Degradation of native riparian vegetation

Key threatening process

Degradation of native riparian vegetation along New South Wales water courses.

Description

Riparian vegetation is vegetation on land that adjoins, directly influences or is influenced by, a body of water. Riparian vegetation is found alongside creeks and rivers, areas around lakes, wetlands and on river floodplains. It is part of a healthy functioning ecosystem and has numerous ecological benefits. Riparian vegetation is degraded by the complete removal or modification of native plants by processes such as clearing, gravel extraction, cropping, livestock grazing, trampling and introduction of, or invasion by, non-native species. Riparian vegetation degradation along NSW watercourses has been listed as a KTP because of its negative impacts onthreatened species, populations and ecological communities listed under the Fisheries Management Act 1994.

Fisheries Scientific Committee determination

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