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Queensland's Threatened Animals Lee K. Curtis , Andrew J. Dennis , Keith R. McDonald , Peter M. Kyne and Stephen J.S. Debus (eds), CSIRO Publishing , Collingwood, Victoria, Australia , 2012 . xii + 449 pp. Price AUD $120.00. ISBN 9780643096141 (also available as an eBook).

Queensland's Threatened Animals Lee K. Curtis , Andrew J. Dennis , Keith R. McDonald , Peter M.... In the words of its primary editor, this book has been written to provide ‘a comprehensive resource guide’ for people involved in the recovery of Queensland's threatened species. It is certainly comprehensive in scope, providing succinct (two page) profiles of all 226 species of vertebrates and invertebrates listed as threatened in Queensland, Australia, according to state, national or international (IUCN) criteria. Most profiles are written by one or more authors with expertise in the species, with gaps filled in by the book's editors. Each profile contains a description of the species, summary information on distribution, habitat, ecology and threats, a colour photograph and a distribution map. For each species, the authors outline current recovery efforts and future recovery actions, categorised by ‘what you can do’, ‘conservation needs’ and suggested research directions. The book is introduced by several short chapters giving useful context for the listing and conservation of threatened species. These chapters include an overview of the array of threatened species lists maintained by State and Commonwealth governments, and the IUCN; a history of the conservation movement in Queensland; a summary of extinct and critically endangered species in Queensland; and an outline of the main approach taken by the Queensland government to conservation in recent times, namely restrictions on vegetation clearing. This book is not, however, a comprehensive guide to recovery and management of threatened species. Recovery actions (current and proposed) are listed as dot points, without prioritisation or consideration of outcomes, costs or other aspects of efficacy. Given the constraints of brevity, many proposed actions sound like motherhood statements (protect native vegetation, donate to conservation organisations, conduct more research). In fact, writing a comprehensive guide would have been a gargantuan task for a book covering 226 species, considering the matters that need to be addressed by a recovery plan for even a single species – detailed assessments of threats, conservation actions, their weightings and costings. Readers wanting to help conserve a threatened species would be well advised to consult the relevant recovery plan (should one be written) or detailed conservation information such as that posted on the web by the Commonwealth for EPBC listed species. While the book does list websites and organisations relevant to the recovery of threatened species, these are presented without editorial filtering. As such, consultancy firms, conservation NGOs, universities, theme parks, eco‐resorts and government agencies are all offered as potential ‘resources’ for the reader. Perhaps, conservationists without existing networks might find this wall of information useful (and providing information for such people is a stated aim of the primary editor). However, it is an unfortunate fact of the modern age that printed guides to resources are rarely current: for example, although this book has just been published, the names (and websites) of most Queensland government agencies have already changed, as have some conservation organisations. Patently, enormous effort has gone into compiling this book. But, given that it could never hope to provide a ‘comprehensive resource guide’ for the recovery of threatened species, what is its value? First, the book bears witness to the size of the biodiversity crisis in Queensland. Anyone reading this book, or even picking it up, could not be aware that many species native to Queensland are in real trouble and that without determined effort are likely to decline, perhaps to extinction. For this reason alone, this book deserves to be in every library, high school and government office in the state. Second, the book does give a thorough introduction to threatened species in Queensland and so is likely to be particularly useful for the nonspecialist. For example, as a terrestrial ecologist, I found the section on cartilaginous fish to be engaging, knowing nothing previously on the diversity, ecology or conservation status of this group. Similarly, overseas people volunteering for the NGO for which I work (Australian Wildlife Conservancy) have enthused about this book. Specialist ecologists, however, are likely to find the primary literature more useful. The underlying philosophy of the book is presented at its very end, in the heading to the final Appendix. The editors state their view that the recovery of threatened species ‘is not only the responsibility of our governments, but also of each individual citizen’. Such a view underpinned the modus operandi of the now defunct Threatened Species Network, where small amounts of money were distributed to community groups to assist local conservation efforts. While there is much to be gained from encouraging the public to contribute to conservation, it is wishful thinking to believe that this will be sufficient to promote the recovery of many threatened species. The threats pushing species towards extinction are often pervasive, and actions to counter them require large‐scale and/or intensive effort, with funding and expertise at the scale of government departments or large conservation NGOs. Review by John Kanowski, Australian Wildlife Conservancy, Malanda 4885, Queensland, Australia. Email: John.Kanowski@australianwildlife.org http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Ecological Management & Restoration Wiley

Queensland's Threatened Animals Lee K. Curtis , Andrew J. Dennis , Keith R. McDonald , Peter M. Kyne and Stephen J.S. Debus (eds), CSIRO Publishing , Collingwood, Victoria, Australia , 2012 . xii + 449 pp. Price AUD $120.00. ISBN 9780643096141 (also available as an eBook).

