Byron Flora and Fauna Study 1999 - Byron Shire Council

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BYRON FLORA AND FAUNA STUDY, 1999 5 Flora Note: Changes to public land tenure following the August 1998 CRA for NE NSW have not been taken into account in the treatments of reservation status and threats to species of conservation significance. 5.1 INTRODUCTION It has not been possible to compile an exhaustive list of flora species occurring in the Shire during the course of this study. Such a list would be very extensive, and would require intensive surveys and seasonal observations to detect many terrestrial orchids and cryptic species. An incomplete list, consisting of all species referred to in this report and databases, is appended (Appendix 5) and includes 753 locally native species. Exotic species and synonyms are additional. Annotations include conservation codes and distributional limits. 5.2 FLORA VALUES All native plant species of the Byron Shire have intrinsic value, and a right to continuing existence regardless of values perceived by humans. In addition, some values have direct and indirect economic benefits to the community, and provide compelling reasons for effective plant conservation. Plants, and the communities of which they are part, provide ecosystem services – soil stabilisation, catchment protection and carbon fixation. Their aesthetic and educational values are important to local people and contribute to the attraction of the area to tourists. As ecotourism develops, well-informed visitors will be appreciative of the opportunity to visit a diverse and scientifically important environment. Many flora species can be harvested for direct use. As a result of population pressure and past depletion of vegetation, restrictions on the harvest of plants from the wild are usually necessary. Though in some circumstances sustainable use of wild plants may be possible, it is preferable for locally native plants to be included in plantings which are planned and managed for harvesting. Selection of varieties with desirable characteristics and lower harvesting effort will usually make plantations the more attractive option. Useful plants include: Timber species. Big Scrub Rainforest Landcare Group (1998a) lists 58 species as suitable for rainforest cabinet timber plantings and 57 of these are native to the Byron Shire. In addition, important hardwood species such as Blackbutt, Tallowwood and Turpentine are components of the Shire’s forests. Bush food. Important species found in the Shire include Davidson’s Plum and Small-leaved Tamarind Diploglottis campbellii. Genetic material from the local Rough-leaved Bush Nut is an important part of the valuable Macadamia industry (most of the commercial plantations are of hybrids with the Queensland Smooth-leaved Bush Nut). Medicinal species. Corkwood, found commonly in the Shire’s rainforests, is a source of scopolamine which prevents travel sickness, and together with hyoscamine, is used in eyedrops (Cribb and Cribb 1981). 61
A GREENPRINT FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE 62 Honey. The honey industry is of high economic value (honey and beeswax) and is heavily dependent on wild populations of flowering plants (though accompanied by controversy since honey bees are believed to be inefficient pollinators of local native plants (Pyke 1990). Fibre, fodder, resin, essential oils. A number of the plants listed by Cribb and Cribb (1982) are found in the Shire. Plant species have traditional importance to the Aboriginal people, for their everyday sustenance, shelter and survival, and for ceremonial and ritual purposes. Frequently individual plants in particular environmental contexts have significance as markers or meeting places. There is a responsibility to ensure that plant resources remain available for the continuity of Aboriginal association with the environment, and for the reintroduction of practices which have been lost. Local species may also have cultural significance for non-Aboriginal people. The Coolamon (Durobby) is identified with the Mullumbimby area, as is reflected in the names of the Coolamon Villa and the Coolamon Scenic Drive. For many people, the Red Cedar is symbolic of the history and culture of the timber industry and of present day concern for rainforest conservation. To preserve these values now and for the future, the Shire’s flora species must be conserved, in their ecological context. Plants such as Rough-shelled Bush Nut and Davidsons Plum may not be in danger of extinction as a species as they are well-established in cultivation. However, they are at risk of extinction in the wild. The maintenance of wild populations is essential to conserve genetic diversity and to maintain interactions between each species and its biotic and abiotic environments. 5.3 FLORA SPECIES OF CONSERVATION SIGNIFICANCE – DEFINITIONS The conservation of biodiversity is traditionally approached at the ecosystem, species and genetic levels, with priority and specific protection normally assigned on the basis of rarity and threat. Conservation at the species level is the focus of this section. The preservation of the complete range of genetic variation within each species is a desirable objective, since it is likely to reflect adaptation to local environmental conditions, and will potentially allow the species to survive e.g. climate change. There may also be genetically-controlled variation in characters relevant to economic uses of the plants (oil yield, timber quality etc.). Little is known about the extent and spatial variation of genetic variation in most species, so it must generally be assumed that conservation of each species over its total geographic range, together with obviously different forms and any populations adapted to conditions atypical for the species in general, should capture a significant proportion of variation. Listing taxa at the sub-specific level and protecting Endangered populations are both possible under the TSC Act, 1995. While it is desirable to protect and manage all native species for their conservation values, management tasks require significant input of resources, and priorities must be set. Conservation codes have been developed reflecting abundance, range, degree of threat and reservation adequacy to guide assessment of conservation values and allocation of resources. Three levels of definition for conservation significance apply in New South Wales: a) Specific legal protection is accorded to plants that are listed on one of three schedules of the TSC Act, 1995 (Table 5.1). Abundance, range and degree of threat are considered in assigning species to schedules. b) More comprehensive information about the conservation status of plant species is included in the ROTAP (Rare or Threatened Australian Plants) codes (Table 5.2). These species do not have legal protection, except where they are also scheduled under the TSC Act. c) Numerical regional (Upper North East NSW) significance codes have been developed by Sheringham and Westaway (1995) (Table 5.3). Their coding system incorporates the ROTAP code (category 1), and categories indicating other aspects of rarity, endemism or distribution.
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Byron Flora and Fauna Study 1999 - Byron Shire Council

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