in conjunction with the N.S.W. Forest Alliance

The South Coast Forests

August 1999

The South Coast Forests cover the NSW South Coast from north of Nowra to south of Narooma, and inland almost to Queanbeyan.

Most of the natural, terrestrial habitats in the South Coast are part of wider ecosystems dominated by forests. These forest-dominated ecosystems cover 793,102 ha of public land in the South Coast region. Of this area, 372,796 ha are State Forest, 338,083 ha are National Park and 82,223 ha are vacant Crown Land.

Within the forest, coastal, heath and non-marine aquatic environments that make up the forest- dominated vegetation communities of the South Coast, are over 400 species of native mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians. These represent 20%, or one-fifth, of Australia’s total native non- fish vertebrate species (mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians). Included are 270 birds (36% of Australia’s birds), 72 mammals (27% of Australia’s mammals), 40 reptiles (5% of Australia’s reptiles) and 22 frogs (11% of Australia’s frogs). There may be many species occurring in the South Coast which have not yet been discovered and could be added to this list.

Sixty of these species are listed as threatened by the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act. This is 15% of the total known native species in the South Coast. The list includes endangered species like the Eastern Bristlebird, Broad-headed Snake, Southern Brown Bandicoot, Green and Golden Bell Frog, Smoky Mouse, Hooded Plover and Regent Honeyeater.

The South Coast forests also contain majestic old- growth forests with trees over 10 stories high and over 10 metres in girth; rainforests with trees potentially thousands of years old; and magnificent wilderness areas loved by bushwalkers across the State.

So far almost 60,000 ha of old-growth forest have been identified in the South Coast inside State Forests (that is, not formally protected and available for logging outside of operational constraints). This is over 15% of the region’s State Forests which still remain as old-growth forest.

Forests which are biologically productive, with nutrient-rich soils or on flatter terrain, are even rarer. In a study of a large part of the South Coast forests, the CSIRO found that: "Tree associations that characterised the most productive sites and, on average, the most accessible land were; (i) well represented in Freehold tenure, (ii) least represented in National Park and, (iii) most extensively disturbed by logging or clearing."

THE CORE COMMUNITY RESERVE PROPOSALS

The South East Forest Alliance has identified 15 of the most important of these largely forested areas which are still unprotected in the South Coast Forests. These 15 areas are the ‘Core Community Reserve Proposal areas’ (CCRPs) of the South East Forest Alliance for the South Coast Forests.

SEFA is proposing these areas to be protected as National Park, to form the basis of a Comprehensive, Adequate and Representative forest reserve system under the NSW Comprehensive Regional Assessment process.

In total, the 15 CRPs contain 205,102 ha, comprised of 180,478 ha of State Forest , 22,797 ha of vacant Crown Land,and 1,827 ha of Flora Reserve.