sign in sign up
<<
Home , Angophora floribunda, Aristida vagans, Cheilanthes sieberi, Kunzea ambigua, Melaleuca decora, Sydney Basin

1 /CASTLEREAGH IRONBARK FOREST IN THE BASIN 2 BIOREGION: DRAFT DESCRIPTION 3 4 1. DESCRIPTION OF THE ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITY 5 The Cooks River/Castlereagh Ironbark Forest in the Sydney Basin Bioregion is a dry 6 sclerophyll open-forest to low woodland which occurs predominantly in the Cumberland 7 Subregion between Castlereagh and Holsworthy, as well as around the headwaters of the Cooks 8 River. 9 10 1.1 Name of the ecological community 11 The name of the ecological community is Cooks River/Castlereagh Ironbark Forest in the 12 Sydney Basin Bioregion. This reflects its structure and location and is the same name as it is 13 listed under the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 in . Information 14 regarding the NSW ecological community can be found at: 15 http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/determinations/CooksRiverCastlereaghIronbarkForestSyd 16 neyEndComListing.htm 17 18 1.2 Location and physical environment 19 Cooks River/Castlereagh Ironbark Forest in the Sydney Basin ecological community is 20 endemic to NSW, within the Cumberland subregion of the Sydney Basin Bioregion as defined 21 by version 7 of the Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation of (IBRA v 7). 22 The majority of the community is found on the Cumberland Subregion north and west of 23 towards Richmond. The largest patches occur in the Castlereagh and Holsworthy 24 areas. Smaller remnants occur in the Kemps Creek area and in the eastern section of the 25 Cumberland Subregion (e.g. upper Cooks River Valley). 26 Geology 27 The community occurs on clay-rich soils derived from predominantly alluvium and on 28 Wianamatta Shale derived soils found next to Tertiary alluvium (NSW NPWS 2002; Tozer, 29 2003; NSW Scientific Committee, 2011). Tertiary Alluvium deposits produce less fertile 30 gravelly clay loam soils than the surrounding shales (Tozer et al., 2010). To a lesser extent, the 31 ecological community also occurs on Holocene Alluvium (NSW NPWS, 2002). The ecological 32 community grades into other communities where clay soils are very poorly drained, and where 33 the clay soils transition to more sandy or shale influenced soils (Tozer et al., 2010). 34 Climate 35 Cooks River/Castlereagh Ironbark Forest occurs below 100 m above sea level with mean 36 annual rainfall of 800-1000 mm (Tozer et al., 2010). The average January maximum 37 temperature for the relevant areas of the Cumberland Plain1 is 29.3°C and the average July 38 minimum temperature for those areas is 4.5°C. 39 40 1.3 Vegetation 41 Cooks River/Castlereagh Ironbark Forest is an open-forest to low woodland, dominated by 42 fibrosa (Broad-leaved Ironbark) and (Paperbark) (NSW NPWS 43 2002; Tozer; 2003; Tozer et al., 2010; NSW Scientific Committee, 2011). E. longifolia

1 Mean average maximum (January) and minimum (July) temperatures from Bankstown, Holsworthy, Badgerys Creek AWS, Badgerys Creek McMasters, Penrith Lakes and Richmond RAAF.

1 (Woolybutt) is also often present (NSW NPWS, 2002; Tozer, 2003; NSW Scientific 2 Committee, 2011). The shrub stratum is relatively dense, and is dominated by M. nodosa 3 (Prickly-leaved Paperbark) and Lissanthe strigosa (Peach Heath), and to a lesser extent M. 4 decora (NSW NPWS, 2002). It also includes a range of ‘pea’ flower shrubs, including 5 Dillwynia tenuifolia, Pultenaea villosa (Hairy Bush-pea) and Daviesia ulicifolia (Gorse Bitter 6 Pea) (Tozer, 2003; NSW Scientific Committee, 2011). The ground layer is relatively sparse 7 and commonly includes Entolasia stricta (Wiry Panic), Lepidosperma laterale, Opercularia 8 diphylla, Dianella revoluta subsp. revoluta (Blue Flax-Lily), Themeda australis (Kangaroo 9 Grass), Microlaena stipoides var. stipoides (Weeping Grass) and Pratia purpurascens 10 (Whiteroot) (NSW NPWS, 2002; Tozer, 2003). 11 Table 1: Characteristic species (NSW Scientific Committee, 2011; Royal Botanic 12 Gardens and Domain Trust, 2014). This is a list of characteristic plant species rather than 13 comprehensive list of all present in the ecological community. A particular patch may 14 not include all species on the list or may include other species not listed.

