Targeted Vegetation Survey of Floodplains and Lower Slopes on the ...

CCA08 Far North Coast <strong>Targeted</strong> <strong>Vegetation</strong> <strong>Survey</strong>
Table 3(vi) Endangered Ecological Communities represented in communities identified in this survey <strong>of</strong> the
Far North Coast <strong>of</strong> NSW.
NSW Endangered Ecological Community FNC <strong>Vegetation</strong> Community
Coastal Saltmarsh in the NSW North Coast, Sydney Basin <strong>and</strong> South East Communities 1, 2, 7, 9
Corner bioregions
Freshwater wetl<strong>and</strong>s on coastal floodplains <strong>of</strong> the NSW North Coast, Communities 2, 25, 26, 30
Sydney Basin <strong>and</strong> South East Corner bioregions
Swamp Sclerophyll Forest on Coastal <strong>Floodplains</strong> <strong>of</strong> the NSW North Coast, Communities 3, 4, 10, 11, 12, 13,
Sydney Basin <strong>and</strong> South East Corner bioregions
14, 15, 23, 26, 28, 40, 53
Swamp oak floodplain forest <strong>of</strong> the NSW North Coast, Sydney Basin <strong>and</strong> Communities 5, 7, 8
South East Corner bioregions
Sub-tropical Coastal Floodplain Forest <strong>of</strong> the NSW North Coast bioregion Communities 20, 29, 50, 51, 61
Lowl<strong>and</strong> rainforest on floodplain in the NSW North Coast Bioregion Communities 6, 27, 44, 45, 46, 47,
54, 56
Themeda Grassl<strong>and</strong> on seacliffs <strong>and</strong> coastal headl<strong>and</strong>s in the NSW North Communities 38
Coast, Sydney Basin <strong>and</strong> South East Corner bioregions
Littoral rainforest in the NSW North Coast, Sydney Basin <strong>and</strong> South East Communities 35, 52
Corner Bioregions
Lowl<strong>and</strong> Rainforest in NSW North Coast <strong>and</strong> Sydney Basin Bioregion Communities 40, 44, 45, 46, 47, 56
3.4 Endangered Ecological Communities
Of the 62 vegetation communities delineated in
this survey, 37 are equivalent to nine Endangered
Ecological Communities (EEC) listed under the
Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (TSC) (Table
3(vi)). The data collected in this survey improves the
knowledge <strong>of</strong> the floristic variation, structure <strong>and</strong>
distribution <strong>of</strong> these EECs on the FNC <strong>of</strong> New South
Wales. These EECs are much more diverse in terms
<strong>of</strong> species composition <strong>and</strong> community types than
currently documented in the final determinations by
the NSW Scientific Committee (established under the
NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995).
The present survey also improves the knowledge <strong>of</strong>
the variation in, <strong>and</strong> the floristic composition <strong>and</strong>
environmental relationships <strong>of</strong> many floodplain <strong>and</strong>
lowl<strong>and</strong> EECs, <strong>and</strong> will assist in the further delineation
<strong>and</strong> field identification <strong>of</strong> the EECs on the FNC.
Table 3(vi) lists Endangered Ecological Communities
represented in communities identified in this survey <strong>of</strong>
the Far North Coast <strong>of</strong> NSW.
3.5 Taxa <strong>of</strong> conservation significance
Of the 1027 taxa recorded during these surveys, 21
are listed as endangered species, <strong>and</strong> 18 as vulnerable
species, under the TSC; 11 are ROTAP species
(Briggs & Leigh 1996); <strong>and</strong> five regionally rare taxa
were recorded (Sheringham & Westaway, 1995). A
total <strong>of</strong> 20 species are listed under the Environment
Protection <strong>and</strong> Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
(Commonwealth) (EPBC). The most frequently
recorded rare plant in the survey was Cordyline
congesta, which was recorded at 35 sites <strong>and</strong> from
11 communities. Endi<strong>and</strong>ra globosa (22 sites) <strong>and</strong>
Cupaniopsis newmanii (17 sites) were also commonly
recorded.
Within the four primary vegetation groups identified,
no threatened plant species were recorded in Primary
Group 1 – Saline wetl<strong>and</strong>s. Nine threatened or
significant plant species were recorded in Primary
Group 2 – Freshwater, seasonally–permanently
inundated soils: Cladium procerum, Cordyline congesta,
Trichosanthes subvelutina, Acronychia littoralis (Scented
Acronychia), Arthrochilus prolixus, Scleria levis,
Eleocharis tetraquetra, Scleria rugosa <strong>and</strong> Persicaria