Approved NSW and National Recovery Plan 	

Recovery Plan for

Boronia granitica

(Granite Boronia)

July 2002

© NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, 2002.

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 the NPWS.

NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
43 Bridge Street
(PO Box 1967) Hurstville NSW 2220
Tel: 02 9585 6444 www.npws.nsw.gov.au

For further information contact: Granite Boronia Recovery Coordinator
Threatened Species Unit, Northern Directorate NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Locked Bag 914
Coffs Harbour NSW 2450
Tel: 02 6651 5946

Cover illustration: Boronia granitica (Granite Boronia) Cover illustrator: Ann Sheppard
This plan should be cited as follows:
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (2002). Recovery Plan for Boronia granitica (Granite Boronia). NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, Hurstville.

ISBN 0 7313 68894

Executive Summary

Introduction
Boronia granitica (Granite Boronia) is a medium-sized, open shrub with pinnate foliage and pink flowers.	It grows in heathy vegetation amongst granite boulders of the New England Batholith, where it is restricted to a limited number of mostly small populations.

This recovery plan describes our current understanding of B. granitica, documents the research undertaken to  date and  identifies management actions required and  parties responsible in addressing the conservation of B. granitica.

Legislative context
The Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (TSC Act) is NSW’s most comprehensive legislative framework to protect and encourage the recovery of threatened species, populations and communities.  Under the TSC Act, the Director-General of National Parks and Wildlife has certain  responsibilities including  the  preparation  of  recovery  plans  for  threatened  species, populations and ecological communities.  This recovery plan has been prepared to satisfy the requirements of both the TSC Act and the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).

Current species status
B. granitica is known in NSW from only five disjunct areas on the north-western side of the New England Tablelands from near Armidale north to the Torrington district.  The species also occurs in the Stanthorpe district of southern Queensland.

Viable populations of B. granitica are known from Kings Plains National Park, Torrington State Recreation Area and Severn River Nature Reserve in NSW (and Girraween National Park in Queensland). However, populations outside conservation reserves are either critically small or vulnerable to decline.

The major threats to B. granitica are the impacts of inappropriate fire regimes and browsing by stock and feral goats.   Such processes pose a serious threat to unreserved populations of B. granitica and a potential threat to reserved populations. Disturbances such as mining activities and clearing are additional potential threats.

B. granitica is listed as endangered under the NSW TSC Act. However, a review process by the NSW Scientific Committee has resulted in a recommendation in May 2002 that B. granitica be downlisted to  vulnerable (NSW  Scientific Committee 2002).	The  species  is  also  listed  as endangered under the EPBC Act and is included on the Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council (ANZECC) Threatened Australian Flora list (1993).  On the Rare or Threatened Australian Plant (ROTAP) list, the species is considered vulnerable and is assigned a code of 3VC- (Briggs and Leigh 1996).

Recovery objectives
The overall objective of this recovery plan is to protect populations of B. granitica from decline induced by non-natural agents and to ensure that these populations remain viable in the wild in the long term.

Specific objectives of this recovery plan are to:

   improve the long-term viability of reserved populations;

   improve the viability of known non-reserved populations;

   determine if further populations exist on granite outcrops elsewhere on the New England
Tablelands;

   increase our understanding of the ecology of B. granitica; and

   identify and ameliorate threatening processes.

Recovery criteria
Recovery criteria are that:

   cessation of feral goat browsing at the Parlour Mountain location and reduction of goat (and stock) interference at Howell;

   reduction in feral goat populations in NPWS estate to a minimum;

   an improved understanding of the biology and ecology of B. granitica is sufficient to enable management for long-term viability of the species in NSW;

   reserved populations do not suffer any reduction due to human induced causes;

   populations that are not reserved are protected by appropriate measures;

   evidence of seedling establishment and recruitment at all or most population areas; and

   site monitoring to indicate population stability.

Recovery actions
Recovery actions will be directed toward:

   implementation of  the  most  appropriate and  effective  fire  management options  for  the stability or enhancement of B. granitica in situ;

   research into aspects of the ecology of B. granitica, especially reproductive biology, seed- bank dynamics and fire response, necessary to develop the above management strategies; and

   protection of populations from the adverse impacts associated with feral goat and stock grazing.

Biodiversity benefits
The occurrence of B. granitica contributes to the high biodiversity of the flora of the northern tablelands and slopes of NSW. Other threatened species and communities that occupy similar granite outcrop habitats are likely to benefit from conservation of B. granitica.

Through awareness of the fate of B. granitica, the profile of all threatened plant species is raised in the general community.  This in turn leads to greater opportunities for the conservation of threatened species and increased protection of biodiversity.

MICHAEL WRIGHT	BOB DEBUS MP
A/Director-General	Minister for Environment

Table of Contents

Executive Summary ................................................................................................ i
1	Current conservation status ..............................................................................1
2	Description .......................................................................................................1
2.1   Taxonomic description............................................................................................................1
2.2  Taxonomic significance ...........................................................................................................1
3	Distribution ..................................................................................................... 2
3.1   Current and historical distribution........................................................................................ 2
4	Habitat ............................................................................................................. 5
4.1   Physical environment............................................................................................................. 5
4.2  Vegetation ............................................................................................................................... 5
5	Ecology ............................................................................................................ 7
5.1   Life form and longevity .......................................................................................................... 7
5.2  Reproductive biology ............................................................................................................. 7
6	Disturbance, threats and reasons for decline ................................................... 8
6.1  Grazing.................................................................................................................................... 8
6.2  Fire .......................................................................................................................................... 9
6.3  Mining, quarrying and bushrock collection ......................................................................... 11
6.4  Land clearance....................................................................................................................... 11
6.5  Low population numbers ...................................................................................................... 11
7	Relevant legislation.........................................................................................12
7.1   Recovery plan preparation and implementation ................................................................ 12
7.2  State legislation .................................................................................................................... 13
7.3  Commonwealth legislation .................................................................................................. 14
8	Social and economic consequences .................................................................15
8.1  Intrinsic ecological value.......................................................................................................15
8.2  Scientific and taxonomic value .............................................................................................15
8.3  Biodiversity value ..................................................................................................................15
8.4  Pharmaceutical and commercial value................................................................................ 16
8.5  Social benefits....................................................................................................................... 16
9	Previous actions undertaken...........................................................................16
10   Species’ ability to recover ................................................................................16
11	Recovery objectives and performance criteria ................................................ 17
11.1 Objectives of the recovery plan .............................................................................................17
11.2 Recovery performance criteria..............................................................................................17
12   Recovery actions ............................................................................................. 17
12.1 Implement research and monitoring programs ................................................................... 17
12.2 Manage current reserved areas............................................................................................ 18
12.3 Manage the Torrington State Recreation Area population................................................. 18
12.4 Manage the Howell and Parlour Mountain populations .................................................... 19
12.5 Publicity ................................................................................................................................ 19
12.6 Horticulture .......................................................................................................................... 19
13   Implementation ..............................................................................................21

14   Preparation details ........................................................................................ 22
14.1 Date of last amendment ....................................................................................................... 22
14.2 Review date........................................................................................................................... 22
15	Acknowledgments .......................................................................................... 22
16   Acronyms used in this document ................................................................... 22
17	References ..................................................................................................... 23
Appendix 1:Implementation
25			costs	
Appendix 2:Information
27	leaflet,	Boronia	granitica	
Appendix 3:Boronia	repanda	in	NSW	
30

Figures

Figure 1:	Location of known occurrences of Boronia granitica in New South Wales.........3

Tables

Table 1: Conservation status of Boronia granitica.............................................................. 1

Table 2: Tenure of known population areas of Boronia granitica in New South Wales ...... 4

Table 3: Boronia granitica populations recorded from the Torrington area ...................... 4

Table 4: Plant species associated with Boronia granitica................................................... 6

Table 5: Relative impact of major current or potential threats to main population areas of
Boronia granitica ....................................................................................................... 8

Table 6: Public Authority Responsibilities ........................................................................ 13

Table 7: Rare or threatened flora occurring with Boronia granitica ................................. 15

Table 8: Implementation schedule for recovery actions .................................................... 21

Approved Recovery Plan	Boronia granitica

1	Current conservation status
Boronia granitica Maiden & Betche (Granite Boronia) is known from less than ten disjunct areas of granitic outcrop vegetation on the north-western side of the New England Tablelands from near Armidale in New South Wales (NSW) to the Stanthorpe district in southern Queensland.

The species is currently listed as endangered (Schedule 1 Part 1) on the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (TSC Act). The ‘endangered’ code is reserved for species considered ‘likely to become extinct in NSW unless circumstances and factors that threaten its survival or evolutionary development cease to operate’, or ‘numbers are reduced to such a critical level, or its habitats have been so drastically reduced that it is in immediate danger of extinction’.

A review process by the NSW Scientific Committee has resulted in a recommendation in May 2002 that B. granitica be downlisted to vulnerable on the basis that the total population size of the species is  much larger than previously believed (NSW Scientific Committee 2002).

A summary of the conservation status of B. granitica is given in Table 1.

Table 1:	Conservation status of Boronia granitica

Legislative or scientific list	Code	Status
NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995	E	endangered

Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity
Conservation Act 1999

E	endangered

ANZECC Threatened Australian Flora (ANZECC 1993)	E	endangered

Rare or Threatened Australia Plants (ROTAP) (Briggs and
Leigh 1996)

Vascular  Plants  of  Conservation  Significance  in  North- Eastern NSW (Richards et al. 1998)

3VC-	vulnerable

C-1	critically threatened

Note:
E    =   endangered;
3	=   a geographic range in Australia greater than 100 kilometres;
V    =   vulnerable, not presently endangered but at risk over a longer period (20-50 years) of disappearing from the wild through continued depletion, or occurs on land whose future use is likely to change and threaten
its survival;
C-   =   at least one population within a proclaimed conservation reserve but population size not accurately known; and
C-1 =   critically threatened.

2	Description

2.1 Taxonomic description
Boronia granitica is a medium-sized shrub with divided leaves and bright pink flowers. It was first described by Maiden and Betche in the Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales (1905) from Maiden and Boorman’s 1905 type collection from Howell, south- east  of  Inverell in  NSW. Detailed taxonomic descriptions are  provided in  Weston and Porteners (1991), Quinn et al. (1995) and Duretto (in press). Williams (1979) also provided an illustration of the species.

