The dataset provides conservation areas, within the Melbourne West, Sunbury (Melbourne North-west), Melbourne North and Melbourne South-east growth areas between the 2005 and 2010 Urban Growth Boundary. The dataset is the basis of "biodiversity areas" identified in the Melbourne Growth Corridor Plans (May 2012) and the Biodiversity Conservation Strategy for the Melbourne Growth Corridors to be released in 2013, and prepared as a requirement of the Melbourne Strategic Assessment under the Commonwealth EPBC Act.

This dataset provides the spatial extent of the Melbourne Strategic Assessment. The State Government's program, as define in the 'Delivering Melbourne's Newest Sustainable Communities - Program Report' (DPCD, 2009), means the Urban Growth Boundary Review for Melbourne for the development of land, including associated transport infrastructure, within the following areas: investigation areas for the expansion of the 2005 Urban Growth Boundary areas inside the 2005 Urban Growth Boundary for which a planning scheme amendment to introduce a Precinct Structure Plan had not commenced as at 26 May 2009 (the existing 28 precincts) areas in the outer Metropolitan Ring Transport Corridor/E6 Road Reservation and the Regional Rail Link corridor between west of Werribee and Deer Park In accordance with the definition of the Program, this includes Melbourne's four growth areas within the expanded 2010 Urban Growth Boundary given effect by Planning Scheme Amendment VC68. These growth areas and the 28 precincts comprise: Melbourne's western growth area - Melton and Wyndham Melbourne's north-western growth area - Sunbury Melbourne's northern growth area - Hume, Whittlesea and Mitchell Melbourne's south-eastern growth area - Casey and Cardinia.

This dataset categorises the 2020 native vegetation extent mapping by administrative categories relevant to local biodiversity conservation planning. It identifies ‘Local Natural Areas’, various categories of Parks and Wildlife Service managed lands, Regional Parks and Bush Forever. ‘Local Natural Areas’ are the focus of Local Biodiversity Strategies prepared in accordance of the Local Government Biodiversity Planning Guidelines (del Marco et al 2004).

Spatial data layer showing the precinct extents for Precinct Structure Plans within the Melbourne Strategic Assessment Program Area.

The Biodiversity Conservation Strategy for Melbourne's Growth Corridors (BCS) prepared as part of the Melbourne Strategic Assessment specifies that salvage and/or translocation of plants and animals may be required before the removal of native vegetation or habitat for urban development in Melbourne's growth corridors. This dataset identifies land parcels under the Biodiversity Conservation Strategy that may be subject to the salvage and translocation process, as defined by the Salvage and Translocation Protocol for Melbourne's Growth Corridors (DEPI, 2013). Salvage may be required for the following target species and communities listed under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) and Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 (FFG Act): - Spiny Rice-flower, Matted Flax-lily and other grassland plants - Striped Legless Lizard - Seasonal Herbaceous Wetlands (Freshwater) of the Temperate Lowland Plains. Land parcels which contain a set of conditions for each of the above species/communities will trigger a salvage and translocation procedure to be enacted in accordance with the Protocol.

This spatial dataset identifies the land where development implications exist due to the presence of terrestrial biodiversity as designated by the relevant NSW environmental planning instrument. The data identifies areas of biodiversity in NSW. Contact data.broker@environment.nsw.gov.au for a data package (shapefile)

The Biodiversity Conservation Strategy for Melbourne's Growth Corridors (DEPI 2013a) identified measures for protecting, enhancing and connecting important populations of Growling Grass Frogs within conservation areas and mitigating the losses of habitat that will occur as a result of urban development in Melbourne's growth corridors approved under the strategic assessment. The purpose of the Growling Grass Frog Masterplan for Melbourne's Growth Corridors (Masterplan) is to provide guidance on implementing protection measures and investing in habitat creation and enhancement within Growling Grass Frog conservation areas. This dataset represents areas within the Growling Grass Frog conservation corridors for which particular protection measures are to be implemented.

The Biodiversity Conservation Lands dataset has been compiled for the Mid North Coast and interpreted as presenting planning constraints at three scales: State: Areas identified as of state significance in recognition of a related state or federal conservation policy or program Regional : Areas identified as of regional significance generally in recognition of a related state policy or program or as providing buffers to state significant lands Local : Areas recognised through local conservation zoning and including all remnant vegetation Principles for deriving conservation constraints: A twenty five-year planning horizon was adopted for identifying Biodiversity Conservation Lands and opportunities State, regional and local significance classes for conservation constraints were adopted and spatially delineated Biodiversity features are presented as constraints with limited or no transferability. Irreplaceability of significant features is generally low and in situ conservation is generally required. The level of irreplaceability for each feature is noted in the metadata proforma Biodiversity Conservation Lands will generally be identified across the landscape regardless of current tenure or zoning. Whilst back-zoning of existing development zones is not envisaged, protection of high conservation value features occurring in existing development zones will be encouraged The Biodiversity Conservation Lands is complete for all Local Government Areas along the coast from Tweed Heads to Gosford. This metadata statement deals with that portion of the data covering the Local Government Areas of Clarence Valley, Coffs Harbour, Bellingen, Nambucca, Kempsey, Hastings, Greater Taree and Great Lakes There are four BioConLands datasets for the Mid North Coast Regional Strategy area - a simplified one containing only State, Regional and Local categories in the attribute table and three larger, more complex versions with "detailed" information on the components that went into the datasets for the State, Regional and Local categories Note: Certain boundaries within these datasets, eg. NPWS and State Forest Estate, are only current to 2007