Eucalyptus seeana population, Greater Taree Local Government Area - endangered population listing

The Scientific Committee, established by the Threatened Species Conservation Act, has made a Final Determination to list the population of Eucalyptus seeana Maiden in the Greater Taree Local Government Area as an ENDANGERED POPULATION on Part 2 of Schedule 1 of the Act. Listing of Endangered Populations is provided for by Part 2 of the Act.

NSW Scientific Committee - final determination

The Scientific Committee has found that:

1. Eucalyptus seeana is not included in Part 1 of Schedule 1 of the Threatened Species Conservation Act and populations of Eucalyptus seeana are therefore eligible for consideration for listing as endangered populations.

2. Eucalyptus seeana Maiden is described by Hill in (Harden G., 1991, Flora of NSW Vol. 2 UNSW Press, Kensington, page 98) as: a "tree to 40m high; bark smooth, white or grey, shedding in large plates or flakes. Juvenile leaves disjunct; broad-lanceolate, dull grey-green. Adult leaves disjunct, narrow-lanceolate, 10-18cm long, 1-2cm wide, green, dull, concolorous. Umbellasters 7-11-flowered; peduncle terete, 6-12mm long; pedicels terete, 2-5mm long. Buds cylindrical or fusiform, 8-15mm long, 3-4mm diam., scar present; calyptra elongate-acute, longer and narrower than hypanthium. Fruit hemispherical, 4-7mm long, 4-7mm diam.; disc raised; valves exserted".

3. Eucalyptus seeana has a wide distribution from Taree to Caloundra. In the southern part of its range the species is ecologically restricted and sporadic in distribution.

4. The population in the Greater Taree Local Government Area is disjunct and at or near the southern limit of the range of the species.

5. Eucalyptus seeana foliage is utilised by Koalas.

6. The population of Eucalyptus seeana in the Greater Taree Local Government Area consists mainly of scattered trees but with some denser stands. A small part of the population occurs in a Council reserve, but the area is degraded by weed invasion.

7. The habitat of Eucalyptus seeana in the Brimbin/Dawson area within the Greater Taree Local Government Area has been reduced due to past clearing for agriculture and more recently by urban expansion.

8. The population is threatened by future residential and infrastructure development.

9. In view of points 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 above the Scientific Committee is of the opinion that this population is eligible to be listed as an endangered population because the habitat of the population of Eucalyptus seeana in the Greater Taree Local Government Area has been so drastically reduced, that it is in immediate danger of extinction and that it is not a population of a species already listed in Schedule 1, and it is disjunct and at or near the limit of its geographic range.

Proposed Gazettal date: 12/07/02
Exhibition period: 12/07/02 - 16/08/02