2.2 Taxonomic significance
The genus Boronia belongs to the Rutaceae, a plant family with a wide distribution throughout the warmer parts of the world. Rutaceae is predominantly a ‘southern’ family

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Approved Recovery Plan	Boronia granitica

with a high degree of endemism (greater than 95 percent of species and greater than 50 percent of genera) in Australia (Morley and Toelken 1983).   The tribe Boroniaea is the largest of the six Australian Rutaceae tribes, has the greatest number of endemic species and is particularly common and conspicuous among sclerophyll heathlands.

The genus Boronia is confined to Australia and New Caledonia with approximately 100 of the total 104 species endemic to Australia (Weston and Porteners 1991). Of this, approximately 35 species occur in NSW (Weston 1990).

B. granitica belongs to the section Valvatae, with the two closest congeners, B. repanda and B. boliviensis m.s. (formerly Boronia sp. J.), being the most threatened members of the section (Duretto in press) and possibly the rarest boronias in eastern Australia.

Although B. repanda is listed under the TSC Act, its natural occurrence in NSW requires confirmation. It may be present in Boonoo Boonoo National Park (NP) (G. Robinson pers. comm.) but the nearest confirmed records are confined to a small area of the granite belt in south-eastern Queensland (refer Appendix 3). If the existence of B. repanda cannot be confirmed in NSW then the species should be removed from the schedules of the TSC Act.

3	Distribution

3.1 Current and historical distribution
Boronia granitica occurs in the northern part of the New England Tableland and Nandewar biogeographic regions of NSW and southern Queensland as described in Thackway and Cresswell (1995). The species has been known for several decades from the type locality at Howell, north to the Stanthorpe district in southern Queensland. More recently the species has been collected approximately 50 kilometres south of Howell at Parlour Mountain near Armidale (Hunter and Bruhl 1997).

In NSW, B. granitica is currently known from several isolated populations (see Figure 1 and details in Table 2), one of which is critically small and possibly non-viable.

A 1933 specimen of B. granitica lodged in the NSW herbarium is labelled ‘The Gorge’, Kangaroo Creek near Elsmore, c. 16 kilometres east of Inverell. Information on the current status of B. granitica near Elsmore is lacking. Although small areas of suitable habitat may occur in the Elsmore district, it has not been botanically surveyed. Given no subsequent records (for more than 50 years) and the possibility of error in locality labelling of the original voucher, the presence of B. granitica near Elsmore seems dubious and requires confirmation.

The  local  government  areas  in  which  populations  of  B.  granitica  occur  in  NSW  are
Tenterfield, Inverell, Severn, Guyra and possibly Armidale Dumaresq Councils.

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Approved Recovery Plan	Boronia granitica

Queensland

TENTERFIELD
#

Torrington
SRA

@
$ 	@@
@$ $ 	@ 	@

$	$@
@

$$$@

Severn River
@$ 	NR

$$$$

@

Kings Plains   @
NP

INVERELL
#

GLEN INNES
#

@ 	$

@

$$@

$

@

ARMIDALE
#

$	Boronia granitica
National Park Estate	N

50 	0 	50  Kilometres 	W 	E

S

Figure 1: Location of known occurrences of Boronia granitica in New South
Wales

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Approved Recovery Plan	Boronia granitica

Table 2:   Tenure  of  known  population  areas  of  Boronia  granitica  in  New
South Wales

Population area	Land tenure	Local

No.	of Estimated

	Government
Area	populatio ns	population size	
Parlour Mountain
(c.	35	km	NW	of
Armidale)	Private Freehold	Guyra / Armidale Dumaresq	one	three plants	
Howell
(c. 20 km SW of Inverell)	Leasehold & Permissive Occupancy	Guyra / Inverell	multiple	Possibly hundreds	
Kings Plains	National Park	Inverell	one	thousands	
Severn River and ‘The
Barbs’ near Pindari Dam	Nature Reserve and
Water Reserve	Inverell	multiple	thousands	
Torrington area	State Recreation Area   Tenterfield	/ multiple	thousands
Severn

Note:
The Severn River and Kings Plains populations may not be totally isolated as there are scattered occurrences of B. granitica along the extent of the discontinuous band of granite and acid volcanic outcrops that broadly link the  two  areas  (J.  Hunter  pers.  comm.).  Other  populations  can  be  considered  isolated  in  a  pragmatic management sense even though limited genetic exchange may still occur across intervening unsuitable habitat by vector transportation of pollen.

The  Torrington  area  may  represent  a  stronghold  for  B.  granitica  in  NSW  as  several relatively large populations occur in suitable habitat over a range of approximately 40 kilometres from near Emmaville to Silent Grove. In a recent intensive survey of the vegetation of  the Torrington SRA, Clarke et  al.  (1998) classified the distribution of  B. granitica within the Torrington area as ‘widespread’ (as populations occur beyond a 10 kilometre radius), and ‘frequent’ (as the species was recorded in 14.5 percent of 246 sites surveyed). Additional herbarium records of B. granitica from the Torrington area are given in Table 3.

Table 3:   Boronia granitica populations recorded from the Torrington area

Population location	Estimated population size

Year	Collector / surveyor

The Gulf, near Emmaville	Not given	1905	Andrews Bismuth	Not given	1970	J. Williams Silent Grove	Not given	1971	G. Althofer
Butler Road	15	1990	White & Williams

Bismuth Falls	10-20	1990	White & Williams Blatherarm Creek	c. 40		Williams et al. Breakfast Creek track (off Gulf Rd)	Not given	1990	Quirico et al. Flagstone Creek track (off Gulf Rd)	Not given	1990	Quirico et al. Highland Home Creek Crown Lease	50	1996	Croft & Sheringham Carpet Snake Gap	200	1997	L. Copeland
‘Mystery Face’	c. 50	1998	J. Westaway

Note:
Some of the above populations may have also been surveyed by Clarke et al. (1998).

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In the Stanthorpe area of southern Queensland approximately ten small populations of B. granitica occur on private, or otherwise unreserved, lands scattered over 30 kilometres extending from near The Summit, Thulimbah and Amiens villages south to Girraween NP (Queensland Herbarium records, Quinn et al. 1995).

4	Habitat

4.1 Physical environment

Geology
Boronia granitica is restricted to a limited number of areas on the large plutonic masses collectively known as the New England Batholith. The exposed domes of the Batholith are comprised of various intrusive rocks and B. granitica has been found on granite, leucoadamellite and adamellite, but not granodiorite (Hunter and Clarke 1998). Additionally, Quinn et al. (1995) noted that a few plants occur on porphyrite at Severn River.

Topography and soils
The extensive rock sheets and massive outcrops resulting from erosion of the elevated domes of the Batholith form the conspicuous land form element that provides habitat for B. granitica on the northern tablelands and slopes of NSW. The outcropping areas where the species has been recorded lie in the mid elevation range of 700 metres AHD at Severn River to 1200 metres at Parlour Mountain.

B. granitica grows either amongst boulders in the skeletal soils found within narrow rock crevices and fissures, or in adjacent areas on granite scree and shallow soils (Quinn et al.
1995, Clarke et al. 1998). Detailed data are not available concerning the soil types that B. granitica occurs in, although Clarke et al. (1998) noted lithosols and podzolics for the Torrington area and Quinn et al. (1995) noted deep red soils at Severn River.

Climate
The granitic tablelands and slopes of NSW experience both tropical and temperate climatic influences, with predominantly summer rainfall and cool winters with associated frosts. Average temperatures range from summer maxima of 26-31° C to winter minima of -2°-0° C.  B. granitica occurs within the relatively low rainfall regions of the tablelands and slopes with average annual precipitation varying with altitude from 700 millimetres at Severn River to 850 millimetres at Parlour Mountain.

4.2 Vegetation
B. granitica occurs in heathland, shrubland and adjacent heathy woodland / open forest associated with granite outcrops (Ross 1983, Weston and Porteners 1991, Quinn et al. 1995, Clarke et al. 1998, Hunter and Clarke 1998, Duretto in press).

In their detailed survey of the vegetation of the New England Batholith, Hunter and Clarke
(1998) described the following five vegetation communities that contain B. granitica:

   Prostanthera  staurophylla  -  Kunzea  bracteolata  low  shrubland  (Community  4b, Torrington shrublands) of the central New England shrublands vegetation element;

   Babingtonia odontocalyx - Brachyloma saxicola shrubland (Community 4c, Torrington woodlands), of the central New England shrublands vegetation element;

   Calytrix tetragona - Leptospermum novae-angliae shrubland (Community 5a, Kings
Plains shrubland) of the Severn shrublands element;

   Calytrix  tetragona  -  Kunzea  obovata  shrubland (Community 7e,  Parlour  Mountain shrublands) of the western New England shrublands and herbfields element; and

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   Babingtonia  densifolia  -  Homoranthus  prolixus  shrubland  (Community  9a)  of  the
Howell shrubland vegetation element.

In a further survey of the Torrington SRA, Clarke et al. (1998) identified and described the following  four  vegetation  types  that  B.  granitica  was  recorded  in.  The  first  two  are analogous to the Torrington woodlands and Torrington shrublands communities respectively, as described above:

   western rocky outcrops (vegetation type 7a), Eucalyptus prava - Callitris endlicheri
outcrop woodlands;

   Mole  Tableland  rocky  outcrops  (vegetation  type  6),  Eucalyptus  prava  -  Callitris endlicheri - Eucalyptus andrewsii, Torrington outcrop heaths;

   vegetation type 3a, Eucalyptus andrewsii - E. brunnea - E. williamsiana shrubby forest;
and

   vegetation  type  3b,  Eucalyptus  andrewsii  -  mixed  stringybark,  Torrington  shrubby stringybark forest.

Hunter and  Clarke (1998) and  Clarke et  al.  (1998) also  detailed other vascular plants frequently occurring in each vegetation stratum within the above listed communities. Further plant species found in association with B. granitica are listed in Table 4 (Quinn et al. 1995, J. Westaway pers. obs.).

