Book Chapter
Observations on the potential loss of threatened species in urbanising Western Sydney: death by a thousand cuts
By
Shelley Burgin
;
Shelley Burgin
College of Health and Science, University of Western Sydney, Locked Bag 1797, South Penrith Distribution Centre, NSW, Australia 1797
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Danny Wotherspoon
Danny Wotherspoon
College of Health and Science, University of Western Sydney, Locked Bag 1797, South Penrith Distribution Centre, NSW Australia 1797
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Published:2010
Citation
Danny Wotherspoon, Shelley Burgin, Shelley Burgin, Danny Wotherspoon, 2010. "Observations on the potential loss of threatened species in urbanising Western Sydney: death by a thousand cuts", The Natural History of Sydney, Daniel Lunney, Pat Hutchings, Dieter Hochuli
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Despite international concern for biodiversity loss, as urban pressure increases on the Cumberland Plain of Western Sydney, the native vegetation continues to be lost despite being classified as an ‘endangered ecological community’ under both state and federal legislation. While substantial sized remnants may evoke public attention, small developments are often approved without adequate attention to the long term impact on even the threatened species of the Plain. In this paper we provide examples of the way in which remnants that may be only a single housing lot in size, can be habitat for protected species. The on-going loss of these, often tiny reservoirs, is undoubtedly resulting in the loss of native biodiversity by ‘1000 cuts’.
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