Hundreds of threatened species recovery plans are due to expire in coming months. 

As the Albanese government considers reforms for Australia’s flawed system of environmental protections, documents released under freedom of information laws suggest under resourcing, state government disagreement, and a growing list of species threatened with extinction hamper the federal environment department’s ability to reduce its backlog of conservation work.

Reports say 372 recovery plans for 575 species and ecosystems will expire by the end of 2023, with 355 of those to lapse at the end of April.

Recovery plans are legal documents to guide the management of threatened species. Ministers must not make decisions that are inconsistent with them.

Attorney general Mark Dreyfus can defer the sunset date of the legal instruments that give effect to the plans.

On request from the environment and water minister, Tanya Plibersek, Mr Dreyfus has done so for 15 that were due to lapse in October.

More details are accessible here.