Table 4:   Plant species associated with Boronia granitica

Kings Plains	‘Mystery Face’-Torrington	Various other NSW sites	
Eucalyptus prava	Eucalyptus andrewsii	Acacia fimbriata	
Eucalyptus crebra	Acacia betchei	Acacia neriifolia	
Leptospermum novae-angliae	Bossiaea rhombifolia	Acacia triptera	
Allocasuarina brachystachya	Bossiaea obcordata	Angophora floribunda	
Calytrix tetragona	Brachyloma saxicola	Callitris endlicheri	
Melichrus urceolatus	Gompholobium hueglii	Correa reflexa	
Homoranthus biflorus	Dampiera stricta	Eucalyptus prava	
Grevillea triternata	Patersonia sericea	Hibbertia obtusifolia	
Hakea dactyloides	Hibbertia sp. B	Jacksonia scoparia	
Persoonia cornifolia	Hibbertia spp.	Leucopogon melaleucoides	
Cryptandra amara	Prostanthera staurophylla	Leucopogon muticus	
Leucopogon neo-anglicus	Aotus subglauca	Leucopogon neo-anglicus	
Xanthorrhoea johnsonii	Persoonia cornifolia	Melichrus urceolatus	
Astrotricha roddii	Entolasia stricta	Olax stricta	
Phebalium rotundifolium	Rhytidosporum procumbens	Phebalium rotundifolium	
Zieria laevigata	Xanthorrhoea johnsonii	Prostanthera sp.	
		Xanthorrhoea sp.	

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Approved Recovery Plan	Boronia granitica

5	Ecology

5.1 Life form and longevity
Boronia granitica is a perennial evergreen woody shrub with an open branched growth habit. The species appears to have a slow growth rate. Although longevity data are lacking, the CRA Threatened Flora Expert Workshops for the Upper North-East Region of NSW estimated B. granitica to have a longevity of about 15 years. This equates to that suggested for the closely related B. boliviensis m.s. (Morsley and Falconer in prep.).

Few  data  on  Boronia  exist  concerning the  time  required  for  seedlings  to  mature  and produce their first flowers (the primary juvenile period). B. ledifolia (closely related to B. granitica) and B. serrulata are fire sensitive species that were found to flower four or five years after fire in the Hawkesbury Sandstone vegetation (Benson 1985). B. parviflora, a resprouter of swampy heaths, is estimated to have a primary juvenile period of more than five years, although this period is thought to generally be longer in resprouters than seeders (Keith 1991). Preliminary observations suggest that B. granitica may flower in its third or fourth  year  (J.  Westaway  pers.  obs.),  which  is  consistent  with  the  estimated  primary juvenile period of 4-8 years for other restricted outcrop shrubs with similar regenerative strategies (Clarke and Fulloon 1999).

5.2 Reproductive biology
B.  granitica is  a  dicotyledonous angiosperm that,  once  mature,  flowers  and  sets  seed annually. The species appears to have an extended flowering season from July to December, concentrated over spring. Fewer individuals flower in other months, although this may vary annually with local climatic conditions.

Little is known of the breeding system of B. granitica. All Boronia section Valvatae are described as self-incompatible (Weston et al. 1984). Thus, pollen transfer is required for successful fertilisation. Self-incompatibility implies an outcrossing breeding system with isolated pollen centres (populations) diverging genetically over time according to conventional  speciation  theory.  However,  the  reduction  in  size  of  pollen  centres,  for instance due  to  clearing,  could  potentially force  inbreeding. The  ramifications of  such changes are unknown but may speculatively include declines in genetic integrity and population viability. A detailed investigation of pollination mechanisms in  B. granitica would improve understanding of the species’ breeding system.

The flowers from plants in the Boronia genus emit volatile oils. The location and timing of these emissions suggest a role in attracting pollination vectors (Weston et al. 1984). There are no known limits to pollination in B. granitica, although little information is available because pollination vectors and mechanisms have not been studied. Unidentified beetles were attending flowers at one location during spring 1998 (J. Westaway pers. obs.) and beetles are thought to be involved in pollination of other Boronia species (M. Duretto pers. comm.). The role of introduced honeybees in pollination of B. granitica at sites in the Torrington SRA may also be significant given the proximity of at least 40 apiary leases to the area. More research is needed into the pollination ecology and population genetics of B. granitica.

Little is known of the fate of seed released from B. granitica but seeds of more than 30 percent of the sclerophyll shrub flora of low nutrient soils in Australia are ant dispersed (myrmecochory) (Beattie 1991). Seed of many Boronia species is likely to be ant dispersed (Berg 1975) and this is the case for the closely related B. boliviensis m.s. where seed has been found in excavated ant nests (Morsley and Falconer in prep.).

Seeds buried by ants are safe from fire and predation and are removed from competition with sympatric species for establishment microsites (Beattie 1991). The depth of burial affects dormancy breaking, germination and seedling emergence. In a study of ant-seed interaction in sclerophyll forest in Queensland, Drake (1981) found that the removal of seeds by ants could potentially deplete the available seed supply for regeneration, especially

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Approved Recovery Plan	Boronia granitica

if taken to unsuitable germination sites such as wood ant nests. In most cases, however, sufficient seed for regeneration remains after predator satiation has been reached (Drake
1981).

Beattie (1991) suggested that ants transport seeds mostly within 10-20 metres of the parent plant. Seed dispersal by rainfall runoff may exceed such distances where microtopographic variation is minimal allowing unhindered flow of high rainfall events down slope. Nonetheless, seed dispersal ability in B. granitica seems to be relatively poor when compared with other vascular plants.

The small hard seeds of B. granitica accumulate in the soil until dormancy is broken by germination cues. The related B. keysii, of more mesic environments in southern Queensland accumulated a  large viable seed bank in  the  soil over an  inter-fire period extending two decades (Leigh and Briggs 1992). The soil-stored seed bank of B. granitica is thought  to  be  relatively  small  and  suspected  to  be  moderately  long-lived  (Clarke  and Fulloon 1999). More research is needed into the role of ants in dispersing the seed of B. granitica and into long term viability of seed banks in soil.

6	Disturbance, threats and reasons for decline
Due to its intrinsic habitat specificity, Boronia granitica may have always had a restricted distribution, confined to heathy vegetation associated with large expanses of granite outcropping  on  the  mid-elevation,  dry  western  side  of  the  New  England  Batholith. However, populations of B. granitica may have declined since European settlement of the area as a result of grazing by stock and feral goats, inappropriate fire regimes, mineral exploration, mining, quarrying and bushrock collection. Widespread land clearance and disturbance may have also impacted on the distribution of the species although this assumption is based principally on circumstantial evidence. A summary of impacts on B. granitica populations in various areas is given in Table 5.

Table 5:   Relative  impact  of  major  current  or  potential  threats  to  main population areas of Boronia granitica

Threat	Parlour
Mountai	Howell area	Kings
Plains	Severn River / The	Barbs	&	Torringto n area	
	n			adj.	private
land		
Browsing of plants, especially
by feral goats	high	high	moderate	moderate	moderate*	
Inappropriate fire regimes	moderate	high	moderate	moderate	moderate*	
Soil disturbance from mining and exploration activities	low	moderat e	low	low	moderate	
Loss of habitat to agricultural activities or access tracks	moderate	moderat e	low	moderate	low	
Note:
* down from ‘high’ as a result of active NPWS management.

6.1 Grazing
It was noted as early as 1932 that plants in the Elsmore area identified as B. granitica (but now requiring confirmation) were ‘eaten by stock in the drought’ (McKie herbarium label) and that this may have contributed to the disappearance of the species from this area. At Torrington SRA, stock grazing is permitted under licence but it is unclear whether any populations of B. granitica have been adversely affected. The draft Plan of Management for the SRA recommends elimination of grazing from the reserve by 2005.

The rocky habitat of B. granitica possibly confers a degree of protection from disturbance by domestic stock, but not from goats which can gain access to the entire landscape (Quinn

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et al. 1995). Feral goats are now abundant in the Howell area and pose an increasing threat to  the  vegetation community (Hunter and  Clarke 1998). A  drastic  reduction of  the  B. granitica population to critically low numbers has occurred at Parlour Mountain where two of the three plants that persist at the site have been eaten by goats (Hunter and Bruhl 1997). Feral goats and cattle also threaten vegetation on other outcrops in this area (Hunter and Clarke 1998). Evidence of feral goat activity was frequently recorded on the rocky outcrop heaths and shrubby stringybark woodlands supporting B. granitica in the Torrington area (Hunter and Clarke 1998) and Clarke et al. (1998) has stated that this threatens populations of some plant species.

Populations of B. granitica in the Howell area have declined since the type specimen was collected  there  nearly  a  century  ago.  B.  granitica  plants  were  observed  to  be  heavily browsed by macropods in this area in the 1960s (Quinn et al. 1995). Macropod grazing could be considered a natural occurrence, although the populations of certain larger macropods may be artificially high due to agriculture. These reports suggest B. granitica is palatable despite bearing small, hairy leaves with oil glands. However, macropod grazing may also be related to shifts in food preferences during times of low resource availability such as drought.

6.2 Fire
The  heathy  vegetation  that  forms  the  habitat  of  B.  granitica  is  characterised  by  a dominance  of  scleromorphic  shrubs  in  conditions  of  high  light  penetration,  low  soil moisture retention, and slow litter decomposition. These factors and the volatile oils characteristic of the Eucalyptus overstorey and Boronia itself all contribute to a fire prone environment, as is typical for much of the Australian autochthonous vegetation (Specht
1981).

Many shrubs of heathy vegetation communities germinate prolifically after fire (Benson
1985, Keith 1996), including some Boronia species (M. Duretto pers. comm.). Others resprout from rootstock, such as the undescribed Boronia sp. aff. microphylla at Torrington and B. parviflora of upland swamps (Keith 1991), or are facultative resprouters such as B. falcifolia and B. safrolifera (Benwell 1998) of coastal heaths and the rare B. galbraithiae of dry sclerophyll forest in Victoria (Albrecht and Walsh 1993).

Post-fire vegetative resprouts of B. granitica have not been observed in the field. Thirty B. granitica individuals were burnt during fire research at Torrington and none resprouted (Clarke and Fulloon 1999). Lignotubers or similar root structures are absent and regeneration relies on the successful germination of seed and survival of seedlings, that is, the species is an obligate seeder.

Dormancy in soil stored seed of many obligate seeding plants is broken by heat (Keith 1996, Clarke  and  Fulloon 1999). Some  Rutaceae have  germination promoted by  exposure to smoke from burnt native vegetation and an enhanced germination response to heat has been demonstrated for the persistent soil seed bank of some Boronia species (Keith 1996). A pH-sensitive enzyme is suspected of being the seed dormancy factor in Boronia and the enzyme is neutralised and denatured by basic post-fire leachates (Armstrong 1989). In recently conducted field experiments fire has been demonstrated to trigger or stimulate seed germination of B. granitica with a post-fire result of 1-10 seedlings present per square metre (Clarke and Fulloon 1999). The precise response to fire of the soil stored seed is likely to vary with components of the fire regime (intensity, season), fire residence time (duration) and local site conditions (eg. soil moisture availability).

