Apatophyllum constablei - removal from endangered species list

The Scientific Committee, established by the Threatened Species Conservation Act, has made a Final Determination to remove Apatophyllum constablei McGillivray from the Schedules of the Act by omitting reference to this species from Part 1 of Schedule 1 (Endangered species). The omission of species from the Schedules is provided for by Part 2 of the Act.

NSW Scientific Committee - final determination

The Scientific Committee has found that:

1. Apatophyllum constablei is a small shrub restricted to a small distribution within and adjacent to Wollemi National Park. A description of  A. constablei is given by Harden (1992).

2. A constablei occurs within and adjacent to Wollemi National Park, in the vicinity of and to the north of the township of Glen Davis, approximately 125km NW of Sydney. The entire distribution of the species is within the Sydney Basin Bioregion (Thackway and Creswell 1995). A. constablei is found on rugged sandstone terrain and appears to favour westerly to northerly aspects, sometimes in the vicinity of sandstone cliffs and outcrops. A. constablei has been found in a variety of woodland communities. As much of Wollemi NP is sandstone, suitable habitat may occur beyond the currently known distribution of this species.

3. A. constablei, was assessed as Endangered in Briggs & Leigh (1996) and as a consequence was placed in Part 1 of Schedule 1 as Endangered at the inception of the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995. A. constablei was surveyed in 2005 and the total numbers are estimated to be 5200-6000 mature individuals and about 500-600 seedlings/juveniles (S Clarke unpublished data, Scott and Keith 2006). There are estimated to be between nine and 13 populations of  A. constablei, currently known over an area of approximately 230km².

4. Most of the populations are reserved within the large natural area of Wollemi National Park. There appears to be no current threats that would result in continuing decline, either of individual populations or the species generally. There is also no evidence of past or future reductions in the population of the species. The current fire regime does not appear to pose a threat to A. constablei.

5. Given the absence of evidence for either past or future reductions, or continuing declines in the population of A. constablei, and the lack of evidence of severe fragmentation and extreme fluctuations, in the opinion of the Scientific Committee, this species does not currently meet any of the criteria for listing of species under the Threatened Species Conservation Regulation 2002.

6. In view of the above the Scientific Committee is of the opinion that Apatophyllum constablei McGillivray is no longer eligible to be listed as an Endangered Species in Part 1 of the Act.

Associate Professor Lesley Hughes
Chairperson
Scientific Committee

Proposed Gazettal date: 16/02/07
Exhibition period: 16/02/07 - 13/04/07

Reference:

Briggs JD, Leigh JH (1996) Rare or Threatened Australian Plants, (CSIRO publishing: Melbourne)

Harden GJ (1992) 'Flora of New South Wales.' Volume 3 (University of NSW Press: Sydney)

Scott J, Keith D (2006) Additional information forApatophyllum constablei. Unpublished report to the NSW Scientific Committee.

Thackway R, Creswell ID (1995) An interim biogeographic regionalisation for Australia: a framework for setting priorities in the National Reserves System Cooperative Program. Version 4.0. 9Australian Nature Conservation Agency: Canberra)