Plant form Species name Common name Acacia binervia Coast myall, Coastal myall, Coastal Tree or shrub wattle, Kai'arrewan (D'harawal) Erect or spreading tree/ shrub Acacia falcata Tree to 15 m high bakeri Narrow-leaved Apple Tree to 30 m high Angophora floribunda Apple, Rough-barked Apple Tussocky perennial, ramosa inflorescence to 1.2m high Purple Wiregrass Erect tufted or rhizomatous Aristida vagans perennial, inflorescence to 0.8 m high Threeawn Speargrass Mat-forming shrub with branches ascending to 15 cm high with a spread of up to 1m Native Cranberry Rytidosperma Erect, densely caespitose setaceum Syn. perennials to c. 70 cm tall Austrodanthonia setacea Smallflower Wallaby Grass Rytidosperma tenuius Erect, caespitose perennial to Syn. Austrodanthonia 1.2 m high tenuior Caespitose perennial, basal Austrostipa pubescens foliage tussocky, inflorescence to 1.5m high Downy wattle Caespitose perennial, basal Austrostipa rudis foliage tussocky, inflorescence to 1.2m high Twining perennial herb or Billardiera scandens slender vine to 3m high in groundcover and midstorey Hairy Apple Berry Shrub, 0.08–0.6 m high Boronia polygalifolia Dwarf Boronia Shrub or small to medium Bursaria spinosa tree, typically to 3m, rarely to Blackthorn, Boxthorn, Sweet Bursaria, 10 m high Kurwan (D'harawal) Perennial, erect or prostrate Calotis cuneifolia herb to 60 cm high Purple Burr-daisy 2

Plant form Species name Common name Shrub to 2 m high Cassinia arcuata Sifton Bush, Chinese Shrub Glabrous twiner with stems Cassytha glabella forma c. 0.5 mm thick glabella Ground covering, creeping sieberi with erect fronds to 30cm subsp. sieberi Poison rock fern, mulga fern Perennial herb, basal foliage Dianella revoluta in a clump, inflorescence to 1 m high Blueberry Lily, Blue Flax-Lily Tufted perennial grass, Dichelachne micrantha inflorescence to 1.2 m high Shorthair Plumegrass Spreading to erect shrub 0.3– Dillwynia parvifolia 1 m high Erect shrub 0.5–2.5 m high Dillwynia sieberi Erect shrub to 1m Dillwynia tenuifolia Perennial plant, persistent Einadia nutans rootstock with prostrate or twining herbaceous or softly- woody stems Climbing Saltbush Perennial plant, persistent Einadia trigonos rootstock with prostrate or twining herbaceous or softly- woody stems Fishweed Straggling or somewhat Entolasia stricta shrubby, wiry, rhizomatous perennial grass usually to 0.8 m high Wiry Panic Tufted perennial grass, basal Eragrostis brownii foliage with inflorescence to c. 0.6 m high Brown's Lovegrass Tree to 20 m high Eucalyptus capitellata Brown Stringybark Tree to 35 m high Eucalyptus fibrosa Red Ironbark Tree to 35 m high Woollybutt Tree to 25 m high Eucalyptus moluccana Grey Box, Terriyergro (D'harawal) Tree to 45 m high Eucalyptus resinifera Red mahogany Leafless shrub or small tree to Exocarpos 8 m high cupressiformis Cherry Ballart, Native Cherry Twiner, perennial with stems Glycine clandestina non-stoloniferous Slender Glycine Erect or ascending perennial Gonocarpus tetragynus herb 15–30 cm high Erect herbs to 60 cm high Goodenia bellidifolia Groundcover or decumbent Goodenia hederacea herb to 10cm high subsp. hederacea Ivy Goodenia, Forest Goodenia Short-lived herb to 50 cm high Branched Goodenia Spreading bushy shrub 1–3 Hakea sericea m high Needlebush Decumbent to spreading Hibbertia empetrifolia 3

