Fears for Wollemi pines: Fire sweeps through secret site
Discovered in 1994 in Wollemi National Park, the Wollemi pine is one of the world’s oldest and rarest tree species. However, there are fears the trees have failed to withstand the fires.
NSW
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They have survived hundreds of years in an undisclosed canyon in Sydney’s northwest, but there are fears the so-called “Jurassic trees” within Wollemi National Park have been devastated by fire.
The Wollemi pine species, which dates back millions of years, is found in sandstone gorges in four small patches. with an estimated 250 individual trees growing within a 4km square radius in the 501,000ha park.
But NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service officers yesterday confirmed the Gospers Mountain “mega-fire” had swept across fire retardant that had been laid down to protect the trees this week.
As well as the fire retardant, water sprinklers had also been set up to drench the pines and a waterbombing helicopter was tasked with putting out spot fires.
Early in the week, the fire front was approximately 1km away from the site.
As the fire approached, the helicopter was called away to undertake property protection, leaving the Wollemi pines unprotected.
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Secondary plantations of the pines around the park have been destroyed, but NPWS officers were yesterday hopeful their efforts had saved some of those at the original site.
One NPWS source claimed three of the four patches of pines had been affected, potentially with devastating consequences.
However thick smoke was hindering efforts to conduct a formal aerial assessment.
Environment Minister Matt Kean said it would be a tragedy should such a unique and iconic piece of the State’s natural history be lost.
“Fires have swept through the region before, but the scale and intensity of these fires is unprecedented,” Mr Kean said.
Discovered in 1994 by NPWS park ranger David Noble on a bushwalking holiday, the pines were a hit with scientists and the public alike, with seedlings taken from the site quickly selling out once they were put on sale.
Some of the trees in the wild have been dated back more than 400 years.
Listed as critically endangered, the pines are also on the IUCN Red List of threatened species around the world.
Four years ago, the NSW Scientific Committee declared fire severity and frequency to have contributed to the historical decline of the species.
A fire management plan for the park said the need to keep the location of the pines secret meant not even firefighters were necessarily aware of the site.
Originally published as Fears for Wollemi pines: Fire sweeps through secret site
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