Jurassic-era tree 'endangered'

2006-01-30 10:24

Canberra - The only known wild grove of a tree species dating back 200 million years has been endangered by a disease possibly introduced by a hiker who found the grove's secret location in Australia, a government official said on Monday.

The Wollemi pine - dating from the Jurassic period and often described as a living fossil - was thought to be extinct until 1994 when a park ranger stumbled upon a stand of fewer than 100 trees in a remote gorge in Wollemi National Park, 200km west of Sydney.

Since then, the grove's location has been kept a closely guarded secret. Those authorised to visit it undergo strict infection control procedures that involve sterilising footwear and equipment.

But the stand now has been infected by the fungus-like disease Phytophthora cinnamomi, which was detected in two trees in November and which almost certainly was introduced by an unauthorised visitor, said New South Wales state environment and conservation department spokesperson John Dengate.

Trees 'extremely vulnerable'

"It is an endangering factor," Dengate said. "Nobody can be sure at this stage how big a threat it poses, but we're treating it very, very seriously."

Dengate said the department was hopeful that treatment underway would eliminate the disease.

Despite the threat, the species is not at risk of extinction because thousands of the trees have been propagated in plantations from the wild stand and some went on sale to the public for the first time in October last year.

Dengate said it was unlikely that anyone officially involved with the wild trees had been responsible for the infection.

"We've been scrupulous with our staff to make sure they don't carry anything in," he said.

"We understand that people are really keen to see the trees in their natural environment, but there are only a few dozen left and they are extremely vulnerable to infections so we're asking people to stay away," he added.

- AP