Plant form Species name Common name shrub to 30 cm high and 60- 100cm across Decumbent or prostrate shrub Hibbertia serpyllifolia with branches to 30 cm long Hairy Guinea flower Shrub to 3.5 m high ambigua Tick bush Erect branching herb to c. 40 Laxmannia gracilis cm high Slender wire lily Tufted perennial with erect, Lepidosperma laterale leaf-like culms to 1m Shrub or small tree, 2–5 m Leptospermum Flaky-barked Tea-tree, Slender high trinervium Tea-tree Erect, densely branched Leucopogon juniperinus shrub to 1 m high Prickly Beard-heath Shrub, 15–70 cm high Lissanthe strigosa Peach Heath Tufted, sometimes robust, Lomandra longifolia perennial herb. Spiny-headed mat-rush, honey reed Tufted perennial herb, Lomandra multiflora slender to robust subsp. multiflora Many-flowered Mat-rush Tall shrub or tree to 10 m Melaleuca decora high Shrub usually 1–4 m high Prickly-leaved Paperbark Slender, often tufted Microlaena stipoides perennial grass with rambling stems and inflorescences to 0.7 m high Weeping grass Slender to rarely robust Microtis parviflora tuberous terrestrial herb, usually 15–50 cm high Slender Onion Orchid Notelaea longifolia Large Mock-olive, Large-leaved Shrub or tree to c. 9 m high Olive Small weak or procumbent Opercularia diphylla herb Rigid erect, tuberous Orthoceras strictum ephemeral herb, 20–60 cm high Bird's-mouth Orchid Much-branched, erect shrub Ozothamnus Rice flower, white dogwood, pill to 5 m high diosmifolius flower, sago bush Tufted to tussocky perennial Panicum simile grass with inflorescences to 0.7 m high Two-colour Panic Tufted perennial grass with Paspalidium distans inflorescences to 0.7 m high Erect to spreading shrub up to Persoonia nutans 2m tall but usually less. Nodding geebung Erect shrub to 3 m high Podolobium ilicifolium Prickly Shaggy Pea Erect to spreading herb or Pomax umbellata subshrub to 40 cm high Decumbent to ± erect, Poranthera microphylla slender, annual herb, 8–15 cm 4

Plant form Species name Common name high Glabrous, decumbent herb Pratia purpurascens Whiteroot Prostrate to erect shrub Pultenaea villosa Hairy Bush-pea Dwarf shrub or woody herb, Rhytidosporum rarely more than 20cm tall procumbens Perennial herb, Stackhousia viminea inflorescences to 70 cm high Slender Stackhousia Tall tree Turpentine Terrestrial, tuberous, Thelymitra pauciflora ephemeral herb with a solitary leaf Slender Sun Orchid Densely caespitose, leafy Themeda australis Kangaroo grass, Durawi perennials (D'harawal) Annual to perennial 0.2–1 m Vernonia cinerea var. high cinerea Perennial tufted herb, 5–80 Wahlenbergia gracilis Sprawling Bluebell, Australian cm high Bluebell Tufted, arborescent herb Xanthorrhoea media Grass Tree, Gulgadya (Cadigal) 1 2 Persoonia nutans (nodding geebung) is listed as Endangered under the New South Wales 3 Threatened Species Conservation Act and the EPBC Act. Dillwynia tenuifolia is listed as 4 vulnerable under the NSW TSC Act. 5 1.4 Fauna 6 The diversity and abundance of fauna species across the Cumberland Subregion (where the 7 ecological community occurs) has declined. Prior to European settlement, the Cooks 8 River/Castlereagh Ironbark Forest ecological community likely supported a range of animal 9 species, including small mammals (particularly micro-bats), insectivorous and seed-foraging 10 birds, birds of prey, skinks, snakes, frogs and a large range of invertebrates. The vegetation 11 structure and species composition of the ecological community provides shelter, food and 12 nesting material for these animals, which in turn play important roles in the ongoing function of 13 the ecosystem. Many fauna species present (e.g. woodland birds) may not necessarily be 14 restricted to this ecological community but may also occur in adjacent vegetation communities 15 in the Cumberland Subregion. These species are likely to rely on the presence of other native 16 vegetation adjacent to patches of the ecological community for their continued persistence.

17 No studies have specifically examined the fauna across the entire range of the ecological 18 community. However, a number of sources provide useful information on the fauna that have been 19 observed at certain sites and in the Cumberland Subregion more generally, including the Atlas of 20 NSW Wildlife.

