Key Threatening ProcessesKey Threatening Processes

Key Threatening Processes

Both the BC Act and the EPBC Act provide for the identification and listing of Key Threatening Processes (KTPs). A KTP is a process that threatens, or has the capability to threaten, the survival or evolutionary development of species, populations or endangered ecological communities. The listing of KTPs does not regulate or prevent actions directly.

Three KTPs currently listed under the BC Act are known to threaten the Wollemi Pine. These are:

 anthropogenic climate change

 infection of native plants by Phytophthora cinnamomi

 high frequency fire resulting in the disruption of life cycle processes in plants and animal and loss of vegetation structure and composition.

Three KTPs listed under the EPBC Act are known to threaten the Wollemi Pine. These are:

 loss of climatic habitat caused by anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases

 dieback caused by the root-rot water mould (Phytophthora cinnamomi)

 fire regimes that cause declines in biodiversity.

In addition to these listed KTPs, a Threat Abatement Plan (TAP) for P. cinnamomi is in place under the EPBC Act (DoEE 2018). The TAP for P. cinnamomi establishes a national framework to guide and coordinate Australia’s response to the pathogen. This recovery plan contributes to the objectives of the TAP for P. cinnamomi by:

 identifying the Wollemi Pine as a biodiversity asset affected by the pathogen and prioritising its protection

 reducing the spread and mitigating the impacts of the pathogen to protect the Wollemi Pine

 including the impact of the pathogen on the Wollemi Pine in public information to increase awareness of the pathogen.

The actions targeting P. cinnamomi in this recovery plan are consistent with those outlined in the TAP.