The NSW Minister for the Environment Robyn Parker has announced the new membership of the NSW Scientific Committee, the body charged with identifying threatened species and key threatening processes.

 

Associate Professor Michelle Leishman from Macquarie University, has been appointed as the new Chair, replacing Dr Richard Major, while Dr Mark Eldridge, from the Australian Museum, is a new appointment to the Committee.

 

The eleven-person Committee, established under the Threatened Species Conservation Act, has been appointed until 2014.

 

With one position yet to be filled, the team includes:

  • Associate Professor Michelle Leishman, Macquarie University (Chairperson)
  • Dr Andrea Wilson, Ecological Society of Australia
  • Dr Tony Auld, Office of Environment and Heritage
  • Dr Tina Bell, University of Sydney (Faculty of Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources)
  • Dr Linda Broadhurst, CSIRO
  • Dr Mark Eldridge, Australian Museum
  • Professor Geoffrey Gurr, Charles Sturt University,
  • Dr Melissa Giese, Office of Environment and Heritage
  • Associate Professor Charlie Morris, University of Western Sydney
  • Dr Peter Wilson, National Herbarium of NSW

 

The Committee's main functions include:

  • deciding which species should be listed as critically endangered, endangered, vulnerable or presumed extinct in NSW
  • deciding which populations should be listed as endangered in NSW
  • deciding which ecological communities should be listed as critically endangered, endangered or vulnerable
  • deciding which threats to native plants and animals should be declared key threatening processes under the Act
  • reviewing and updating the lists of threatened species, populations and communities and key threatening processes.

 

All members serve a maximum of two terms, or up to six years. The next committee meeting will be on March 1.