21 Reptiles and amphibians observed in the ecological community includes: Limnodynastes 22 dumerilii (Banjo Frog); Crinia signifera (Common Eastern Froglet); Ramphotyphlops 23 nigrescens (Blackish Blind Snake); Tiliqua scincoides (Eastern Blue-tongue); Diplodactylus 24 vittatus (Eastern stone gecko) (OEH Atlas of NSW Wildlife in Department of the Environment, 25 2014b).

26 Bird species observed in the ecological community include: Gerygone mouki (Brown 27 Gerygone); G. olivacea (White Throated Gerygone); Myiagra rubecula (Leaden Flycatcher);

5

1 Myzomela sanguinolenta (Scarlet Honeyeater); Neochmia temporalis (Red-browed Finch); 2 Lichenostomus leucotis (White-eared Honeyeater); Oriolus sagittatus (Olive-backed Oriole); 3 Pachycephala rufiventris (Rufous Whistler); Pachycephala pectoralis (Golden Whistler); 4 Pardalotus striatus (Striated Pardalote); Pardalotus punctatus (Spotted Pardalote); Aegotheles 5 cristatus (Australian Owlet-nightjar); Podargus strigoides (Tawny Frogmouth); Todiramphus 6 sanctus (Sacred Kingfisher); Dacelo novaeguineae (Laughing Kookaburra); and Daphoenositta 7 chrysoptera (Varied Sittella) (OEH Atlas of NSW Wildlife and BirdLife Australia Birdata in 8 Department of the Environment, 2014b). 9 Micro-bat species observed in the ecological community include: Nyctophilus geoffroyi (Lesser 10 long-eared bat); Chalinolobus morio (Chocolate Wattled Bat); Vespadelus vulturnus (Little 11 Forest Bat); Tadarida australis (White-striped Freetail-bat) (OEH Atlas of NSW Wildlife in 12 Department of the Environment, 2014b). 13 Marsupial species observed in the ecological community include: Wallabia bicolor (Swamp 14 Wallaby); Petaurus australis (Yellow-bellied Glider); Petaurus breviceps (Sugar Glider) (OEH 15 Atlas of NSW Wildlife in Department of the Environment, 2014b). 16 Meridolum corneovirens ( Land Snail), listed as endangered in NSW, has 17 been observed in the ecological community (OEH Atlas of NSW Wildlife in Department of the 18 Environment, 2014) and Litoria aurea (Green and Golden Bell Frog), listed as nationally 19 vulnerable and endangered in NSW, is known to occur in the ecological community (NSW 20 NPWS, 2004). 21

6

1 Table 2: Nationally listed threatened fauna species that either may occur, are known to occur, 2 or have been observed in the area occupied by the ecological community (Department of the 3 Environment, 2014a; OEH Atlas of NSW Wildlife in Department of the Environment, 2014b) Species name Common name EPBC Act status Anthochaera Phrygia Endangered Botaurus poiciloptilus Australasian Bittern Endangered Lathamus discolor Swift Parrot Endangered Rostratula australis Australian Painted Snipe Endangered Turnix varius Painted Button-quail Vulnerable Falcunculus frontatus Crested Shrike-tit Vulnerable Heleioporus australiacus Giant burrowing frog Vulnerable Chalinolobus dwyeri Large-eared Pied Bat, Large Vulnerable Pied Bat Pteropus poliocephalus Grey-headed Flying-fox Vulnerable Dasyurus maculatus Spot-tailed Quoll, Spotted-tail Endangered maculatus Quoll, Tiger Quoll (southeastern mainland population) Phascolarctos cinereus Koala (combined populations Vulnerable of , New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory) Potorous tridactylus Long-nosed Potoroo (SE Vulnerable tridactylus mainland) Pseudomys novaehollandiae New Holland Mouse, Pookila Vulnerable Hoplocephalus bungaroides Broad-headed Snake Vulnerable 4 5 6

