Invasive Species Presence

AUS-TDG-CON-ISP General High confidence

Benchmark Value

50 %

Direction: Lower is desirable ↓

Form: MaximumOnly

Evidence & Context

"In essence, for a stand to qualify as the listed community, it must be at least 0.5ha in size and have at least 50 per cent of its perennial ground layer made up of native species"

Metric Definition:

Percent cover of exotic perennial species in the ground layer.

Benchmark Definition:

Direct federal statutory condition threshold for protecting Grassy Eucalypt Woodland in the Victorian Volcanic Plain.

Justification:

The cited source explicitly identifies the value as a binding statutory threshold for conservation target woodlands in the temperate dry woodland biome of Australia.

Sources (1)

Preview of Natural Temperate Grassland Endangered ... - ACT Government

Natural Temperate Grassland Endangered ... - ACT Government Journal

Grassy Eucalypt Woodland of the Victorian Volcanic Plain Conservation Advice

View Source

Supporting Sources (4)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Delivering Melbourne's Newest Sustainable Communities: Program Report

Direct Evidence Journal

Final Prescription for Natural Temperate Grassland of the Victorian Volcanic Plain

View Source

Rehwinkel, R. (2014). Revised Floristic Value Scoring Method for Grassland Condition. Presentation at Friends of Grasslands Forum.

Direct Evidence Journal

Revised Floristic Value Scoring Method for grassland condition

View Source

Vegetation Quality Assessment Manual: Guidelines for applying the habitat hectares scoring method

Direct Evidence Journal

Vegetation Quality Assessment Manual: Guidelines for applying the habitat hectares scoring method

View Source

Preview of White Box-Yellow Box- Blakely's Red Gum grassy woodlands and derived native grasslands information guide - DCCEEW, accessed August 9, 2025,

White Box-Yellow Box- Blakely's Red Gum grassy woodlands and derived native grasslands information guide - DCCEEW, accessed August 9, 2025,

Direct Evidence Journal

White Box-Yellow Box-Blakely's Red Gum Grassy Woodlands and Derived Grasslands

View Source

Context

Region Australia
Biome Temperate Dry Woodlands & Native Grasslands
Land Use Conservation / Protected Natural Areas
Assessment Conservation Target
Vegetation Woodland
Evidence Type RegulatoryTrigger

Lifecycle

Status Rejected
Version 1
Effective From 19 Jun 2026
Effective To 21 Jun 2026

Notes

This threshold separates ecologically viable woodland remnants from highly degraded agricultural old-fields. Rejected during 2026-06-21 data-quality review: source evidence states a native-cover minimum; the invasive/exotic-cover ceiling is an inferred inverse and is not directly stated.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-TDG-CON-ISP family.