Narla Environmental’s team of Ecologists, in association with Toolijooa Environmental Restoration, collected Cuttings and Soil Halos from a population of Epacris purpurascens var. purpurascens. These individuals were successfully propagated in a nursery and planted in a dedicated conservation area in the Hornsby Shire local government area.
Epacris purpurascens var. purpurascens is listed as Vulnerable under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016. Large areas of habitat for this species have been extensively cleared and modified to accommodate urban development. Urban run-off, altered fire regimes, and weed invasions have also contributed to its vulnerability.
The purpose of this activity was to bolster and ensure the ongoing survival of this threatened species in the area. This species has a high attrition rate (for cuttings), and our experienced Ecologists recently conducted monitoring that observed the newly planted cuttings flowering in their first year.