7

1 1.5 Key Diagnostic Characteristics and Condition Thresholds 2 National listing focuses legal protection on remaining patches of the ecological community that 3 are most functional, relatively natural (as described by the ‘Description’) and in relatively good 4 condition. Key diagnostic characteristics and condition thresholds assist in identifying a patch 5 of the threatened ecological community, determine when the EPBC Act is likely to apply to the 6 ecological community and to distinguish between patches of different quality. 7 1.5.1 Key diagnostic characteristics 8 The presence of dry sclerophyll forests (which include the Cooks River/Castlereagh Ironbark 9 Forest) in the Cumberland Subregion is intimately linked to the presence of Tertiary alluvial 10 gravels, sands and clays within the broader shale lithology of the central Sydney Basin (Keith, 11 2004). Rainfall is also a key determining factor, which has a most noticeable impact on the tree 12 layer composition (Keith, 2004). 13 Key diagnostic characteristics for the ecological community are: 14  confined to the Sydney Basin Bioregion; 15  primarily occurs in elevations below 100 m above sea level; 16  occurs in the Cumberland Subregion with clay soils derived from predominantly Tertiary 17 alluvium and on Wianamatta Shale derived soils found next to Tertiary alluvium; 18  is a dry sclerophyll open-forest to low woodland typically dominated by an overstorey of 19 Eucalyptus fibrosa, Melaleuca decora and occasionally Eucalyptus longifolia; and 20  usually includes a moderate to dense shrub stratum, commonly including Melaleuca nodosa 21 and Lissanthe strigosa, and to a lesser extent Melaleuca decora. 22  the ground layer is variable and generally sparse with a mix of grasses and graminoids, 23 forbs, and low shrubs; 24  patches typically contain many of the plant species presented at Table 1 and may contain 25 fauna species presented in Section 1.4. 26 27 1.5.2 Condition thresholds 28 Condition classes and thresholds provide guidance for when a patch of a threatened ecological 29 community retains sufficient conservation values to be considered as a Matter of National 30 Environmental Significance, as defined under the EPBC Act. This means that the referral, 31 assessment and compliance provisions of the EPBC Act are focussed on the most valuable 32 elements of the ecological community. Very degraded patches that do not meet the condition 33 thresholds will be largely excluded from national protection. 34 Although very degraded/modified patches are not protected as the ecological community listed 35 under the EPBC Act, it is recognised that patches that do not meet the condition thresholds may 36 still retain important natural values and may be protected through State and local laws or 37 schemes. Therefore, these patches should not be excluded from recovery and other 38 management actions. Suitable recovery and management actions may improve these patches to 39 the point that they may be regarded as part of the ecological community fully protected under 40 the EPBC Act. Management actions should, where feasible, also aim to restore patches to meet 41 the high quality condition thresholds outlined below. 42 43 < Note: exact vegetative cover, patch size and tree diameter at breast height (dbh) figures are to 44 be finalised through further data analysis and consultation.> 45 8

1 For Cooks River/Castlereagh Ironbark Forest in the Sydney Basin Bioregion, categories A and 2 B are considered moderate quality condition and the minimum thresholds for a patch of the 3 ecological community to be subject to the referral, assessment and compliance provisions of the 4 EPBC Act. Categories C and D are considered the minimum thresholds for a patch of Cooks 5 River/Castlereagh Ironbark Forest in the Sydney Basin Bioregion to be regarded as an example 6 of high quality condition. 7 Category and Rationale Thresholds A. Moderate condition class Patch size >0.5ha Represented by medium to large-size And patch as part of a larger native >30% of the perennial understorey vegetation cover is made up of vegetation remnant and/or with mature native species. trees And The patch is contiguous with a native vegetation remnant (any native vegetation where cover in each layer present is dominated by native species) >1ha in area. Or The patch has at least one tree with hollows or at least one large locally indigenous tree (>80cm dbh). B. Moderate condition class Patch size >0.5ha Represented by medium to large size And patch with high quality native >50% of the perennial understorey vegetation cover is made up of understorey native species. C. High condition class Patch size >0.5ha Represented by medium to large size And patch with very high quality native >70% of the perennial understorey vegetation cover is made up of understorey native species. D. High condition class Patch size >2ha Represented by large size patch with And high quality native understorey >50% of the perennial understorey vegetation cover is made up of native species. Perennial understorey vegetation cover includes species of the ground and shrub layers with a lifecycle of more than two growing seasons. Measurements of perennial understorey vegetation cover exclude annuals, cryptogams, leaf litter or exposed soil. Contiguous means the patch of the ecological community is continuous with, or in close proximity (within 100 m), of another patch of vegetation that is dominated by native species in each vegetation layer present. 8 9 10 1.6 Area critical to the survival of the ecological community 11 Given reduced extent of the already limited distribution of the Cooks River/Castlereagh 12 Ironbark Forest, the areas currently occupied are considered to be areas critical to the survival 13 of the community. 14 15 1.7 Geographic extent 16 Cooks River/Castlereagh Ironbark Forest has a naturally restricted distribution, and is often 17 found in small pockets within Castlereagh Scribbly Gum Woodland. Since European 18 settlement, the Cooks River/Castlereagh Ironbark Forest has undergone a significant reduction

