Conservation Status of Northern New South

Wales Orchids

A presentation to the 4th Australasian Native Orchid Conference,

Melbourne, October 2000.

Project purpose• To identify the orchids in part of northern NSW – pressures on natural habitats from plantation hardwood forestry and more conventional agriculture

• To develop lists of species, and identify habitats with higher diversity or significant species present.

• To provide information for management planning.

Project outline• Compilation of existing information – data lists and existing records held by agencies and institutions

• Field collection of updated and targeted information

• Publication of outcomes

Project Scope

• Limited to the southern Clarence Moreton Basin – a large sedimentary basin between Coffs Harbour and the Queensland border, bounded by the Gibraltar Range and tertiary volcanic material from Mt Warning and Focal Peak volcanoes.

– Mainly in the Clarence Catchment.

Compilation• Data lists held by various agencies and individuals– Sometimes difficult to get– Limited in suitability largely by age (fewer species recognised) and expertise of the original recorder.

Field collection• Limited by time available• targeted to areas of likely occurrence for more significant species

• ongoing as time and funding permit

Early surprises• Within 3 months the project had 2 major finds:

Pterostylis woollsii– Found within 25 km of Grafton near a proposed dam site.

– First published record of the species for the NSW North Coast botanical region.

Sarcochilus dilatatus• First record of the species since a dubious 1896 record

• Confirmed discovery of the species in NSW

• Range extension by 150 km southwards

Publications• Early results presented as a poster to the 16th World Orchid Conference in Vancouver, 1999.

• Publication of significant early finds in the Orchadian and Cunninghamia

Website• An internet website has been established to list the taxa of orchids found in the northern part of NSW, and provide a text page and imagery of the species if available– http://www.anos.org.au/ne_nsw_species– 174 species listed, 115 with imagery.

Ongoing work• Further studies of the area, concentrating on– the sandstone outcrops and – areas likely to be considered for plantations.

Acknowledgements• The San Diego County Orchid Society for funds

• The NSW DLWC for map work and assistance with locating some records

• NSW NPWS for assisting with locality and diversity information

• The Grafton and Casino Rural Lands Protection Boards for allowing access to various sites