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Endangered flora and fauna of Littoral Rainforests
Three mammals, one bird and one plant species that
are also listed on the EPBC Act are found in Littoral Rainforest.
The mammals - Grey-headed Flying-fox Pteropus
poliocephalus, Long-nosed Potoroo Potorous tridactylus, and
Spot-tailed Quoll Dasyurus maculatus are all considered
‘vulnerable’ while the Swift Parrot Lathamus discolor is
‘endangered’. The plant species - Limestone Blue Wattle Acacia
caerulescens - is classed as vulnerable. Found only in eastern
Victoria, this plant is known only from the Swan Reach-Tambo Upper
region and Lake Tyers north to the Murrindal area. In 2000, there were
thought to be 1000-2000 plants in total. Most populations of A.
caerulescens occur on land under the jurisdiction of the Shire of
East Gippsland or Parks Victoria, with five small populations occurring
on private land. DSE has drawn up a national recovery plan that
identifies the threats and management needed at each site where
Limestone Blue Wattle is found. You can access this plan at the website
www.dse.vic.gov.au.
Several populations are found on private land protected by Trust for
Nature covenants. Along the east bank of Mississippi Creek a population
of 30 plants is protected in the Trust for Nature covenanted property of
an East Gippsland Rainforest CMN member.
Artist John Rainbird’s beautiful illustrations of Limestone Blue
Wattle produced for the Flora of Australia. Reproduced by kind
permission.
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What can you do?
What can you do to help this
critically endangered rainforest?
Join the East Gippsland
Rainforest CMN (see the website
www.egrainforest.org.au ). The CMN has lobbied East Gippsland
Shire Council to safeguard Littoral Rainforest through its Urban Design
Framework released in 2006. Facilitator Trish Fox continued this
lobbying last year in her role as a member of the Shire’s Environmental
Sustainability Board. The CMN holds working bees to remove weeds and
restore plants lost to deerand wallabies. We featured
their work at Kalimna Gully in our last issue. On pages 12 and 13 of
this issue you will find
a summary of all the works planned in Littoral and
Warm Temperate Rainforest by the CMN with funds secured from Caring For
Our Country We are working with East Gippsland Shire, who are on
our committee, Parks Victoria and private landholders to protect and
manage our precious rainforests. We would like your help.
A long-nosed potoroo
Photo: Andy Murray, DSE
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