Threatened species & ecological communities

Approved Recovery Plan for the Ripple-leaf Muttonwood (Rapanea species A Richmond River)

Threatened Species Unit, North East Branch
New South Wales Department of Environment and Conservation, 2004
ISBN: 1741221382

Executive Summary

This document constitutes the formal National and New South Wales State Recovery Plan for the Ripple-leaf Muttonwood (Rapanea species A Richmond River (J.H. Maiden & J.L. Boorman NSW 26751)) and, as such, considers the conservation requirements of the species across its known range. It identifies the actions to be taken to avoid the extinction of the Ripple-leaf Muttonwood and promote its viability in the wild.

Rapanea species A Richmond River is included as Endangered on the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, and as Endangered on the New South Wales Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995. The Ripple-leaf Muttonwood is a small, evergreen tree or shrub that appears to reproduce both by suckering and producing fruit. It grows in soils developed from or enriched by tertiary volcanics. It occurs in the vegetation communities of tall open sclerophyll forest with a rainforest subcanopy, swamp sclerophyll open forest and on the margins of subtropical rainforest. The species occurs only in New South Wales and is currently known from three populations within the Richmond River and Clarence River catchments. The species was thought to be extinct until it was rediscovered on the Richmond River floodplain in 1997.

The future recovery actions detailed in this Recovery Plan include: (i) the development and distribution of environmental survey guidelines and a field identification key; (ii) liaison between the Department of Environment and Conservation (NSW) and relevant landholders and Councils; (iii) installation of roadside markers where the species is likely to be affected by maintenance of road verges; (iv) site assessment of the most recently discovered population in Mallanganee National Park; (v) scientific monitoring and research into the biology and ecology of the species; (vi) incorporation of new information on the species into relevant management plans; (vii) continuation of weed control and bush regeneration programs in known Ripple-leaf Muttonwood habitat in conservation reserves; (viii) exclusion of fire from known Ripple-leaf Muttonwood habitat; (ix) targeted surveys; and (x) maintenance of an ex-situ living and seed bank collection.

It is intended that this Recovery Plan will be implemented over a five year period. The New South Wales Department of Environment and Conservation (NSW) will be the agency responsible for implementing the proposed actions.

Copyright

© NSW Department of Environment and Conservation, 2004.

This work is copyright. However, material presented in this plan may be copied for personal use or published for educational purposes, providing that any extracts are fully acknowledged. Apart from this and any other use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced without prior written permission from NSW Department of Environment and Conservation.

NSW Department of Environment and Conservation
43 Bridge Street
(PO Box 1967)
Hurstville NSW 2220
Tel: 02 9585 6444
www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au

Requests for information or comments regarding the recovery program for the Ripple-leaf Muttonwood (Rapanea species A Richmond River) are best directed to:

The Ripple-leaf Muttonwood Recovery Co-ordinator
Threatened Species Unit, North East Branch
NSW Department of Environment and Conservation
Locked Bag 914
Coffs Harbour NSW 2450
Tel: 02 6651 5946

Cover illustrator: Kersten Tuckey

This plan should be cited as follows:
NSW Department of Environment and Conservation (2004), Approved Recovery Plan for the Ripple-leaf Muttonwood (Rapanea species A Richmond River), NSW Department of Environment and Conservation, Hurstville.

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