Commonwealth of Australia

Amendment to the list of threatened species, threatened ecological communities and key threatening processes under sections 178, 181 and 183 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EC141)

I, MELISSA PRICE, Assistant Minister for the Environment, pursuant to paragraph 184(1)(a) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, hereby amend the list referred to in section 181 of that Act by:

including in the list in the endangered category

Coastal Swamp Oak (Casuarina glauca) Forest of New South Wales and South East Queensland ecological community

as described in the Schedule to this instrument.

Dated this 9th day of March 2018

MELISSA PRICE

Assistant Minister for the Environment

SCHEDULE

Coastal Swamp Oak (Casuarina glauca) Forest of New South Wales and South East Queensland

The Coastal Swamp Oak (Casuarina glauca) Forest of New South Wales and South East Queensland ecological community occurs from south-east Queensland to southern NSW, within the South Eastern Queensland, NSW North Coast, Sydney Basin, and South East Corner IBRA bioregions [Interim Biogeographical Regionalisation of Australia version 7]. 

The ecological community is found in coastal catchments at elevations typically less than 20 m above sea level (with some occurrences up to 50 m above sea level), and typically within 30km of the coast (but occasionally further inland, for instance within tidal river catchments). It is associated with coastal flats, floodplains, drainage lines, lake margins, wetlands and estuarine fringes where soils are, at least occasionally, water-logged or inundated. Minor occurrences extend onto coastal dune swales or flats, particularly deflated dunes and dune soaks.

The ecological community occurs on soils derived from unconsolidated sediments (including alluvium), typically hydrosols (grey-black clay-loam and/or sandy loam soils) and sometimes organosols (peaty soils). It may occur in transitional soils (or catenas) where shallow unconsolidated sediments border lithic substrates. The ecological community does not occur on rocky headlands, sea cliffs or other consolidated sediments.

The structure of the ecological community varies from open woodland, woodland, forest to closed forest, depending on its location in the landscape and disturbance history. A tree canopy is present with a minimal total crown cover of 10%. The tree canopy is dominated by Casuarina glauca (swamp oak, swamp she-oak). Other tree species that may occur in the canopy, but are not dominant, include various species of Melaleuca and Eucalyptus, sometimes present as emergents above the Casuarina canopy.

The understorey is variable. A mid-layer of various small trees and tall shrubs may be present but typically is sparse. It may include juvenile canopy trees. Climbing plants and epiphytes also may be present. The ground layer is a continuous to semi-continuous cover of various forbs, ferns, sedges, grasses and/or plant litter. The litter layer may be dense in some patches, leading to a more sparse ground vegetation.

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