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 in which the Biodiversity Conservation Strategy, as part of the Melbourne Strategic Assessment, applies. The Program, as defined in the Program Report, 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 This Strategy does not apply to the Regional Rail Link corridor between west of Werribee and Deer Park, nor does it apply to any of the 28 precincts for which a planning scheme amendment to introduce a Precinct Structure Plan has been approved prior to 1 March 2012.

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 Connected Corridors for Biodiversity project (CCB), funded by the Australian Government through the Sydney Coastal Council Group’s (SCCG) Salty Communities program, has been implemented by the Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (SSROC) in collaboration with Greater Sydney Local Land Services (GS LLS). The project encompasses the 23 pre-amalgamation Council areas. One of the aims of the project was to to produce a habitat corridor map, based largely on existing habitat mapping, for use by these Councils as a tool to facilitate increased habitat connectivity across the project area, and to thereby increase resilience of biodiversity to climate change and other threats.

The Biodiversity Investment Opportunities Map (BIO Map) is a key deliverable of the NSW Government’s $40 million Green Corridors program, a Government priority action identified in NSW 2021: A Plan to make NSW number one. The map was prepared with funding provided by the NSW Environmental Trust. BIO Map has been prepared for the Cumberland subregion, a 275,693-hectare area containing the Cumberland Plain, a broad shale basin in Western Sydney. The areas identified for investment are termed priority investment areas, and include core areas and biodiversity corridors of regional significance (this layer). Mapping criteria were used to identify and map priority investment areas, and targeted stakeholder consultation was conducted to inform the outputs of the project. Stakeholders consulted included the Commonwealth Department of the Environment, six state government authorities, 16 local councils and eight non-government organisations. The final Cumberland subregion BIO Map identifies a network of 87 core areas and 27 regional biodiversity corridors within the Cumberland subregion. The 87 core areas include all of the Priority Conservation Lands identified by the Cumberland Plain Recovery Plan. The total area represented within the mapped priority investment areas is 42,124 hectares. Mapped regional corridors make up 17,727 hectares (excluding areas mapped as both regional corridors and core areas). The BIO Map project aims to achieve better biodiversity outcomes by directing biodiversity investment funding to the strategic locations of greatest benefit. A landholder’s right to carry out agricultural and developmental activities on their land are not altered by their property being identified as a priority investment area on the BIO Map. The BIO Map identifies areas where landowners have more opportunities to receive funding to protect their bushland. Any involvement by a landowner in such programs is entirely voluntary.

This dataset is a definitive view of native vegetation extent and condition across Melbourne’s VC68 urban growth areas and incomplete Precinct planning areas within the Melbourne Urban Growth Boundary, time-stamped as at 13 December 2012. The area covered by the timestamping dataset aligns with the extent of the Biodiversity Conservation Strategy (BCS) for Melbourne’s Growth Corridors (DSE 2012). This dataset wholly replaces the previously released NV2011_TS_GA and includes the following changes: -inclusion of Number of Large and Very Large Trees in Surveyed remnant Patches -Remnant Patches have new Unique IDs to remedy issues in previous dataset The dataset only provides a view of native vegetation within the extent outlined above. Where a parcel is partially within the extent, the view of native vegetation only applies to areas applicable within the BCS.