It has been suggested that the low fire frequency at Howell may have adversely affected B. granitica populations in that area (Quinn et al. 1995) based on significant changes to the flora including the loss or reduction of several other species in the long fire-free period (Hunter 1998). Obligate seeders generally require periodic fire for substantial regeneration but some species, including the related B. keysii of southern Queensland (Leigh and Briggs
1992), achieve some regeneration in the absence of fire. Young plants of B. granitica have been observed in heathland that appeared not to have carried a fire for several years (J.

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Westaway pers. obs.), suggesting that fire may not always be a prerequisite for germination. Recruitment cues other than fire (eg. soil disturbance) have been suggested in the establishment of young cohorts of the closely related B. boliviensis m.s. in long unburnt heath (Morsley and Falconer in prep.). Seasonal drought may also underlie the waxing and waning of B. granitica plants occurring in low moisture-retaining habitats but these effects have not been documented.

For  species  to  persist  in  a  fire  prone  environment new  recruits  must  not  only  flower between successive fires, but also replenish propagule reserves. In a study of heathy woodland regeneration in Victoria, Wark et al. (1987) found that although most shrubs commenced flowering within two years of fire, few produced seed, suggesting that early post-fire flowering does not necessarily result in seedlings. Obligate seeding species are likely to be severely disadvantaged and possibly eliminated by a series of fires at intervals less than the time taken for the new cohort to produce sufficient seed (Benson 1985).

Conversely, if inter-fire periods extend beyond the longevity of plants and soil-stored seed bank, then adult plants will age and the accumulated seed become non-viable. During long fire-free periods local population extinctions may occur. Species most vulnerable to this are perennials which are killed by fire (Benson 1985, Gill and Bradstock 1995), irrespective of whether propagules for replenishment are canopy or soil stored.

Keith (1996) listed a number of fire-driven mechanisms of plant population decline and extinction that may be relevant to B. granitica:

1.  depletion  of  standing  plants  and  seeds  through  senescence  and  competition  with community dominants;

2. high seedling mortality due to resource deprivation, competition, predation and disease;

3. low recruitment rate relative to mortality due to germination of few seeds caused by poor soil heating; and

4. low seed availability due to failure to satiate predators.

The majority of fires recorded in B. granitica habitat are large wildfires, control burns or arson events, not small-scale lightning events that rocky outcrops are prone to. The myriad of small-scale lightning induced fires that fail to spread due to low fuel loads are mostly unrecorded let  alone mapped. The patchy (mosaic) distribution of  fires from lightning strikes may be an important ecological process providing B. granitica with adequate regeneration opportunities.

Field  observations suggest  that  when  burnt  by  intense  fires  and  even  scorch  burning, standing plants of B. granitica are usually killed outright (Gill and Bradstock 1992). In their study of fire and rare plants at Torrington SRA, Clarke and Fulloon (1999) classified B. granitica as ‘highly sensitive’ to inappropriate fire regimes because it is an obligate seeder with a soil-stored seed bank. They recommended that plant populations of ‘high sensitivity’ to fire frequency (such as B. granitica) not be burnt more frequently than 8-10 years, nor have fire excluded for more than 20 years. Alternatively, Hunter (1999) has recommended even longer (30-100 year) fire exclusion periods for certain vegetation communities (including communities containing B. granitica) within Kings Plains NP.

High frequency fire is currently listed as a key threatening process on Schedule 3 of the TSC Act  (NSW  Scientific Committee 2000a). In  the  determination for  this  key  threatening process, B. granitica was identified as a species adversely affected by high frequency fire, which disrupts lifecycle processes.

In summary, the most current and thoroughly researched studies conclude that B. granitica is adversely affected by frequent fire and that much longer fire exclusion periods than those that occur at present should be part of future fire management strategies. More research is needed into the response of B. granitica to fire, especially in relation to lightning strikes, and optimal fire frequency.

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6.3 Mining, quarrying and bushrock collection
Activities associated with  mineral exploration, mining, granite quarrying and  bushrock collection can be highly localised, and represent significant threats to B. granitica populations. These activities often require removal or damage of native vegetation and, in the case of open-cut mining, massive soil disturbance.

It is unknown whether specific sites supporting B. granitica have been mined in the past and the species is not known to occur on specific lands subject to current mining leases. However, the Howell area has experienced considerable local soil disturbance from mining activities whilst mineral exploration and mining are permitted in Torrington SRA under various mining lease options. The species is also known to occur on lands subject to current exploration licences. The perpetuation of these lease and exploration options could present a threat to B. granitica populations in the Torrington area (Hunter and Clarke 1998) unless appropriate environmental mitigation amendments are included. The environmental assessment requirements for the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) and the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) are currently under review in relation to these leases and licences. It has been agreed that future activities will be undertaken in a manner that avoids or minimises adverse impacts on the species and that the known occurrence of the species will be supplied to future lease and licence applicants.

Bushrock removal is currently listed as a key threatening process on Schedule 3 of the TSC Act (NSW Scientific Committee 1999). In the determination for this key threatening process B. granitica was identified as a species adversely affected by bushrock removal, which destroys and disturbs habitat.

The effect of soil disturbance on the seed bank of B. granitica is unknown but the likelihood of germination seems low without heat stimulation. Young individuals of B. boliviensis m.s. occur under a powerline easement on Bolivia Hill suggesting that, for this sister species, a recruitment cue other than fire, such as scarification of the seeds, may also be involved in reproduction.  The  impact  of  limited  soil  disturbance  on  germination  of  B.  granitica requires further research.

6.4 Land clearance
Clearing of native vegetation has been listed by the NSW Scientific Committee as a key threatening  process  on  Schedule  3  of  the  Threatened  Species  Conservation Act  1995. Clearing of native vegetation for agriculture and other purposes has been widespread on the New England Tablelands and has often included the less productive areas surrounding granite outcrops. Although possibly affected less than plants in more fertile areas, B. granitica and the associated flora of granite outcrops are, nevertheless, restricted in distribution and vulnerable to further clearing.

Vegetation removal for activities adjacent to known populations may also pose a risk. An example is the clearing for tracks on private property adjacent to Severn River NR where an ecologically significant stand of B. granitica occurs on deep red soils (J. Hunter pers. comm.).

Herbicide application on farmlands adjacent to rocky outcrops in the Tenterfield area has encroached significantly on native vegetation communities and may also be adversely affecting B. granitica populations (P. Croft pers. comm.).

6.5 Low population numbers
Reduction in the population size and distribution of B. granitica due to the above threats can result in stochastic (chance) events becoming increasing significant in the local extinction of the species. For example, the role of prevailing winds can affect the likelihood of successful cross-pollination between plants.

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7	Relevant legislation

7.1 Recovery plan preparation and implementation

Recovery plan preparation
The TSC Act requires that the Director-General of National Parks and Wildlife prepare recovery plans for all species, populations and ecological communities listed as endangered or vulnerable on the TSC Act schedules. Similarly, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) requires the Commonwealth Minister for the Environment ensure the preparation of a recovery plan for nationally listed species and communities  or  adopt  plans  prepared  by  others  including  those  developed  by  state agencies. Both Acts include specific requirements for the matters to be addressed by recovery plans and the process for preparing recovery plans.

This recovery plan has been prepared to satisfy the requirements of both the TSC Act and the EPBC Act. It is the intention of the Director-General of National Parks and Wildlife to forward the final version of  this recovery plan to  the Commonwealth Minister for  the Environment for adoption, once it has been approved by the NSW Minister for the Environment.

Recovery plan implementation
The TSC Act requires that a government agency must not undertake actions inconsistent with a recovery plan. The government agency responsible for actions in this plan is the NPWS.   Consequently,   the   NPWS   must   manage   Boronia   granitica   populations   in accordance with this recovery plan. Where B. granitica occurs on private property (eg. Parlour Mountain) and on permissive occupancy or leasehold lands (eg. Howell), the implementation of the recovery plan will largely depend on cooperative management of the species between the relevant title holder and the NPWS.

In some cases, where further approvals may be needed under the Native Vegetation Conservation Act 1997 (NVC Act) or the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A  Act),  other  public  authorities may  be  involved  as  part  of  their  core  legislative responsibilities.	Public	authorities,	other	than	the	NPWS,	with	core	legislative responsibilities relevant to the protection of B. granitica and its habitat are listed in Table
6.

The EPBC Act specifies that a Commonwealth agency must not take any action that contravenes a recovery plan.

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Table 6:   Public Authority Responsibilities
Organisation	Relevant responsibilities

Relevant	councils	include	Guyra, Tenterfield and Severn

Department	of	Land	and	Water
Conservation

Department	of	Urban	Affairs	and
Planning

 Preparation of Local Environmental Plans under Part
3 of EP&A Act.

 Consent authorities for development proposals under
Part 4 of EP&A Act.

 Approval authorities for council works under Part 5 of
EP&A Act.

 Responsibilities under Rural Fires Act 1997.

 Approval  authority  for  native  vegetation  clearance applications under NVC Act.

 Management of Crown Land with potential habitat.

 Coordination  of  Regional  Vegetation  Management Committees, Total Catchment Management and Landcare programs.

 Coordination of voluntary property agreements and
Native Vegetation Incentive Fund.

 Development  of  policy  and  strategies  for  land-use planning and environmental assessment.

 Advice  and  assistance  on  environmental  planning matters

 Assessment of major development applications.

Department of Mineral Resources	 Approval authority for activity proposals under Part 5 of EP&A Act.

7.2 State legislation

National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 and Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995
The  TSC  Act  makes  provision  for  identification  and  declaration  of  critical  habitat  for species, populations and ecological communities listed as endangered. Once declared, it becomes an offence to damage critical habitat and a species impact statement is mandatory for all developments and activities proposed within critical habitat. Nomination of critical habitat for B. granitica will only be considered as a management option where other, more cooperative, approaches are unavailable.

Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979
The TSC Act amendments to the environmental assessment provisions of the EP&A Act require that consent and determining authorities consider threatened species and their habitat when exercising a decision-making function under Parts 4 and 5 of the EP&A Act. Therefore, when considering any development or activity within known or potential habitat of B. granitica, the determining authorities should consider the conservation strategy set out in this plan.

