List of Threatened Ecological Communities Amendment (EC2) Instrument 2021 (Cth)

Commonwealth of Australia

List of Threatened Ecological Communities Amendment (EC2) Instrument 2021

I, SUSSAN LEY, Minister for the Environment, pursuant to paragraph 184(c) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, amend the list referred to in section 181 of that Act by transferring the following item in the list of threatened ecological communities from the endangered category to the critically endangered category:

Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub of the Sydney Region

as described in the Schedule to this instrument.

This instrument commences the day after registration.

Sussan Ley ................................................................................... Sussan Ley Minister for the Environment

Dated ....22nd November 2021...................................

SCHEDULE 1

Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub of the Sydney Region

The Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub of the Sydney Region ecological community is the assemblage of plants, animals and other organisms (i.e. all biota) associated with a type of temperate heath and shrubland occurring in Sydney's eastern and south-eastern suburbs, between the Hawkesbury River in the north and Stanwell Park at the southernmost extent of Royal National Park. It typically occurs on perched, low nutrient, highly podsolised sands associated with dunes and sand sheets of Quaternary age, overlying sandstone plateaux. It is now mainly restricted to elevated headlands and adjacent areas.

The vegetation structure of the ecological community is predominantly sclerophyllous heath or scrub, with either an open or closed canopy and containing a range of woody species from small to large shrubs. The ground layer of mostly sedges and forbs is typically open on freely draining sands and may be quite dense in damp depressions. Trees sometimes occur in the community as scattered emergents or localised stands, particularly eucalypts (Eucalyptus, Corymbia and Angophora species). They are typically low growing or wind-pruned. Vines and climbers are not prominent components of the ecological community, but do occur, particularly in limited wetter areas.