List of Threatened Ecological Communities Amendment (EC175) Instrument 2022

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Commonwealth of Australia

List of Threatened Ecological Communities Amendment (EC175) Instrument 2022

I, SUSSAN LEY, Minister for the Environment, pursuant to paragraph 184(a) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, amend the list referred to in section 181 of that Act by including in the list of threatened ecological communities in the endangered category:

Araluen Scarp Grassy Forest

as described in the Schedule to this instrument.

This instrument commences the day after registration.

Sussan Ley

...................................................................................

Sussan Ley

Minister for the Environment

Dated .................31 / 3 / 22......................................................

SCHEDULE 1

Araluen Scarp Grassy Forest

The Araluen Scarp Grassy Forest is an assemblage of native plants, animals and other organisms that comprise a type of temperate open eucalypt forest or woodland with mesic elements associated with steep slopes and coastal rainshadow areas.

The ecological community occurs in New South Wales within South East Corner and South Eastern Highlands bioregions, primarily within the Moruya River catchment. Known occurrences are mainly in the Araluen Valley region. The ecological community is typically distributed on steep scarp slopes, ridges, spurs and foothills on sandy loam soils derived from granitoid substrates.

The vegetation structure is typically a medium-height open forest or woodland with sparse to moderate canopy cover dominated by Eucalyptus or Angophora species. Characteristic canopy species include Eucalyptus maidenii (Maiden’s blue gum), E. melliodora (yellow box), E. tereticornis (forest red gum), and Angophora floribunda (rough-barked apple). Other Eucalyptus species may also be common in the canopy, including E. kartzoffiana (Araluen gum) which is found in more sheltered sites.

The understorey is typically a sparse stratum of small trees and shrubs such as Acacia mearnsii (black wattle), Melicytus dentatus (tree violet), Pittosporum undulatum (sweet pittosporum) and occasionally Port Jackson fig. Bursaria spinosa (blackthorn). Characteristic climbing species include Pandorea pandorana (wonga wonga vine), Geitonoplesium cymosum (scrambling lily) and Clematis glycinoides var. glycinoides (headache vine). The understorey may also include juvenile trees of canopy species.

The ground layer may vary from sparse in drier periods or to almost complete coverage following wetter than average periods. Rock outcrops may break up the continuity of the ground layer. The ground layer consists of a variety of forbs, such as Grona varians (slender tick-trefoil), Dichondra spp., Oxalis perennans (grassland wood-sorrel) and Sigesbeckia orientalis subsp. orientalis, with grass species such as Microlaena stipoides (weeping grass), Oplismenus imbecillis (creeping beard grass), and fern species such as Pellaea falcata (sickle fern), Cheilanthes sieberi (poison rock fern) usually present.

The ecological community includes a variety of fauna species, including several species that are listed as threatened at a national or state level.