Brogo wet vine 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 the Brogo Wet Vine Forest in the South East Corner 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.

NSW Scientific Committee - final determination

The Scientific Committee has found that:

1. Brogo Wet Vine Forest is the name of a forest type described by Keith D. & Bedward M. 1999 (Native Vegetation of the South East Forests Region, Eden, New South Wales. Cunninghamia 6(1), 1-100). Further details of the community may be found in this paper.

2. The upper storey of the forest is dominated by Eucalyptus tereticornis with occasional  Eucalyptus bosistoana and  Eucalyptus baueriana, with rainforest elements such as  Alectryon subcinereus and  Ficus rubiginosa. The open shrubby understorey includes  Acacia implexa,  Cassinia trinerva,  Deeringia amaranthoides,  Hymenanthera dentata and  Breynia oblongifolia. There is a species-rich ground cover of forbs and graminoids. A variety of vines and twiners occur between the shrub and ground layer including  Marsdenia rostrata,  Clematis glycinoides,  Geitonoplesium cymosum,  Glycine clandestina and  Stephania japonica.

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. Brogo Wet Vine Forest is distinguished from other communities in the south east forests of New South Wales by the dominance of Eucalyptus tereticornis and the abundance of mesophyll shrubs and vines.

6. Brogo Wet Vine Forest is found in the Brogo - Bega Area and the Candelo - Myrtle Area in the Bega Valley Local Government Area.

7. The majority of the community is found on private land.

8. Since 1788 about half of the estimated original extent of Brogo Wet Vine Forest has been cleared for agriculture.

9. Continuing threats to Brogo Wet Vine Forest include further clearing, grazing and weed invasion. Inappropriate fire regimes may pose a potential threat, particularly to the rainforest element in the flora.

10. Given the limited geographical distribution and area extent of the community and 7,8 and 9 above, the Scientific Committee is of the opinion that the Brogo Wet Vine 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