Native Vegetation Conservation Act 1997
The purpose of the NVC Act is the conservation and sustainable management of native vegetation and in particular the protection of native vegetation of high conservation significance.  Under   this   Act,   approval   from   the   Department   of   Land   and   Water Conservation (DLWC) is a prerequisite for clearing of native vegetation unless a Regional Vegetation Management Plan has been approved or unless the clearing is an exemption under the NVC Act. There remains potential for significant and cumulative clearing to occur under these exemptions. The Act requires that the Director-General of National Parks and

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Wildlife be consulted in the matter of threatened species and their habitat. Landholders may enter into voluntary property agreements with DLWC whereby government assistance can be provided to protect native vegetation under the Native Vegetation Incentive Fund. No regional vegetation management plan or property agreements relating to the habitat of B. granitica have yet been prepared.

Rural Fires Act 1997
Bush Fire Risk Management Committees must prepare draft bush fire risk management plans for their respective rural fire districts and are obliged to consider threatened species conservation. These plans may restrict or prohibit the use of fire and other fire hazard reduction activities in all or specified circumstances or places to which the plan applies. In particular, an adopted bush fire risk management plan may modify or prohibit hazard reduction activities in threatened species habitat.

Forestry and National Park Estate Act 1998
The Forestry and National Park Estate Act 1998 puts into effect the outcomes of the Government’s Regional Forest Agreement. The agreement outlines licence conditions for threatened species within State Forests of NSW estate.   These include a general licence condition that a standard 20 metre exclusion zone is to be applied around all rocky outcrops and cliffs greater than 0.1 hectares in area and another condition that 20 metre exclusion zones be applied around all known B. granitica populations. It is recommended that these conditions also be included in Regional Vegetation Plans being prepared by DLWC under the NVC Act.

7.3 Commonwealth legislation

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
The  EPBC  Act  provides  a  legislative  framework for  the  protection  of  endangered and vulnerable species across Australia. An important role of the EPBC Act is to facilitate the preparation and  implementation of  recovery  plans  for  species  listed  under  the  Act  in cooperation with the States in which populations of listed species occur. The Act also seeks to impose the obligation (arising from the listing) for responsible agencies (particularly Commonwealth) to adopt protective measures. This recovery plan will be submitted to the Commonwealth for approval under the EPBC Act.

Under the EPBC Act, critical habitat may be registered for any nationally listed threatened species or ecological community. When adopting a recovery plan the Commonwealth Minister  for  the  Environment  must  consider  whether  to  list  habitat  identified  in  the recovery plan as being critical to the survival of the species or ecological community.  It is an  offence  under  the  EPBC  Act  for  a  person  to  knowingly  take  an  action  that  will significantly damage critical habitat (unless the EPBC Act specifically exempts the action). This offence only applies to Commonwealth areas.  However, an action which is likely to have a significant impact on a listed species is still subject to referral and approval under the EPBC Act.

As B. granitica is listed nationally under the EPBC Act, any person proposing to undertake actions likely to have a significant impact on this species should refer the action to the Commonwealth Minister for the Environment for consideration. The Minister will then decide whether the action requires EPBC Act approval. This is in addition to any State or Local Government approval requirement specified for the NSW EP&A Act.

Administrative guidelines are available from Environment Australia to assist proponents in determining whether their action is likely to have a significant impact.  In cases where the action does not require EPBC Act approval, but will result in  the death or injury of a member of the species and the member is in, or on a Commonwealth area, a permit issued by the Commonwealth Minister under the EPBC Act, will be required.

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8	Social and economic consequences

8.1 Intrinsic ecological value
The ecological function of Boronia granitica is unknown but the species has intrinsic value as  a  species  with  a  narrow  ecological  amplitude  and  as  a  component  of  specialised vegetation communities restricted to a resource-poor, fire-prone environment.

8.2 Scientific and taxonomic value
B. granitica has considerable scientific value as a geographically and ecologically restricted species, as  an example of  granite island biogeography, and as a  fire-sensitive ‘obligate seeder’ of granite outcrops for fire ecology research. B. granitica also has considerable taxonomic interest as it and its two closest congeners represent a small clade in the B. ledifolia group of section Valvatae that are all rare and restricted species.

8.3 Biodiversity value
The occurrence of  B.  granitica contributes to  the high biodiversity of  the flora of  the northern tablelands and slopes of NSW. Granite outcrop vegetation communities on the New England Batholith are significant in terms of the high number of ROTAP species recorded (Hunter and Clarke 1998). Many of these species (see Table 7) occur sympatrically with  B.  granitica  and  would  benefit  from  conservation  efforts  directed  towards  B. granitica.

Table 7:   Rare or threatened flora occurring with Boronia granitica
Species	Species

Acacia betchi	Eriostemon myoporoides ssp. epilosus

Acacia granitica	Hibbertia sp. B

Acacia williamsiana	 Homoranthus biflorus Acacia torringtonensis	 Homoranthus prolixus Allocasuarina brachystachya	 Persoonia terminalis ssp. terminalis Astrotricha roddii	 Phebalium rotundifolium Babingtonia odontocalyx	Prostanthera staurophylla Brachyloma saxicola	 Pultenaea stuartiana
Dodonaea hirsuta

References:
Quinn et al. (1995), Briggs and Leigh (1996), Clarke et al. (1998), Hunter and Clarke (1998), Richards et al.
(1998).

Boronia granitica has been identified as a member of an assemblage of species characterising the Howell Shrublands ecological community, which occurs in the Inverell and Manilla local government areas within the New England and Nandewar bioregions (see Hunter and Clarke 1998). In 2000, this community was listed as an endangered ecological community on Part 3 of Schedule 1 of the TSC Act (NSW Scientific Committee 2000b). Therefore, actions directed toward conservation of B. granitica may also benefit this endangered ecological community.

Rare  and  threatened plants represent those plant species at  greatest risk  of  becoming extinct due to human-induced causes. As such, they are priority species to consider in conservation efforts aimed at arresting further loss of biodiversity from our natural ecosystems.

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8.4 Pharmaceutical and commercial value
There are no known pharmaceutical or other commercial values of B. granitica. The species has an abundance of the aromatic oils in the foliage that are characteristic of the Rutaceae that may have some, as yet unknown, application. Although B. granitica has been cultivated in NSW in the National Endangered Flora Collection, the species is not generally known to be under horticulture. However, it has potential as a garden plant because it exhibits masses of relatively large (for Boronia), bright pink flowers over several months.

8.5 Social benefits
The preparation of this recovery plan provides an information source for future research and management of B. granitica and may assist similar efforts directed at related species or plants occurring in the same habitat.   Through awareness of the fate of B. granitica the profile of all threatened plant species is raised in the general community. This in turn leads to greater opportunities for the conservation of threatened species, an appreciation of the need for sustainable development, and increased protection of biodiversity.

9	Previous actions undertaken
No practical management efforts aimed directly at recovery or protection of Boronia granitica have been instigated on private lands. The establishment of Kings Plains NP and Severn River NR and their additions, as examples of intact land systems on the predominantly agricultural north-western slopes, have made a significant contribution to the conservation of the species on public land.

After surveying the vegetation of the Torrington SRA the Division of Botany, University of New England, has been further contracted by the NPWS to carry out initial research into components of the fire ecology of Torrington’s threatened flora. Preliminary results are reported in this plan.

As part of the Comprehensive Regional Assessment of forests, the NPWS modelled a select group of ‘critically threatened’ species, including B. granitica, and convened an expert workshop  to  derive  provisional  population  viability  analyses  (PVAs).  The  preliminary
‘biophysical envelope’ model developed for B. granitica appeared too broad for an effective distribution  predictive  tool  (Summary  outcomes  of  the  CRA  Threatened  Flora  Expert
Workshops, July 1998).

10  Species’ ability to recover
The underlying reasons for the natural rarity of Boronia granitica are poorly understood but may include poor dispersal ability, fire sensitivity and competitive exclusion from more favourable habitats. The fire-shadow and ‘refuges’ model discussed by Gill and Bradstock (1995) predicts that areas such as boulder outcrops would support more ‘seeder’ species than the surrounds. This fire refugial aspect of outcrops is likely to be just one of several factors confining many shrubs to rocky outcrops. Other interacting factors may include physiological tolerance of shallow soils and the absence of trees (Clarke et al. 1998).

Given the estimated size of B. granitica populations in the Severn River, Kings Plains, Torrington and Howell areas and the reservation status of the first two areas there appears no absolute constraints to the long term viability of the species. Options to reduce the likelihood of population decline include feral animal control and careful fire management. The success of the latter is likely to be assisted by an improved understanding of the species’ fire ecology gained from research initiatives.

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11  Recovery objectives and performance criteria

11.1	Objectives of the recovery plan
The overall objective of this recovery plan is to protect known populations of Boronia granitica from decline induced by non-natural agents and to ensure that these populations remain viable in the wild in the long term.

Specific objectives of this recovery plan are to:

   improve the long-term viability of reserved populations;

   improve the viability of known non-reserved populations;

   determine if further populations exist on granite outcrops elsewhere on the New England
Tablelands;

   increase our understanding of the ecology of B. granitica; and

   identify and ameliorate threatening processes.

11.2	Recovery performance criteria
Recovery criteria are:

   cessation of feral goat browsing at the Parlour Mountain location and reduction of goat
(and stock) interference at Howell;

   reduction in feral goat populations in NPWS estate to a minimum;

   an improved understanding of the biology and ecology of B. granitica is sufficient to enable management for long-term viability of the species in NSW;

   reserved populations do not suffer any reduction due to human induced causes;

   populations that are not reserved are protected by appropriate measures;

   evidence of seedling establishment and recruitment at all or most population areas; and

   site monitoring to indicate population stability (given natural fluctuations).

12  Recovery actions

12.1	Implement research and monitoring programs

12.1.1   Efforts directed to the recovery of B. granitica will continue to be hampered by the current inadequate understanding of the life history of the species. Research into aspects of the species ecology such as floral phenology, pollination biology, life stage longevity, seed dispersal, seed viability and seed bank dynamics will assist recovery through improved knowledge.

12.1.2 Population monitoring provides a mechanism to measure the outcomes of management actions and can, therefore, be used to help assess the degree to which factors such as fire and feral animals are implicated in the decline of B. granitica. Quantitative results from research and population monitoring can be incorporated into an adaptive management approach and help reduce uncertainty in biodiversity conservation.

12.1.3   Effective fire management strategies for B. granitica include the determination of an appropriate fire frequency. This is best developed in cognisance of the species’ primary  juvenile  period,  time  required to  establish a  viable  soil  seed  reservoir, recruitment rate and longevity. The following recommended research action can

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provide this information and should be undertaken by a university or competent botanist. For cost effectiveness, such work could ideally be integrated into wider ecological research covering sympatric rocky outcrop species, especially the higher priority taxa, ie.  those most threatened or restricted. It  is  recommended that a research program be designed and conducted focussing on experimental burns of tagged individuals at multiple sites. This should be followed by monitoring of germination, seedling establishment and survivorship, age at which recruits flower and set seed, the period required for replenishment of seed bank, seed longevity and mortality rates and causes.

