Endangered Ecological Communities
The strongest protection available for the environment is enforceable legal protection. There are a couple of ways this is done in NSW at the moment, both applicable to areas on the Bouddi peninsula.
Firstly land can be held as a National Park. This involves protection by the National Parks and Wildlife Act (1974), funded management and the potential for criminal charges to be laid for destruction of species or environment within park boundaries. We are very fortunate to have the Bouddi National Park to the North and South of our residential area.
Secondly, species, populations or ecological communities can be listed as endangered under the Threatened Species Conservation Act (1995). The Environmental Planning and Assessment Act (1979) obliges developers and consent authorities to assess and consider the impacts of proposed development on threatened species and communities during the development assessment process
These laws do not protect threatened species absolutely. Rather, the laws set up administrative procedures (such as requiring species impact statements) to guide decision-making where threatened species are concerned.
On the Bouddi peninsula we have four endangered ecological communities. Three of these are in low lying areas to the north of Hardy’s Bay:
The other endangered ecological community is the Pittwater spotted gum forest. This community is found only on the sandstone ridgelines near Broken Bay. There are remnants on the Pittwater side, on the Bouddi peninsula, Mount Ettalong and at Saratoga. On the Bouddi poeninsula it is found on the slopes behind Pretty Beach and Wagstaffe on the Hawkesbury sandstone soils. The dominant species are Spotted gum (Corymbia maculate) and Grey Ironbark (Eucalyptus paniculata). The understory is sparse and includes Burrawang palms and grass trees.
Firstly land can be held as a National Park. This involves protection by the National Parks and Wildlife Act (1974), funded management and the potential for criminal charges to be laid for destruction of species or environment within park boundaries. We are very fortunate to have the Bouddi National Park to the North and South of our residential area.
Secondly, species, populations or ecological communities can be listed as endangered under the Threatened Species Conservation Act (1995). The Environmental Planning and Assessment Act (1979) obliges developers and consent authorities to assess and consider the impacts of proposed development on threatened species and communities during the development assessment process
These laws do not protect threatened species absolutely. Rather, the laws set up administrative procedures (such as requiring species impact statements) to guide decision-making where threatened species are concerned.
On the Bouddi peninsula we have four endangered ecological communities. Three of these are in low lying areas to the north of Hardy’s Bay:
- Low land rain forest in Fletcher’s glen (near the sharp corner on Fraser Rd). This contains the creek fed by a spring on Killcare Heights (near Maitland Bay Drive) and provides habitat for two threatened plant species — the Magenta Lily Pilly (Syzygium paniculatum) and the Paperbark (Melaleuca biconvexa) as well as the only locally known population of Snowwood (Parachidendron pruinosum). Coachwoods, Sassafrass, Scentless rosewood and Bangalow palms can also be found.
- Swamp sclerophyll forest – between the shore and the slopes of Rileys Bay, past the Killcare extension. Swamp mahogany (Eucalyptus robusta) and Paperbark (Melacleuca quinquinervia) are the dominant species.
- Swamp Oak forest – also found on the foreshore of Rileys Bay. dominant species is Swamp Oak (Casuarina glauca).
The other endangered ecological community is the Pittwater spotted gum forest. This community is found only on the sandstone ridgelines near Broken Bay. There are remnants on the Pittwater side, on the Bouddi peninsula, Mount Ettalong and at Saratoga. On the Bouddi poeninsula it is found on the slopes behind Pretty Beach and Wagstaffe on the Hawkesbury sandstone soils. The dominant species are Spotted gum (Corymbia maculate) and Grey Ironbark (Eucalyptus paniculata). The understory is sparse and includes Burrawang palms and grass trees.