Protecting Tasmania’s Threatened Flora and Communities

Background

Tasmania is home to some of the oldest species of plants on Earth, and our geographical isolation means many of our plants are found nowhere else in the world. This group of sub-projects addressed threats to a select number of our most at risk plants and plant communities, and included efforts to boost seed reserves and improve genetic viability, replant and reconnect plant communities, and engaged the broader community in conservation efforts.

Saving Morrisby’s Gum

Protecting Southport Heath

Southport heath (Epacris stuartii) is known from one remote location in southern Tasmania and is one of the 30 priority plants in Australia’s Threatened Species Strategy. In the early 2000’s, an insurance (ex situ) population was established on Southport Island to help insure against extinction.

Although a 2009 census showed a good survival rate, the island is home to several high threat weed species, which puts this population at risk. This project built on conservation work carried out under NLP1 and was delivered in partnership with the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania, Tasmania’s Parks and Wildlife Service, the Tasmanian Seed Conservation Centre, Threatened Plants Tasmania and pakana Services.

Protecting Black Gum/Brooker’s Gum Forest & Woodland

Tasmanian black gum (Eucalyptus ovata) / Brooker’s gum (E. brookeriana) forest and woodland is a habitat under threat. This vegetation community, known formally as ‘Tasmanian forests and woodlands dominated by black gum or Brookers gum’ is unique to Tasmania and is classed as critically endangered.

Around 90% of this community has been lost to historical clearing, so it is now protected under Tasmanian and Australian Government law. It is at risk from native vegetation clearance, invasive species, grazing pressure and other threats associated with land-use and poor land management practices.

NRM South addressed threats to this community in partnership with the Tasmanian Land Conservancy and the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania.

Project Achievements

• Two conservation covenants approved
• Southport heath survey completed
• Developed a black gum/Brooker’s gum landholder fact sheet
• Supported 174 plant giveaways which has contributed to 21 new plantings
• Mapping work on black gum/Brooker’s gum communities
• Four landholder agreements covering 10 ha formalised to protect conservation plantings of Morrisby’s Gum and three Morrisby’s Gum plantings established on private property (covering 7.5 ha), with 2,430 Morrisby’s Gum seedlings planted.
  
• Eighteen Southport Heath plants caged at Southport Bluff to allow for future seed collection, and seeds collected from Morrisby’s Gum.
  
• Stall at Dover community market distributed 60 Southport Heath plants to the local community.
• Nine Forest on Farms management agreements established and property action plans with private landholders developed.
• Five conservation covenants established protecting a total of 38.15 ha of Black or Brookers gum forest.