The Division of Botany, University of New England, and the NPWS Northern Tablelands Region have recently established a detailed program studying fire and rare plants, including B. granitica, at Torrington SRA and initial post-fire results are presented in Clarke and Fulloon (1999). It would be logical and prudent for these authorities to continue this program through the plant’s life stages to attain the other important life history information. Results of these programs should be correlated with the variables of temperature of burn (fire intensity) and post-fire climatic conditions.

As the impacts of herbivores can increase after fire, feral animal control may be required before experimental burns and post-fire browsing can be managed and monitored.

12.1.4   Concurrent with fire response experiments, plant-insect observational study, seed storage tests and  seed  burial and  retrieval experiments should be  conducted to reveal pollination vectors and mechanisms, aspects of seed dispersal and predation and seed dormancy and viability periods. Experimental testing for additional cues to break seed dormancy and initiate recruitment such as smoke or scarification would also be valuable in order to help determine the likelihood of recruitment in the absence of fire.

12.1.5   Conduct further surveys of suitable habitat, including the area near Elsmore, to confirm the presence of new populations on granite outcrops elsewhere on the New England Tablelands.
Outcome: Collation of ecological and life history information that assists the conservation and management of B. granitica.

12.2	Manage current reserved areas

12.2.1   In the development of Fire Management Plans for Kings Plains NP and Severn River NR,  the  NPWS  should  recommend  an  interim  fire  management  strategy  that ensures that locations of B. granitica populations are not burnt more frequently than 8-10 years and preferably have fire excluded for at least 20-30 years. This strategy should be reviewed in the light of further results of fire ecological research (see Section 6.2).

12.2.2  The  NPWS  should  ensure  that  park  workers  are  aware  of  the  significance and location of the species and that park works, infrastructure and maintenance do not encroach on the species.

12.2.3  Continue with feral goat control and monitoring programs.

12.2.4  Continue to monitor the B. granitica population demographics regularly every 2 or
3 years.
Outcome: The conservation of the species where it is known in reserved areas is ensured.

12.3	Manage the Torrington State Recreation Area population

12.3.1   The status of Torrington SRA should be reviewed on account of its high botanical significance with the aim of improving the security of tenure of either the entire SRA or,  at  least  areas  of  highest  conservation value  under  National  Park  or  Nature

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Reserve status. The effectiveness of the Memorandum of Understanding between the DMR and the NPWS in regard to the conservation of B. granitica in the SRA should also be assessed.

12.3.2  An assessment should be undertaken of the effectiveness of legislative planning controls that require consideration of B. granitica habitat on lands that have potential for exploration, mining and other extractive industries such as granite quarrying  and  bushrock  collection.  Mining  leases  and  exploration licences  over specific sites that support B. granitica populations should be amended to ensure that activities are undertaken in a manner that avoids or minimises adverse impacts.

12.3.3  The NPWS should implement control of feral goats.

12.3.4 An appropriate fire management strategy should be included in the Plan of Management for the SRA and a provisional strategy implemented that is in accordance with the ecological requirements of B. granitica and other sympatric threatened species. These should include those species of extreme fire sensitivity, and be in accordance with results of Clarke and Fulloon (1999) and the recommendations of Hunter (1999).
Outcome: The Torrington population is conserved.

12.4	Manage the Howell and Parlour Mountain populations

12.4.1   Control of feral goats is the priority recovery action for these populations. This can be accomplished by culling programs and the fencing of the three plants at Parlour Mountain.

12.4.2  Small scale trial controlled burning should be undertaken to try to stimulate seed bank germination (avoid burning remaining plants at Parlour Mountain by selecting equivalent adjacent habitat). The response to trial burns should be recorded and the fate of any subsequent seedlings monitored.

12.4.3  Where B. granitica occurs on private property, landholders should be approached with a view to entering Voluntary Conservation Agreements under the NPW Act, Property Agreements under the NVC Act and/or preparing Property Management Plans under the TSC Act. Financial incentives are available from DLWC under the Native Vegetation Incentive Fund to assist in the management of the species on private lands.
Outcome: Known populations on private lands are conserved in cooperation with landholders.

12.5	Publicity

12.5.1   The NPWS Northern Tablelands Region have produced a free poster on threatened plants, including B. granitica, and a landowners guide book that includes management guidelines for the species (NSW NPWS 1999). An information leaflet for B. granitica has also been prepared (refer Appendix 2). These documents should continue to be distributed and promoted among local councils, landholders and leaseholders of granite country in the Tenterfield, Inverell, Severn, Guyra and Armidale areas. This will help increase public awareness of the status of rare flora including B. granitica and the value of remnant vegetation. Such information can potentially generate new records of the species from private property.
Outcome: Public awareness of the species is increased and new populations are found and conserved.

12.6	Horticulture

12.6.1   B. granitica, in common with much of the genus, is likely to have considerable horticultural appeal and has been successfully propagated using cuttings of matured new  growth tips  (see  Section 8.4).  Specialist authorities (eg.  University of  New

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Approved Recovery Plan	Boronia granitica

England, Mt Annan Botanical Gardens and Royal Botanic Gardens) will be encouraged to propagate the species. Plants will then be distributed through local Landcare and Greening Australia groups or commercial nurseries. More information is also available from the ‘Boronia and Allied Genera Study Group’ of the Australian Plants Society.
Outcome: The genetic variability of the species is maintained and its susceptibility to stochastic events that hinder its conservation is reduced.

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Approved Recovery Plan	Boronia granitica

13  Implementation
The  following table  allocates responsibility for  the  implementation of  recovery  actions specified in this plan to relevant government agencies. Each action is costed in Appendix 1.

Table 8:   Implementation schedule for recovery actions

Sectio n	Description	Responsibility	for implementation	Timeframe	Priorit y	
12.1
12.1.1

12.1.2

12.1.3

12.1.4

12.1.5	Research and monitoring
determine   life   history   attributes   and reproductive biology
monitor    seedling   establishment    and survivorship
experimental	study	of	fire	and disturbance ecology
investigate additional recruitment cues conduct further surveys	

NPWS NPWS
NPWS/Research
Institutions
NPWS/Research
Institutions
NPWS	

subject	to funding
life of plan begun
subject	to funding
subject	to funding	

2

1

2

3

3	
12.2
12.2.1

12.2.2
12.2.3
12.2.4	Manage current reserved areas
implement    provisional    adaptive	fire management strategy
staff education and work impacts feral goat control
monitor population structure	NPWS NPWS
NPWS NPWS	life of plan ongoing
ongoing year 1,3,5	

1

1
1
2	
12.3
12.3.1

12.3.2

12.3.3
12.3.4	Manage Torrington population
investigate   partial   SRA  tenure  status change

review planning instruments in mining process, amend mining and exploration leases where relevant
feral goat control
prepare	and	implement	provisional adaptive fire management strategy	

NPWS subject to community consultation
NPWS

NPWS NPWS	

year 1 year 1
ongoing life of plan	

2

1

2
2	
12.4

12.4.1

12.4.2

12.4.3	Manage  the  Howell  and  Parlour
Mountain populations
feral goat control and fencing at Parlour
Mountain
conduct   fire   regeneration   trials   and monitor recruits

present	conservation	agreements	to landholders	

NPWS

NPWS subject to consultation with landholders
NPWS	

ongoing

year	1	and ongoing

year 2	

1

2

3	
12.5
12.5.1	Publicity
disseminate information leaflet	

NPWS	

year 1	

3	
12.6
12.6.1	Horticulture
Cultivate in nurseries etc.	

specialist authorities	

year 2,3	

3	
Note:
Recovery action implementation priority categorised as 1 (essential), 2 (highly desirable) and 3 (desirable). Equivalent research identified in 12.1 has been instigated by Division of Botany, UNE as part of multi-species fire and rare plant study at Torrington SRA.

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Approved Recovery Plan	Boronia granitica

14  Preparation details
This recovery plan was prepared by John Westaway under contract to  the Threatened Species Unit, NPWS Northern Directorate.  Assistance was provided by John Martindale, Monica Collins and Shane Ruming, all of the Threatened Species Unit, NPWS Northern Directorate.

14.1	Date of last amendment
No amendments have been made to date.

14.2	Review date
This recovery plan will be reviewed within five years of the date of publication.

15  Acknowledgments
Information was  provided by  John  T.  Hunter, Peter Clarke and  John  Williams of  the Division of Botany, University of New England, Marco Duretto of the National Herbarium, Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne, and Alex Wyatt of NPWS Northern Tablelands Region. Michael Murphy, Threatened Species Unit, NPWS Northern Directorate reviewed the draft plan.

16  Acronyms used in this document

AHD	Australian Height Datum
ANZECC	Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council
CRA	Comprehensive Regional Assessment
DLWC	Department of Land and Water Conservation
DMR	Department of Mineral Resources
DUAP	Department of Urban Affairs and Planning
EP&A Act	NSW Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979
EPBC Act	Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation
Act 1999
NP	National Park
NPW Act	NSW National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974
NPWS	NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
NR	Nature Reserve
NSW	New South Wales
NVC Act	NSW Native Vegetation Conservation Act 1997
PA	Property Agreement
PMP	Property Management Plan
PVA	Population Viability Analysis
ROTAP	Rare Or Threatened Australian Plant (Briggs and Leigh 1996) SRA	State Recreation Area
TSC Act	NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995
UNE	University of New England
VCA	Voluntary Conservation Agreement

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17  References
Albrecht, D.A. and Walsh, N.G. (1993). Two new species of Boronia (Rutaceae) endemic in
Victoria. Muelleria 8(1): 21-25.

Armstrong, J.A. (1989). Australian Rutaceae - horticultural potential and problems. In: The Production and Marketing of Australian Flora. Western Australian Department of Agriculture.

ANZECC  (1993).  Threatened  Australian  Flora.  Endangered  Flora  Network  for  the
Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council.

Beattie, A.J.  (1991).	Ants  and  gene  dispersal in  flowering plants.  In:  Pollination and Evolution, (Eds) J.A. Armstrong, J.M. Powell & A.J. Richards. Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney.

Benwell, A. S. (1998).   Post-fire seedling recruitment in coastal heathland in relation to regeneration strategy and habitat. Australian Journal of Botany 46: 75-101.

