A rare species which is listed as Vulnerable in both State and Federal legislation. The most significant threat is habitat loss and degradation as its natural distribution is within the footprint of Sydney’s urban expansion.
Recruitment is more commonly from vegetative suckers than from seedlings and the percentage of pod production and seed fall appears to be low. A study of the genetic variation at ten sites, revealed cloning at all sites, and that most sites contained fewer than four individual genotypes. One genetic individual can cover up to 1.2 ha. This means that although a population appears to be healthy and have many individual plants, the genetic diversity at any one site is quite low which can affect the population’s ability to respond to environmental changes.
Acacia species generally have high seed dormancy and long-lived persistent soil seedbanks. It is thought that Acacia pubescens needs a minimum fire free period of 5-7 years to allow an adequate seedbank to develop.
Luckily a number of populations are conserved within our National Parks system and these are managed with reference to the Recovery Plan.