Rare plants have second setback with roadside slashing
Two rare native plants have been slashed to the ground in maintenance work by the National Parks and Wildlife Service in Brisbane Water National Park near Warrah Trig.
This is the second setback for the plants of the endangered species astrotricha crassifolia, sometimes called the thick-leaf star-hair.
The two plants had been burnt the ground in a hazard reduction burn in July last year.
The species is believed to exist in just two small patches near Sydney, one being at Warrah Trig, and their numbers were said to be declining.
The plants were just showing signs of regrowing from their roots, when they were slashed.
A number of yellow roadside posts warn of "threatened species" in the area.
It appears that one of the warning posts at the end of the protected area was removed and not replaced after the track reconstruction and subsequent hazard reduction burn.
Prior to last year's burn, the National Parks and Wildlife Service said the hazard reduction burn would help to protect astrotricha crassifolia.
"Monitoring of the astrotricha crassifolia population, since 2018, revealed a substantial decline in the population, due to crowding-out by other vegetation.
"Following the burn, these declining patches of astrotricha crassifolia are expected to respond positively."
However, it was not clear that burning the vulnerable plants themselves was intentional.
SOURCE:
Photograph, 9 Aug 2024
Mark Snell, Peninsula News