9

1 in extent (Table 3) having been cleared or substantially modified by urban and rural/residential 2 development or clay/shale extraction (NSW NPWS, 2004; Tozer, 2010). 3 4 Table 3. Estimates of decline and extent of the Cooks River/Castlereagh Ironbark Forest based 5 on information in NSW NPWS (2002), excluding units recorded with tree cover only and no 6 understorey as condition thresholds would exclude these patches. Pre 1750 ha (modelled) Current ha % remaining 12,185 1,011 8% 7 8 Tozer et al. (2006, 2010) estimates the remaining extent to be 5-20 per cent of the pre-1750 9 extent. 10 11 1.8 Surrounding environment and national context 12 The Cooks River/Castlereagh Ironbark Forest ecological community is endemic to New South 13 Wales, being generally restricted to the Cumberland Subregion of the Sydney Basin Bioregion 14 (IBRA 7.1). The Sydney Basin Bioregion is on the central east coast of NSW and occupies 15 approximately 3,624,008 ha, or 4.5 per cent of NSW (NSW OEH, 2011). The Interim 16 Biogeographic Regionalisation of Australia (IBRA) divides the Australian continent into 17 bioregions and subregions. IBRA is endorsed by all levels of government as a key tool for 18 identifying land for conservation. More information regarding IBRA, including maps are 19 available at: http://www.environment.gov.au/topics/land/nrs/science-maps-and-data/- 20 bioregions-ibra. 21 22 Table 4: Equivalent map units in key references.

Tindall Tozer et Tozer et al., et al., NSW NPWS, Benson 1992, al., 2010 2006 2004 Tozer, 2003 2002 1994 NPWS, 1997 Community ID 3 Cooks DSF P1 DSF P1 Map Unit 3 River/ Eastern Shale/ Castlereagh Castlereagh Castlereagh Castlereagh Shale/Gravel Ironbark Ironbark Ironbark Ironbark Transition Transition Forest Forest DSF 1 Forest Forest Forest (9d) Forest

Castlereagh Ironbark Forest (9e) 23 24 Cooks River/Castlereagh Ironbark Forest is included within the vegetation class: Cumberland 25 Dry Sclerophyll Forests (Keith, 2004). 26 27 Defining a patch 28 As noted above, Cooks River/Castlereagh Ironbark Forest generally occurs as small pockets 29 within Castlereagh Scribbly Gum Woodland (DSF p7). That community is present on free- 30 draining, sandier soils. Where drainage is poor, the community transitions to Castlereagh 31 Swamp Woodland (DSF p4). While the community is present on shale-derived soils next to 32 Tertiary alluvium, as the depth of the alluvium decreases, Cooks River/Castlereagh Ironbark 33 Forest grades into Shale-Gravel Transition Forest (DSF p502) (Tozer et al., 2006). 34 10

1 Using Tozer et al. (2006) SCIVI spatial model data2, excluding patches under 0.5 ha, the mean 2 patch size is 6.84 ha and the largest patch is 154.6 ha. Patches under 0.5 ha account for 73 per 3 cent of mapped patches and occupy 39.4 ha out of a total of 1052 ha (using Tozer et al. 2006 4 mapped extent). 5 Buffer zone 6 A buffer zone is a contiguous area adjacent to an ecological community that is important for 7 protecting the integrity of the community. As the buffer zone lies to the outside, around the 8 community, it is not part of the national ecological community and is not formally protected as 9 a matter of national environmental significance. However, practical application of a buffer zone 10 is strongly recommended. 11 The purpose of the buffer zone is to help protect and manage the national ecological 12 community. The edges of a patch are considered particularly susceptible to disturbance and the 13 presence of a buffer zone is intended to act as a barrier to further direct disturbance. For 14 instance, a buffer zone may help to protect the ecological community from weed invasion, 15 pollution and other threats. 16 The recommended minimum buffer zone for the ecological community is 30 metres from the 17 edge of a patch. A larger buffer zone may be applied, where practical, to protect patches that 18 are of particularly high conservation value, or if patches are down slope of drainage lines or a 19 source of eutrophication. 20 21 2. SUMMARY OF THREATS 22 As noted above, Cooks River/Castlereagh Ironbark Forest is naturally restricted in distribution 23 (Tozer et al., 2006, 2010). In addition to this, the ecological community has been extensively 24 cleared (NSW NPWS, 2002; Tozer 2003; Tozer et al. 2006, 2010; Keith 2004). The Cooks 25 River/Castlereagh Ironbark Forest is also among the most affected communities from grazing 26 within the coastal rain shadow valleys of southeast New South Wales (Tozer et al., 2010). 27 Rural-residential and industrial development continue to threaten the community (Tozer et al., 28 2010) and it is expected that the growth of western Sydney will further impact the ecological 29 community (NSW DECCW, 2010). 30 Threatened ecological communities on the Cumberland Plain are more susceptible to 31 degradation due to increasingly isolated and small remnants that are more exposed to weed 32 invasion and problems created by high nutrient and sediment runoff from urban and industrial 33 areas (NSW DECCW, 2010). 34 Rubbish dumping and high frequency fires due to arson also pose continuing threats to the 35 ecological community (Tozer et al., 2010). 36 37

