Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2025L00287:reg:3:p43
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2025L00287
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 3 (pt 43/276)
Character Range: 170623–174892

and estimated for 2020. Table 15 summarises the current distribution of remnant plant communities by proportion across tenure types, dividing land into the Norfolk Island National Park, public reserves, and other land.
Map 11 Norfolk Island native plant communities present in 1750
Source: Christian & Mills 2021.
Map 12 Norfolk Island native plant communities present in 2020
Source: Christian & Mills 2021.
Table 14 Area of native plant communities (remnant and non-remnant) on Norfolk Island predicted for 1750 and estimated for 2020, and percentage remaining in 2020
Plant community                     1750 area (ha)  2020 area (ha)  Area in 2020 as a percentage of area in 1750
Moist palm valley forest            52.7            42.2            80%
Moist upland hardwood forest        223.5           80.1            36%
Pine hardwood ridge forest          288.6           105             36%
Viny hardwood forest                417.9           33.7            8%
Plateau hardwood forest             1715.6          30.8            2%
Lowland valley hardwood forest      793.6           8.8             1%
Sheltered coastal forest            49.3            18.1            37%
Coastal pine and white oak forest   452.2           80.2            18%
Coastal white oak shrubland         1.1             1.0             91%
Sandy beach herbland                1.0             2.7             270%
Coastal grassland                   0.2             1.6             800%
Moo-oo sedgeland                    4.4             2.3             52%
Coastal flax community              0.5             0.4             80%
Freshwater swamp                    44.6            17.7            40%
Non-remnant native vegetation a     0               183.2           0%
Total remnant native vegetation     4045.1          423.1           10%

Source: Christian & Mills 2021.
a Non-remnant vegetation may have been significantly disturbed (for example by weed invasion and clearing) but may still resemble one of the native plant communities and potentially be suitable for restoration.
Table 15 Distribution of remnant plant communities present in 2020 on Norfolk Island across tenure types
Plant community                     Distribution / range (ha)  % in national park  % in public reserves  % in other land
Moist palm valley forest            42.2                       >99%                0%                    <1%
Moist upland hardwood forest        80.1                       95%                 0%                    5%
Pine hardwood ridge forest          105                        93%                 0%                    7%
Viny hardwood forest                33.7                       18%                 1%                    81%
Plateau hardwood forest             30.8                       0%                  0%                    100%
Lowland valley hardwood forest      8.8                        36%                 2%                    62%
Sheltered coastal forest            18.1                       5%                  54%                   41%
Coastal pine and white oak forest   80.2                       3%                  37%                   60%
Coastal white oak shrubland         1.0                        0%                  78%                   22%
Sandy beach herbland                2.7                        0%                  89%                   11%
Coastal grassland                   1.6                        0%                  62%                   38%
Moo-oo sedgeland                    2.3                        0%                  0%                    100%
Coastal flax community              0.4                        0%                  1%                    99%
Freshwater swamp                    17.7                       0%                  38%                   62%

1.2.8        Habitat critical to survival of threatened species
The EPBC Act specifies that a recovery plan must describe to the extent practicable, and with spatial information, areas of habitat that are critical to the survival of the species or ecological communities, and what must be done to stop the decline and support the survival of a threatened species or community, including actions to protect and restore habitat. Habitat is