The globally unique extraordinary biodiversity of the Clarence Valley has been on show for 30 of the world’s top botanists who have sampled the region’s spectacular flora from the headwaters of the Clarence River to Yuraygir National Park.

The botanists have descended on the region to attend the International Association for Vegetation Science 65th Annual Symposium, which is being held in Coffs Harbour this week.

Tour director for the International Association of Vegetation Scientists, a world industry group for botanists and vegetational experts, ecologist Mark Graham said last week he led 30 of the world’s leading botanists on a discovery tour around the region.

“We travelled from Coffs Harbour and Dorrigo, through to the high parts of the Clarence River on the Dorrigo plateau, Point Lookout, the Orara Valley, through to the coastal parts of Yuraygir National Park to Yamba, then to Tabbimoble and the Border Ranges, then we cut across from Kyogle to the Nightcap Range and Lennox Head, then we go to Iluka on our way back,” he said.

“These botanists come from 13 or 14 different nations, they are esteemed experts who research and publish around the world, and they are absolutely loving experiencing the botany of the Clarence Valley and the adjoining valleys.”

Mr Graham said the Clarence Valley and surrounding locations were chosen to explore as it is one of the most biodiverse environments on earth.

“It has thousands of native plant species, the best examples in all evolution of eucalypt forests and rainforests and heathlands,” he said.

“Yesterday we passed though and identified about 42 species of eucalypts, which was a source of great wonder for the participants and for some of that we were finding a different eucalypt every minute.

“It’s been amazing, these are world class botanical experiences.”

In addition to the botanists experiencing these globally significant wonders, Mr Graham said they were also looking at native vegetation clearance, industrial logging, weed invasion and fire, to look at the ways of managing biodiversity.

“Some of this will be discussed at the conference and the intention is these esteemed guests will learn about management of our globally significant biodiversity,” he said.

“It’s a learning experience that may then help them apply lessons in their own nations and in their research collaborations around the world.”

Exploring in the lead up to the congress has given the botanists a new appreciation of the incredible biodiversity of the region, while understanding the challenges faced to maintain the biodiversity.

Mr Graham said there was strong support for ending logging on publicly owned land from the international experts on the tour.

“The delegates and the participants have been absolutely astonished by what they have seen, their experiences, but they’ve been really horrified at the logging they’ve seen done by the Forestry Corporation and they have also been alarmed by native vegetation clearance,” he said.

“In particular, the logging on the Dorrigo plateau in the regional water supply catchment area and the conference delegates want to make a statement about that expressing their international condemnation of the Forestry Corporation’s industrial logging practices.

“We looked at a number of areas that were recently logged and there was a great sense of horror and disgust.

“These are forest management experts from multiple nations in the European Union, in North America and in south-east Asia and they are gobsmacked that the NSW government would treat forests as the Forestry Corporation does.”

From the incredible sights the botanists had witnessed, Mr Graham said there was the opportunity for the Clarence Valley to introduce tourists to its botanical wonderland.

“It’s a real honour and a great delight that we are able to host this great opportunity, the botany that we are seeing is world class in terms of the plant diversity, the nature, the biodiversity and there are amazing opportunities for the Clarence Valley to have tourists come to the valley to explore this amazing botanical wonderland,” he said.

“There are amazing tourist opportunities for our botany because we are so special on a global scale, and we can make money from looking after our bushland.

“I am hoping to promote further that we might bring more and more people to the region to look at the wonders that we live amongst, day in, day out.”

This article appeared in the Clarence Valley Independent, 6 September 2023.