Ecological Management & Restoration , Volume 14 (2) – May 1, 2013
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Publisher
Wiley
Copyright
© 2013 Ecological Society of Australia
ISSN
1442-7001
eISSN
1442-8903
DOI
10.1111/emr.12043
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

In the words of its primary editor, this book has been written to provide ‘a comprehensive resource guide’ for people involved in the recovery of Queensland's threatened species. It is certainly comprehensive in scope, providing succinct (two page) profiles of all 226 species of vertebrates and invertebrates listed as threatened in Queensland, Australia, according to state, national or international (IUCN) criteria. Most profiles are written by one or more authors with expertise in the species, with gaps filled in by the book's editors. Each profile contains a description of the species, summary information on distribution, habitat, ecology and threats, a colour photograph and a distribution map. For each species, the authors outline current recovery efforts and future recovery actions, categorised by ‘what you can do’, ‘conservation needs’ and suggested research directions. The book is introduced by several short chapters giving useful context for the listing and conservation of threatened species. These chapters include an overview of the array of threatened species lists maintained by State and Commonwealth governments, and the IUCN; a history of the conservation movement in Queensland; a summary of extinct and critically endangered species in Queensland; and an outline of the main approach taken by the Queensland government to conservation in recent times, namely restrictions on vegetation clearing. This book is not, however, a comprehensive guide to recovery and management of threatened species. Recovery actions (current and proposed) are listed as dot points, without prioritisation or consideration of outcomes, costs or other aspects of efficacy. Given the constraints of brevity, many proposed actions sound like motherhood statements (protect native vegetation, donate to conservation organisations, conduct more research). In fact, writing a comprehensive guide would have been a gargantuan task for a book covering 226 species, considering the matters that need to be addressed by a recovery plan for even a single species – detailed assessments of threats, conservation actions, their weightings and costings. Readers wanting to help conserve a threatened species would be well advised to consult the relevant recovery plan (should one be written) or detailed conservation information such as that posted on the web by the Commonwealth for EPBC listed species. While the book does list websites and organisations relevant to the recovery of threatened species, these are presented without editorial filtering. As such, consultancy firms, conservation NGOs, universities, theme parks, eco‐resorts and government agencies are all offered as potential ‘resources’ for the reader. Perhaps, conservationists without existing networks might find this wall of information useful (and providing information for such people is a stated aim of the primary editor). However, it is an unfortunate fact of the modern age that printed guides to resources are rarely current: for example, although this book has just been published, the names (and websites) of most Queensland government agencies have already changed, as have some conservation organisations. Patently, enormous effort has gone into compiling this book. But, given that it could never hope to provide a ‘comprehensive resource guide’ for the recovery of threatened species, what is its value? First, the book bears witness to the size of the biodiversity crisis in Queensland. Anyone reading this book, or even picking it up, could not be aware that many species native to Queensland are in real trouble and that without determined effort are likely to decline, perhaps to extinction. For this reason alone, this book deserves to be in every library, high school and government office in the state. Second, the book does give a thorough introduction to threatened species in Queensland and so is likely to be particularly useful for the nonspecialist. For example, as a terrestrial ecologist, I found the section on cartilaginous fish to be engaging, knowing nothing previously on the diversity, ecology or conservation status of this group. Similarly, overseas people volunteering for the NGO for which I work (Australian Wildlife Conservancy) have enthused about this book. Specialist ecologists, however, are likely to find the primary literature more useful. The underlying philosophy of the book is presented at its very end, in the heading to the final Appendix. The editors state their view that the recovery of threatened species ‘is not only the responsibility of our governments, but also of each individual citizen’. Such a view underpinned the modus operandi of the now defunct Threatened Species Network, where small amounts of money were distributed to community groups to assist local conservation efforts. While there is much to be gained from encouraging the public to contribute to conservation, it is wishful thinking to believe that this will be sufficient to promote the recovery of many threatened species. The threats pushing species towards extinction are often pervasive, and actions to counter them require large‐scale and/or intensive effort, with funding and expertise at the scale of government departments or large conservation NGOs. Review by John Kanowski, Australian Wildlife Conservancy, Malanda 4885, Queensland, Australia. Email: John.Kanowski@australianwildlife.org

Journal

Ecological Management & Restoration – Wiley

Published: May 1, 2013

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