Bega dry grass forest in the South East Corner Bioregion - endangered ecological community listing

The Scientific Committee, established by the Threatened Species Conservation Act, has made a Final Determination to list theBega Dry Grass Forest in the South East Corner Bioregion as an ENDANGERED ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITY on Part 3 of Schedule 1 of the Act. The listing of Endangered Ecological Communities is provided for by Part 2 of the Act.

NSW Scientific Committee - final determination

The Scientific Committee has found that:

1.Bega Dry Grass Forest is the name given to a forest community described in Keith, D. & Bedward, M. (1999).

2.Bega Dry Grass Forest is characterised by an upperstorey dominated by  Eucalyptus tereticornis, with frequent  Eucalyptus globoidea and  Angophora floribunda. The stands are largely regrowth of originally taller forests. The understory consists of an open small trees stratum dominated by  Acacia mearnsii and an open shrub stratum including  Bursaria spinosa and  Ozothamnus diosmifolius. The grassy ground cover is dominated by  Themeda australis,  Echinopogon caespitosus,  Microlaena stipoides and  Eragrostis leptostachya with forbs such as  Dichondra repens,  Desmodium varians,  Hydrocotyle laxiflora,  Hypericum gramineum,  Glycine clandestina and the fern  Cheilanthes sieberi.

3. The plant species assemblage for the community includes:

4. The total species list of the community may be larger than that given above with many species present in only 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, seeds of some species may only be present in the soil seed bank with no above-ground individuals present. The species composition of the site will be influenced by the size of the site and by its recent disturbance history. The number of species and the above-ground composition of species will change with time since fire, and may also change in response to changes in fire frequency.

5.Bega Dry Grass Forest is distinguished from other assemblages in the south-east forests by the dominance of  Eucalyptus tereticornis usually with  Angophora floribunda, the open shrub stratum of  Bursaria spinosa and  Ozothamnus diosmifolius and a grassy ground cover dominated by  Themeda australis with  Echinopogon caespitosus,  Microlaena stipoides and  Eragrostis leptostachya and a diversity of forbs.

6.Bega Dry Grass Forest occurs in the Cobargo - Bega - Candelo area, the Towamba Valley and near Tanja. These areas are within the Bega Valley Local Government Area.

7. Nearly 90% of the estimated original Bega Dry Grass Forest has been cleared for agriculture, and more than 90% of the remaining fragmented area occurs on private land where it is threatened by further clearing, grazing, weed invasion and inappropriate fire regimes.

8. In view of 7 above, the Scientific Committee is of the opinion that the Bega Dry Grass Forest in the South East Corner 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.

Reference:

Keith, D. and Bedward, M. (1999) Native Vegetation of the South East Forests Region, Eden, NSW. Cunninghamia 6(1) 1-218.

Proposed Gazettal date: 24/11/00