Initial focus targeted species that were most affected following the devastating bushfires of 2019-2020 that burned across Australia, with future work expanding to all threatened species across the Australasia region. A total of 533 fauna species and 1385 flora species are listed as threatened under the Australia’s national environment legislation, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act 1999. Since the Act’s commencement in 2000, 756 entities of the listed 1,918 have been gazetted – an average of 36 listings per year. The number of species assessed to date represents a fraction of Australia’s accepted described species, and a smaller fraction still of the estimated overall number of species. 

The CSS Australasia driven by ZAA’s TSU is acting to address some of these assessment needs for these species.  Assessing the conservation status (i.e. Vulnerable, Endangered, Critically Endangered etc.) of species is critical, and the first step towards receiving protection and formal conservation support. CSS Australasia provides greater capacity to assess species for eligibility of conservation listing, and through laying the necessary foundation for prioritised conservation planning and action, a greater number of species in need will receive stronger protection under the EPBC Act; focused local, national and international attention; and, appropriate timely conservation action.

Based on the level of coordination and legislative requirements to facilitate the most appropriate actions, the CSS Australasia / ZAA TSU tailors project plans specific to the species they work with. For example, the project plan for the brush-tailed rock-wallaby is highlighted below, for which the team has achieved several steps in the long process towards species recovery. This included the hosting of a national brush-tailed rock-wallaby forum attended by over 100 species stakeholders, and a targeted workshop to facilitate the drafting of a 10-year plan for species recovery.

Following the assessment of a species, and conservation planning to identify priority recovery actions, the CSS Australasia / ZAA TSU works to support the species’ long term recovery. Primarily this involves formation, coordination, and administration of federally recognised national Recovery Teams. Recovery Teams provide a nation-wide approach to the conservation management of a threatened species, assisting with the implementation of recovery actions outlined in the strategic conservation document for a species, and monitoring and recording the progress towards achieving recovery objectives. 

Through these efforts, the trajectory of threatened species can be improved, with the ultimate goal to prevent extinctions and restore a species self-sustaining distribution and abundance as defined by recovery teams targets.