COMPLETED Threatened Ecological Community Restoration: Lowland Rainforest

COMPLETED Threatened Ecological Community Restoration: Lowland Rainforest

This project will enable the strategic rehabilitation of Lowland Rainforest threatened ecological communities within the Coffs Harbour LGA. The primary focus of this project will be to undertake weed management actions to facilitate recovery and restore the ecological function of patches of Lowland Rainforest subject to impacts resulting from invasive species, fragmentation, and patch size reduction as a result of historic land use practices. Staged approach to ecological restoration will be implemented over an area of 3 ha with collaboration of Jaliigirr Biodiversity Alliance, its partners, and the local community.

The on ground strategic weed management actions will benefit landscape connections between larger areas of habitat, ensuring corridors for migration, colonisation and interbreeding of plants and animals.

Since European settlement, lowland rainforest has undergone a large reduction in area due to clearing (Floyd 1990, NSW Scientific Committee 1999, 2006) and much of the lowland rainforest has been lost from the Tweed, Bellinger and Orara valleys. Most remaining stands occur as small remnants of variable quality which are often isolated within highly modified agricultural landscapes (Threatened Species Scientific Committee 2011). Lowland rainforest is listed under State and Commonwealth legislation as an Endangered or Critically Endangered Ecological Community (NSW Scientific Committee 1999, 2006, Threatened Species Scientific Committee 2011).

The targeted threatened ecological communities are located within regional, and sub regional corridors known as the “Jaliigirr priority corridors”. Fragmented patches are small and isolated, the sites are geographically connected, and dispersal of seed source occurs between the patches. The project will increase public knowledge and awareness of Lowland Rainforest and Lowland Rainforest on Floodplain through the publication of awareness raising material, media release and social media posts.

Additional benefits from the project is to the increase in the broader communities understanding of the importance for the need to protect and rehabilitate
Lowland Rainforest resulting in the conservation of multiple fauna and flora species, such as Southern Pink Underwing Moth, Grey-headed Flying-fox, Giant Barred Frog, Stuttering Frog, Superb Lyrebird, Greater Glider, Wompoo Fruit-dove and Rose-crowned Fruit-dove.