Australian Capital Territory
Nature Conservation (Criteria and Guidelines for Declaring Threatened Species and Communities) Determination 2008 (No 1)
Disallowable instrument DI2008–170
made under the
Nature Conservation Act 1980, s 35 (criteria for recommending declaration), s 36 (guidelines for dealing with applications for declarations)
EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

The Nature Conservation Act 1980 (the Act) provides for the protection of native flora, fauna and communities. Section 13 of the Act establishes the Flora and Fauna Committee with the responsibility of assessing the conservation status of ACT plant and animal species and ecological communities, and the ecological significance of processes that impact upon the natural environment. 

Section 35 of the Act places the Flora and Fauna Committee with the responsibility of determining criteria for assessing nominations for the declaration of threatened flora, fauna and communities. Section 36 of the Act provides for the development of guidelines to assist in the preparation of nominations against the criteria. The criteria and guidelines are set out in the publication entitled Threatened Species and Communities in the ACT  - Criteria For Assessment.

This instrument specifies the criteria and guidelines for the purposes of Subdivision 3.3.1 – Criteria and guidelines for declaration of the Act. The criteria identify basic ecological information that the Flora and Fauna Committee needs to assess in order to determine the conservation status of a species or community, or the ecological significance of a threatening process, in a consistent manner.

This instrument revokes the previous criteria detailed in the Nature Conservation (Criteria for Declaring Endangered Species) Determination 1995 DI 1995-99.