A national recovery plan provides guidance for the management of C. megacarpa and other endangered cycad species in northern Australia (Queensland Herbarium, 2007). Recovery action 4.6.1 of this plan recommends that individual plants under immediate threat should be translocated to suitable habitat in the vicinity of nearby larger populations. The EPBC Act Policy Statement on the Translocation of Listed Threatened Species – Assessment under Chapter 4 of the EPBC Act provides information relevant to considering a translocation proposal in connection with a referral under the EPBC Act . This Policy Statement recommends that a salvage translocation proposal should: • Consider the proportion of reproductively mature individuals proposed to be removed, the species’ reproductive cycle and rate, the security of new and existing populations and the potential impacts of the translocation, including impacts on the recipient site. • Effectively account for and manage the risks of the translocation not succeeding. • Provide a high degree of certainty that a particular translocation attempt will be successful in its effectiveness in contributing to the long-term conservation of the species, where success may be characterised by: the individuals involved are of measurable value to the long term conservation of the species the post-translocation outcome is of measurable value to the long-term conservation of the species this value is likely to be retained for 50 or 100 years without management input (i.e. the risk that this value will diminish without active management is very low), and • Accord with any plans for the conservation of the species and meets the requirements of State or Territory and national guidelines for translocation, and take account of the requirements of any applicable State or Territory legislation. The Policy Statement also suggests that a translocation proposal would not usually be made a condition of approval or form any part of a mitigation or compensation arrangement until it can be confirmed that the translocation is consistent with State and Territory law, and is generally supported by the relevant state or territory conservation agency. In this case there is no requirement under either the EPBC Act nor the NC Act but Heritage Minerals has committed to translocation in order to preserve the species at the location.
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Mundic Gully TSF Translocation Project - Cycas megacarpa
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