A Recovery Plan provides a framework for government agencies and key interest groups to plan and coordinate their efforts to conserve threatened species and/or threatened ecological communities. Each plan contains important background information about the particular threatened species or ecological community, such as:

  • biology and ecology
  • distribution and habitat
  • threatening processes.

Most importantly, a Recovery Plan identifies ways to improve the conservation status of these threatened plants, animals or ecological communities. The plan identifies and prioritises recovery objectives and actions to be taken, and sets measurable performance criteria.

Recovery Plans may be developed at a national or regional level. Recovery Plans for nationally listed threatened species and ecological communities may be adopted under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

Guidelines and further information on the legislative requirements of national recovery plans are also available.

Recovery Plans with a regional focus may also be developed and are usually implemented by state government agencies, landscape management groups and/or non-government environmental organisations working together.