Biodiversity Strategy - Gosford City Council - NSW Government

A - 5.0 TERRESTRIAL BIODIVERSITY
This section outlines what we currently know about terrestrial biodiversity in Gosford
City. A major resource is the recently commissioned local scale vegetation community
mapping. Regional vegetation mapping also provides a valuable regional context. The
high number of threatened species is of particular importance in the area. Gaps in
current knowledge are identified, particularly for invertebrates which form a major group
of the animal kingdom but remain largely unstudied. This chapter discusses vegetation
communities, flora and fauna and significant habitat for Gosford City. It identifies
priorities for conservation of Gosford's terrestrial diversity based on available knowledge
and Council's responsibilities under relevant legislation.
Key points
• Local scale vegetation community mapping at a scale of 1:8,000 provides
the basis for strategic planning and environmental management.
• Over 130 threatened plants and animals occur in Gosford City and these are
found in a variety of habitats, including in remnant isolated paddock trees, under
road bridges, along road reserves, and even in suburban backyards.
• Little is known about the diversity of fungi and invertebrates although they
comprise the majority of all species and are important components of natural
ecosystems.
• Priority habitats and vegetation communities are described. These are:
1. Endangered Ecological Communities. These include saltmarsh, swamp
mahogany forests and freshwater wetlands. Lowland rainforest is likely to
be included shortly.
2. Regionally significant vegetation. These are communities that are
poorly represented in the region, that have a limited distribution, that have a
specialised habitat or that are considered vulnerable in the region.
3. Other significant vegetation and key habitat such as primary and
secondary corridors, riparian vegetation, mangroves, swamp mahoganies
and hollow bearing trees.
• Some fauna species such as the Yellow-bellied Glider and Large Forest Owls
are considered ‘umbrella species’ and measures undertaken for their
conservation are expected to benefit a range of other species.
A - 5.1
Introduction
Gosford City currently has a rich diversity of terrestrial ecosystems, with a correspondingly high
diversity of native plants and animals. The extent of national parks, state forest, nature reserves
as well as large natural areas reserved for water catchment protection and Council’s unique
Coastal Open Space System (COSS) protect much of the natural vegetation of the area. These
natural areas provide considerable benefits to Gosford City including protection of its natural
biodiversity, cleaner waterways and beaches, aesthetic values and recreational opportunities.
However, many areas of native vegetation, particularly in the coastal areas where development
pressures are greatest and the population is predominantly located, are not protected. In
addition, many plants and animals are now threatened with extinction as habitat is lost or
becomes degraded through pressures such as weed and feral animal invasion.
Council commissioned city-wide vegetation community mapping in 2003 (Bell 2004) and this
provides the basis for assessing the extent and significance of vegetation communities across
the City. There have also been many fauna surveys for specific sites and areas of interest.
Biodiversity - Technical Report Page 96