2 Note the majority of SCIVI is model data and ground truthing is variable across the landscape. 11

1 Bibliography 2 Department of the Environment (2014a). Atlas of Living Australia. Records for LOT 101 3 Richmond Road, Windsor Downs NSW 2756, Australia. Accessed 21 May 2014. 4 http://biocache.ala.org.au/explore/your-area#- 5 33.646300743910764|150.79420038774413|14|ALL_SPECIES 6 7 Department of the Environment (2014b). EPBC Act Protected Matters Search Tool. Report 8 created 21 May 2014. 9 10 New South Wales Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water (NSW DECCW). 11 (2010) Cumberland Plain Recovery Plan, Department of Environment, Climate Change and 12 Water (NSW), Sydney. 13 14 New South Wales Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC NSW). (2005). 15 Recovering Bushland on the Cumberland Plain: Best practice guidelines for the management 16 and restoration of bushland. Department of Environment and Conservation (NSW), Sydney. 17 18 New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service (NSW NPWS) (2002). Interpretation 19 Guidelines for the Native Vegetation Maps of the Cumberland Plain, Western Sydney, Final 20 Edition. NSW NPWS, Hurstville. Accessed 11May 2014. 21 http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/nature/cumbPlainMappingInterpguidelines.pdf 22 23 New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service (NSW NPWS) (2004) Cooks 24 River/Castlereagh Ironbark Forest. Information Guide. Accessed 14 May 2014. 25 http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/nature/EECinfoCooksRiverCastlereaghIronbark 26 Forest.pdf 27 New South Wales Scientific Committee (2011). Cooks River/Castlereagh Ironbark Forest in the 28 Sydney Basin Bioregion - Determination to make a minor amendment to Part 3 of Schedule 1 29 of the Threatened Species Conservation Act. Accessed 11 May 2014. 30 http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/determinations/cooksriver36a.htm 31 Office of Environment and Heritage (NSW OEH) (2011). Sydney Basin Bioregion. Accessed 32 15 May 2014. http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/bioregions/SydneyBasinBioregion.htm 33 The Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust (15 May 2014). PlantNET - The Plant 34 Information Network System of The Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, Sydney, 35 Australia (version 2.0). http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au 36 Tozer, Mark (2003). The native vegetation of the Cumberland Plain, western Sydney: 37 systematic classification and field identification of communities. Cunninghamia 8(1): 2003. 38 Tozer, M. G., Turner, K., Simpson, C. C., Keith, D. A., Beukers, P., Mackenzie, B., Tindall, D. 39 & Pennay, C. (2006) Native Vegetation of Southeast NSW: A Revised Classification and Map 40 for the Coast and Eastern Tablelands. Version 1.0. Department of Environment & Conservation 41 and Department of Natural Resources, Sydney. 42 Tozer, M.G., Turner, K., Keith, D.A., Tindall, D, Pennay, C., Simpson, C., MacKenzie, B., 43 Beukers, P., and Cox, S. (2010) Native vegetation of southeast NSW: a revised classification 44 and map for the coast and eastern tablelands. Cunninghamia (2010) 11(3): 359–406. 45 Southeast NSW Native Vegetation Classification and Mapping - SCIVI VIS_ID 2230, 46 1:100,000, Tozer, et al., NSW DECC, 2006. 47

12