Benson,  D.H.  (1985).	Maturation  periods  for  fire  sensitive  shrubs  in  Hawkesbury
Sandstone vegetation. Cunninghamia 1(3): 339-350.

Berg,  R.  Y.  (1975).	Myrmecochorous plants  in  Australia  and  their  dispersal  by  ants.
Australian Journal of Botany 23: 475-508.

Briggs,  J.D.  and  Leigh,  J.H.  (1996).	Rare  or  Threatened  Australian  Plants.  CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood.

Clarke, P.J., Copeland, L.M., Hunter, J.T., Nano, C.E., Williams, J.B. and Wills, K.E. (1998). The Vegetation and Plant Species of Torrington State Recreation Area. Division of Botany, University of New England, Armidale.

Clarke, P.J. and Fulloon, L.J. (1999).   Fire and rare plants: Torrington State Recreation Area. Draft report prepared for NSW NPWS Glen Innes District by Division of Botany, University of New England, Armidale.

Drake, W. (1981). Ant seed interaction in dry sclerophyll forest on North Stradbroke Island, Queensland. Australian Journal of Botany 29(3): 293.

Duretto, M.F. (in press). Systematics of Boronia section Valvatae (Rutaceae). Muelleria.

Gill, A.M. and Bradstock, R.A. (1992).   A national register for the fire responses of plant species. Cunninghamia 2: 653-60.

Gill,  A.M.  and  Bradstock,  R.A.  (1995).	Extinction  of  biota  by  fires.  In:  Conserving Biodiversity: Threats and Solutions, (Eds) R.A. Bradstock, T.D. Auld, D.A. Keith, R.T. Kingsford, D. Lunney and D.P. Sivertsen. pp. 309-322. Surrey Beatty & Sons, Sydney.

Hunter, J.T. (1998). The botany of Howell, New South Wales: a tin granite flora (revisited).
Victorian Naturalist 115(3): 94-99.

Hunter, J.T. (1999). Floristics and biogeography of the granitic outcrop flora of the New
England Batholith of eastern Australia. PhD Thesis, University of New England, Armidale.

Hunter, J.T. and Bruhl, J.J. (1997).  Significant range extensions for 10 species of vascular plants in northern New South Wales. Austrobaileya 4(4): 691-694.

Hunter, J.T. and Clarke, P.J. (1998).  The vegetation of granite outcrop communities on the
New England Batholith of eastern Australia. Cunninghamia 5(3): 547-618.

Keith, D.A. (1991).  Coexistence and species diversity in upland swamp vegetation: the roles of an environmental gradient and recurring fires. PhD Thesis, University of Sydney.

Keith, D.A. (1996).  Fire-driven extinction of plant populations: a synthesis of theory and review of evidence from Australian vegetation. Proc. Linn. Soc. NSW 116: 37-78.

Leigh, J.H. and Briggs, J.D. (1992).   Boronia keysii, In: Threatened Australian Plants: Overview and Case Studies. Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service, Canberra.

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Approved Recovery Plan	Boronia granitica

Morley, B.D. and Toelken, H.R. (1983). Flowering Plants in Australia. Rigby, NSW. Morsley,  R. and Falconer, S. (in prep.).   Boronia boliviensis (Bolivia Hill Boronia) draft
recovery plan. World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Rural Nature Conservation Project, Armidale.

NSW  NPWS  (1999).  A  Landholder’s  Guide  to  Threatened  Species:  Tips  for  Saving
Threatened Species in New England. NSW NPWS, Armidale.

NSW Scientific Committee (1999). Final Determination to list ‘bushrock removal’ as a key threatening process. Gazettal date 5/11/99.

NSW  Scientific  Committee  (2000a).  Final  Determination  to  list  ‘high  frequency  fire resulting  in  the  disruption  of  life  cycle  processes  in  plants  and  animals  and  loss  of vegetation structure and composition’ as a key threatening process. Gazettal date 24/3/00.

NSW Scientific Committee (2000b). Final Determination to list ‘Howell shrublands in the New England and Nandewar bioregions’ as an endangered ecological community. Gazettal date 7/7/00.

NSW Scientific Committee (2002). Review of the flora schedules of the Threatened Species
Conservation Act. Progress Report – May, 2002.

Quinn,  F.C.,  Williams,  J.B.,  Gross,  C.L.  and  Bruhl,  J.J.  (1995).	Report  on  rare  and threatened plants of north-eastern New South Wales. Report prepared for NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and Australian Nature Conservation Agency.

Richards,  P.G.,  DeVries,  R.J.  and  Flint,  C.  (1998).	Vascular  plants  of  conservation significance in north-eastern New South Wales: inventory and assessment. Unpublished draft report, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, CRA Unit, Northern Zone.

Ross, E.M. (1983).  Rutaceae. In: Flora of South-Eastern Queensland. (Eds) T.D. Stanley and E.M. Ross Vol 1, p 452. Queensland Department of Primary Industries, Brisbane.

Specht, R.L. (1981). Ecophysiological principals determining the biogeography of major vegetation formations in Australia. In: Ecological Biogeography of Australia. (Ed) A. Keast. W. Junk, The Hague.

Thackway, R. and Cresswell, I.D. (1995). An Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia:   A   Framework   for   Setting   Priorities   in   the   National   Reserves   System Cooperative Program. Version 4.0. Australian Nature Conservation Agency, Canberra.

Wark, M.C., White, M.D., Robertson, D.J. and Marriott, P.F. (1987).  Regeneration of heath and heath woodland in the north-eastern Otway Ranges Australia following the wildfire of February 1983. Royal Society of Victoria Proceedings 99 (1-2): 51-88.

Weston, P.H. (1990).	Notes on Boronia (Rutaceae) in New South Wales including the description of three new species. Telopea 4(1): 121-128.

Weston, P.H., Caroline, R.C. and Armstrong, J.A. (1984).  A cladistic analysis of Boronia
Sm. and Boronella Baill. (Rutaceae). Australian Journal of Botany 32: 187-203.

Weston, P.H. and Porteners, M.F. (1991).  Boronia. In: Flora of New South Wales (Ed) G.J. Harden Vol 2, pp. 227-236. New South Wales University Press, Kensington.

Williams, K.A.W. (1979). Native Plants of Queensland. 1:33.

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Boronia granitica

Draft Recovery Plan

Appendix 1:  Implementation costs
Estimated costs of implementing the actions identified in the recovery plan are provided below. All costs are unsecured funds unless noted otherwise.

Section	Description	Priorit y	Year 1	Year 2	Year 3	Year 4	Year 5	
12.1	Research	and monitoring	12.1.1   determine  life  history  attributes  and  reproductive biology
12.1.2 monitor seedling establishment and survivorship
12.1.3 experimental study of fire and disturbance ecology
12.1.4 investigate additional recruitment cues
12.1.5 conduct further surveys	2

1
2
3
3	2000

2000
3000
-
4000	1500

2000
2000
2000	1000

1000
2000
1000	500

500
1000
-	500

500
500
-	
12.2	Manage	current reserved
areas	12.2.1   implement   provisional   adaptive   fire   management strategy
12.2.2 staff education and work impacts
12.2.3 feral goat control
12.2.4 monitor population structure	1

1
1
2	✔

✔
✔
1500	✔

✔
✔
-	✔

✔
✔
1000	✔

✔
✔
-	✔

✔
✔
500	
12.3	Manage	the
Torrington population	12.3.1 investigate SRA tenure status change
12.3.2 review planning instruments in mining process, amend leases
12.3.3 feral goat control
12.3.4 prepare and implement fire management strategy	2
1

2
2	✔
●

✔
✔	-
-

✔
✔	-
-

✔
✔	-
-

✔
✔	-
-

✔
✔	
12.4   Manage   the   Howell and
Parlour	Mountain
populations	12.4.1 feral goat control and fencing at Parlour Mountain
12.4.2 conduct fire regeneration trials and monitor recruits
12.4.3 present VCA, PMP or PA to landholders	1
2
3	3500
1000
●  ✔	2000
500
●  ✔	1000
500
●  ✔	500
500
●  ✔	500
-
●  ✔	
12.5 Publicity	12.5.1 disseminate information leaflet	3	1500	1500	-	-	-	
12.6 Horticulture	12.6.1 cultivate in nurseries etc.	3	-	1000	1000	-	-	
Annual cost of implementing plan		18500	12500	8500	3000	2500	
Total cost of implementing plan	45,000	
 cost covered by NPWS core duties.
  cost covered by DUAP, DMR or Council core duties as relevant.

Page  26 

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Boronia granitica

Approved Recovery Plan

Section 12.2 funded jointly by NPWS and UNE.

Appendix 2:  Information leaflet,
Boronia granitica

Boronia granitica
This medium-sized shrub with divided
leaves	and	bright	pink	flowers	is restricted   to   a   limited   number   of
locations on the north-western side of
the   New   England   Tablelands   from near Armidale north to the Stanthorpe
district	in	southern	Queensland. Boronia		granitica,	as		its	name suggests, grows in heathy vegetation amongst granite boulders of the New
England Batholith.

Boronia	  granitica		is	known	  from Kings Plain National Park, Torrington State	Recreation	Area		and	Severn River Nature Reserve in New South Wales, and also Girraween National Park		in	Queensland.		These populations in conservation reserves support hundreds of individual plants and require careful fire management.

Populations of Boronia granitica on freehold and leasehold lands are either critically small and threatened by the

impacts of browsing feral goats and stock, or susceptible to decline through inappropriate fire regimes.

Activities	associated	 with		mineral exploration,	mining	and	bushrock collection may pose a potential risk to Boronia granitica populations in the Howell and Torrington districts.

The recovery plan

A recovery plan has been prepared for Boronia		  granitica		by	the		NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service under		the		Threatened	Species Conservation Act 1995. The plan aims to	protect	known		populations	  of Boronia granitica from decline and to ensure	that	  these	populations	are secure in the long term.

A detailed study of the vegetation of the New England Batholith has been undertaken,	highlighting	the occurrences of Boronia granitica and other rare flora.

The University of New England has commenced	studies		into	the	fire ecology of many rare plants occurring in the Torrington district. This will provide	important	information		for

management of Boronia granitica and other restricted flora.

Implementation of the recovery plan involves research into the life history and ecology of Boronia granitica and management	actions	aimed	 at minimising identified threats to the species.	Recovery	actions	will	be directed towards:

  research into aspects of the ecology of	Boronia	granitica,		 especially reproductive	  biology,		seed-bank characteristics and fire response, necessary	to	  develop	the	above management strategies;

  protection of populations from the adverse	impacts	associated	with feral goat and stock grazing; and

  involving	the	community	in cooperative management through property	   and			conservation agreements		that		offer	various incentives to land owners.

