Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 Notice of Final Determination (1998-702) [GG No 176 of 18.12.1998, p 9809] (NSW)

1998 No 702

New South Wales

THREATENED SPECIES CONSERVATION ACT 1995 No 101

Notice of Final Determination and Amendment of Schedule 1 to Act

The Scientific Committee established under the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 has, in pursuance of Division 3 of Part 2 of that Act, made a final determination to insert the following ecological community in Part 3 of Schedule 1 to that Act (Endangered ecological communities) and, accordingly, that Schedule is amended as set out in Annexure “A” to this Notice:

Pittwater Spotted Gum Forest (as described in the final determination of the
Scientific Committee to list the ecological community)

The final determination, set out in Annexure “B“ to this Notice, to insert this ecological community in Part 3 of Schedule 1 has been made because the Scientific Committee is of the opinion that the community is likely to become extinct in nature in New South Wales unless the circumstances and factors threatening its survival or evolutionary development cease to operate. Copies of the final determination may be inspected at:

The Information Centre (Level 1)
National Parks & Wildlife Service
43 Bridge Street

HURSTVILLE NSW 2220

and at all District Offices of the National Parks and Wildlife Service during

business hours.

Signed at Sydney, this 8th day of December 1998.

Dr Chris Dickman

Chairperson

Scientific Committee

Published in Gazette No 176 of 18 December 1998, page 9809 Page 1

Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 No 101 —Final Determination

Annexure “A”

Schedule 1 to the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 is amended by
inserting in Part 3 in alphabetical order the matter:
Pittwater Spotted Gum Forest (as described in the final determination of the

Scientific Committee to list the ecological community)

Annexure “B”

NSW SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE

Final Determination

The Scientific Committee, established by the Threatened Species Conservation Act, has made a Final Determination to list the Pittwater Spotted Gum Forest in the Sydney Basin Bioregion as an ENDANGERED ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITY on Part 3 of Schedule 1 of the Act. Listing

of Endangered Ecological Communities is provided for by Part 2 of the Act.

The Scientific Committee has found that:

1. The Pittwater Spotted Gum Forest is the name given to the plant community that is characterised by the following assemblage of species:

1998 No 7

Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 No 101—Final Determination

Notelaea longifolia

2.        The total species list of the community is larger than that given above. with many species present only in one or two sites or in very small quantity. In any particular site not all of the assemblage listed may be present at any one time (at least above ground), seeds of more species may be present in the soil seed bank. The species composition of a site will be influenced by the size of the site and by its recent disturbance history. For a number of years after a major disturbance, dominance by a few species may occur, with gradual restoration of a more complex composition and vegetation structure over time. The balance between species will change over the fire cycle, and may also change in response to changes in fire frequency.

3.         The Pittwater Spotted Gum Forest occurs on shale-derived soils with high rainfall on lower hillslopes on the Narrabeen group-Newport Formation, on the Barrenjoey Peninsula and western Pittwater foreshores.

4 .         The structure of the community was originally open-forest but may now exist as woodland or as remnant trees.

5.        Characteristic tree species are Corymbia maculata and Eucalyptus paniculata, associated trees include Angophora costata. Corymbia gummifera, Eucalyptus umbra, Eucalyptus punctata, Syncarpia glomulifera, Eucalyptus botryoides. Angophora floribunda

6.         Pittwater Spotted Gum Forest has been reported from the Local Government Area of Pittwater The area is within the County of Cumberland entirely within the Sydney Basin Bioregion.

7.         Pittwater Spotted Gum Forest is referred to in Benson & Howell 1990, and described in Map Unit 9g (ii) in Benson & Howell 1994.

8.         Adjacent communities on sandstone soils are generally part of the Sydney Sandstone Complex (see Benson & Howell 1990).

1998 No 702

Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 No 10—Final Determination

1. Pittwater Spotted Gum Forest has been extensively cleared from the Barrenjoey Peninsula and the western and southern shores of Pittwater, and is threatened by further clearing for housing and related infrastructure, and for fire mitigation. Remnants are also threatened by weed invasion especially Lantana camara and Acacia saligna and by inappropriate fire regimes.

2. Only tiny remnants on western Pittwater are included within Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park. The major remnants on the Peninsula are within Pittwater Council reserves, McKay Reserve, Angophora Reserve and Stapleton Park.

3. In view of the small size of existing remnants, the threat of further clearing and other known threats (listed in 9), the Scientific Committee is of the opinion that the Pittwater Spotted Gum Forest in the Sydney Basin Bioregion is likely to become extinct in nature in New South Wales unless the circumstances and factors threatening its survival or evolutionary development cease to operate and that the community is eligible for listing as an endangered ecological community.

Dr Chris Dickman

Chairperson

Scientific Committee

References

Benson. D. and Howell, J. (1994) The natural vegetation of the Sydney

1:100 000 Map Sheet Cunninghamia 3(4):677-787.