014-2015, there was almost no reported woody vegetation loss in flora habitat in the Channel Country bioregion. This was also the same in 2011-2012, with the only reported loss in the 2013-2014 reporting period due to clearing for pasture.
Desert Uplands
In 2014-2015, clearing of threatened flora pre-clear habitat within woody vegetation in the Desert Uplands bioregion increased by 156% from the previous reporting period of 2013-2014. However this was a 7% decrease from 2011-2012.
Clearing land for pasture was the greatest pressure.
Einasleigh Uplands
In 2014-2015, clearing of threatened flora pre-clear habitat within woody vegetation in the Einasleigh Uplands bioregion increased by 29% since the previous reporting period of 2013-2014. This doubled from 2011-2012.
Clearing land for pasture was the greatest pressure, cropping was another pressure.
Gulf Plains
In 2014-2015, clearing of threatened flora pre-clear habitat within woody vegetation in the Gulf Plains bioregion increased by 72% from 2011-2012. However, there was a slight decrease from the previous reporting period of 2013-2014.
Clearing land for pasture was the greatest pressure.
Mitchell Grass Downs
In 2014-2015, clearing of threatened flora pre-clear habitat within woody vegetation in the Mitchell Grass Downs bioregion increased 430% since the previous reporting period of 2013-2014. This was a 154% increase from 2011-2012.
Clearing land for pasture was the greatest pressure.
Mulga Lands
In 2013-2014, the Mulga Lands bioregion experienced a slight decrease of clearing of threatened flora pre-clear habitat within woody vegetation from the previous reporting period of 2012-2013. In 2014-2015, there was a 4% increase, however this was double the 2011-2012 figure.
Clearing land for pasture was the greatest pressure.
New England Tableland
In 2014-2015, clearing of threatened flora pre-clear habitat within woody vegetation for the New England Tableland bioregion increased by 397% since the previous reporting period of 2013-2014. This was a 70% increase from 2011-2012.
Clearing land for pasture was the greatest pressure.
Northwest Highlands
There was no recorded clearing of flora habitat in the North West Highlands bioregion between the 2011-2012 and 2014-2015 reporting periods.
Southeast Queensland
In 2014-2015, clearing of threatened flora pre-clear habitat within woody vegetation in the South East Queensland bioregion increased by 70% since the previous reporting period of 2013-2014, and doubled from 2011-2012.
Clearing land for forestry and pasture were the greatest pressures.
Wet Tropics
In 2014-2015, clearing of threatened flora pre-clear habitat within woody vegetation in the Wet Tropics bioregion slightly decreased since the previous reporting period of 2013-2014. There was a similar decrease from 2011-2012.
Forestry continued to be the greatest clearing pressure.
More information:
Indicator: Land use resulting in clearing and its impact on threatened flora habitat
An analysis between native vegetation clearing types and habitat for threatened flora. Data is based on the latest Regional Ecosystems (Version 9, 2013) and Statewide Landcover and Trees Study (SLATS) 2014-2015. Data is current as at July-October 2015.