The occurrence of Boronia granitica contributes to the high biodiversity of the  flora  of  the  northern  tablelands and	slopes	of	 New	 South	Wales. Several	other	rare	or	threatened species that occupy similar granite outcrop  habitats  are  likely  to  benefit

from	conservation	of	Boronia granitica.

How you can help

  do not pick native plants; and

	If you are a landholder or leaseholder	   take your rubbish home with you.

If you or your organisation would like to discuss ways in which you can be involved in the conservation of these granitic   areas   and   their   significant flora, then please contact either the Glen Innes West Area of the National	
	and   your   property   supports   native		
	vegetation on outcropping granite that		
	may	provide	habitat	for	Boronia		
	granitica  and other threatened flora,		
	you are in a position to assist in the		
	conservation   of   these   species.   This		
		may	involve	helping	ensure	that	Parks	and	Wildlife	Service	on	

granitic outcrop shrubland vegetation is not subjected to frequent fires. It might also involve fencing vegetation remnants to exclude stray stock and feral goat control to protect rare flora from	the	detrimental	impact	of browsing.

If you are visiting Kings Plain National Park, Severn River Nature Reserve or Torrington	State		Recreation	Area please observe the National Parks and Wildlife	Service	standard	code	of behaviour at all times:
  camp only at established camp sites;
  do	not	light	fires	except	in designated fireplaces;
  stay   on   the   established   walking tracks;
  leave pets and firearms at home;
  leave	rocks,	native	plants	and animals as you find them;

telephone	02	6732	 5133	 or	the Threatened		Species	Unit	at	the National Parks and Wildlife Service Northern Directorate office on 02 6651
5946.

For	 further	information	about conserving threatened species in NSW and	cooperative	management	of habitat please contact:

The Manager
Threatened Species Unit NSW NPWS Northern Directorate
Telephone:  02 6651 5946

NSW NATIONAL PARKS AND WILDLIFE SERVICE

Information

Boronia granitica Granite Boronia

© January 2002

NSW NATIONAL PARKS AND WILDLIFE SERVICE

Approved Recovery Plan	Boronia granitica

Appendix 3:  Boronia repanda in NSW

Introduction
Boronia repanda (Border Boronia) is a distinctive small shrub with simple foliage and pink flowers that grows in heathy woodland vegetation on granitic soils. The species is confined to a very limited area near Stanthorpe within the ‘granite belt’ of south-east Queensland. The occurrence of B. repanda in New South Wales (NSW) is equivocal and requires confirmation.

Legislative status
Boronia   repanda   is   listed   as   endangered   on   both   the   NSW   Threatened   Species Conservation Act 1995 (TSC Act) and the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The species is considered endangered and assigned a Rare or Threatened Australian Plant (ROTAP) code of 2E by Briggs and Leigh (1996).

Taxonomic description
Boronia repanda (F. Muell. ex Maiden & Betche) Maiden & Betche (Rutaceae) is a small shrub to 1 metre tall with simple oblong or elliptic leaves (to 18 millimetres long) that are thick, glandular and stellate hairy and have revolute glandular margins. Inflorescences are axillary, single-flowered and pedicellate, and the tomentose flowers have pale to bright pink (occasionally white) valvate petals that enlarge to 10 millimetres long and persist in fruit (Weston and  Porteners 1991,  Quinn et  al.  1995). For  a  full  taxonomic description see Duretto (in press). The species is illustrated in Williams (1979) and Weston and Porteners (1991).

Taxonomic significance
From a 1904 collection from Stanthorpe, Maiden and Betche first described Boronia repanda as B. ledifolia var. repanda noting that the specimen was most closely related to B. ledifolia. B. repanda remains within the B. ledifolia group (Weston et al. 1984) and is the sister species of B. granitica (Duretto in press). B. repanda differs from other members of Boronia section Valvatae of the ‘granite belt’ by having simple leaves.

Habitat
Boronia repanda grows in heath and woodland on sandy granitic soils often in association with granite boulders (Weston and Porteners 1991, Quinn et al. 1995, Duretto in press). Quinn et al. (1995) lists the following as associated species: Allocasuarina sp., Boronia anemonifolia, Cryptandra sp.,  Daviesia  sp.,  Eriostemon myoporoides subsp.  epilosus, Eucalyptus andrewsii and Exocarpos sp.

At Jolly’s Falls, north of Stanthorpe, B. repanda occurs at low frequency in low open forest dominated by Eucalyptus andrewsii and E. banksii on a steep southern slope with few scattered granite boulders. A sparse secondary tree layer of Callitris endlicheri and Leptospermum trinervium occurs above a moderately dense shrub stratum dominated by Acacia betchei, Hovea purpurea, Notelaea linearis, Mirbelia confertiflora and Dodonaea hirsuta.

B. repanda has been collected flowering between July and November and with fruit in October and November. Very little is  known of  its  life history, ecology or  response to disturbance, though it is apparently fire-sensitive (Quinn et al. 1995).

Distribution
Boronia repanda is confined to a small portion of the ‘granite belt’ and appears to have an extremely narrow distributional range of less than 20 kilometres. Quinn et al. (1995) list

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Approved Recovery Plan	Boronia granitica

nine population localities in the Stanthorpe district of Queensland, all of which are pre-1975 collections.

Approximately 20 specimens lodged in herbaria (Duretto in press) are presumably collections from the same nine localities, with more recent collections from Cottonvale (Duretto 1992 voucher in Melbourne herbarium) and Jolly’s Falls (Westaway 1998 voucher in Coffs Harbour regional herbarium).

B. repanda is listed as occurring in NSW (Weston and Porteners 1991, Briggs and Leigh
1996). The only collections from NSW are those made by Hickey from the Maryland area, approximately 10 kilometres north-east of Stanthorpe on the Queensland/NSW border. There is a possibility that these historic 19th century specimens may actually have been collected in Queensland as Maryland Station apparently extended at that time across the border into Queensland (W. McDonald pers. comm.). B. repanda has not subsequently been  recorded  from  the  Maryland  area  and  a  recent  search  along  roadsides  in  the Maryland-Stanthorpe area failed to reveal suitable habitat on the New South Wales side of the border (Quinn et al. 1995).

Other records of B. repanda in NSW such as those provided from the National Parks and Wildlife  Service  Wildlife  Atlas  cannot  be  substantiated  and  therefore  are  regarded  as invalid. The species presence in NSW therefore remains equivocal.

Threats and current conservation status
Boronia repanda has not been collected from a national park and no populations are known to occur in any conservation reserve (Quinn et al. 1995, Duretto in press). Clearing has occurred around the known locations and most populations appear to be in  small patches  of  remnant  vegetation or  in  heavily  disturbed  areas.  Populations have  almost certainly been eliminated by clearing for pine plantations, which occur up to hill tops and ridges (Quinn et al. 1995).

Agricultural expansion and clearing of remnant vegetation continue to be threatening processes (Duretto in press). A high fire frequency would also pose a serious threat to B. repanda populations as the species is apparently fire-sensitive and its dry sclerophyll forest and heath habitat is prone to frequent fires (Quinn et al. 1995).

B. repanda is probably the most threatened member of Boronia section Valvatae (Duretto in  press) and possibly the most threatened Boronia in  eastern Australia. However, its occurrence in NSW requires confirmation (Quinn et al. 1995, Richards et al. 1998) and further surveys are needed to ascertain the exact distribution and status of the species in both NSW and Queensland (Duretto in press).

Recommendations

   contract a botanist, familiar with Boronia repanda and the granite flora of the New England Tablelands, to  collate all  existing information pertaining to  the species, its distribution and habitat;

   utilise computer predictive models to derive the distribution of mapped environmental attributes common among known sites to predict further occurrences. This will only be possible if sufficient environmental data exist and are accessible from Queensland authorities;

   utilise aerial photograph interpretation to examine remnant vegetation stands on granite in proximity to the NSW border for the same vegetation ‘phototype’ as that of known Queensland localities which may indicate the occurrence of similar habitat in NSW;

   locate potential habitat on topographic and cadastral maps;

   liaise with relevant landholders to acquire property access; and

   undertake detailed targeted field searches for B. repanda.

NSW  National  Parks  and  Wildlife  S e rvice	Page  31 

Approved Recovery Plan	Boronia granitica

Should the existence of the species in NSW be confirmed, specimens supported by accurate and detailed locality data should be collected and lodged with the appropriate herbaria. Upon  validation  of  any  such  records  of  the  species  in  NSW,  the  current  listing  as endangered under the TSC Act and the ROTAP conservation code of 2E would be maintained.  Obligations  under  the  TSC  Act  would  then  require  the  preparation  of  a recovery plan for B. repanda as a priority.

Alternatively, should a reasonable level of habitat survey and targeted species search effort fail to locate B. repanda in NSW, the species should be recommended for downlisting or deletion from the schedules of the TSC Act.

References
Briggs,  J.D.  and  Leigh,  J.H.  (1996).	Rare  or  Threatened  Australian  Plants.  CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood.

Duretto, M.F. (in press). Systematics of Boronia section Valvatae (Rutaceae). Muelleria.

Quinn,  F.C.,  Williams,  J.B.,  Gross,  C.L.  and  Bruhl,  J.J.  (1995).	Report  on  rare  and threatened plants of north-eastern New South Wales. Report prepared for NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and Australian Nature Conservation Agency.

Richards,  P.G.,  DeVries,  R.J.  and  Flint,  C.  (1998).	Vascular  plants  of  conservation significance in north-eastern New South Wales: inventory and assessment. Unpublished draft report, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, CRA Unit, Northern Zone.

Weston, P.H., Caroline, R.C. and Armstrong, J.A. (1984).  A cladistic analysis of Boronia
Sm. and Boronella Baill. (Rutaceae). Australian Journal of Botany 32: 187-203.

Weston, P.H. and Porteners, M.F. (1991).  Boronia. In: Flora of New South Wales (Ed) G.J. Harden Vol 2, pp. 227-236. New South Wales University Press, Kensington.

Williams, K.A.W. (1979). Native Plants of Queensland. 1:33.

NSW  National  Parks  and  Wildlife  S e rvice	Page  32 

NSW   National   Parks   and   Wildlife
Service

43 Bridge Street (PO Box 1967) Hurstville NSW 2220
Phone: 02 9585 6444
Website: www.npws.nsw.gov.au