Open Access

Tony D. Auld, Ian Hutton

• The flora of the Lord Howe Island Group (31°30’S, 159°05’E) comprises a unique mix of elements of Australian, New Zealand and New Caledonian floras. It is significant for its high degree of endemism and for its structural and biological (leaves, flowers, fruit) role in supporting a diverse array of fauna. Conservation of this flora is dependant upon: reducing current habitat degradation (mostly the result of exotic weeds); minimising any future impacts, in particular the effects of climate change on the unique cloud forests of the southern mountains and the continued introduction and spread of weeds and the pathogen Phytophthora cinnamomi. We provide a description of the nature of the major threats to the flora and suggest an area-based scheme, focussed on the relative conservation significance of remaining vegetation, as a mechanism for developing priorities for threat mitigation activities. While a number of threat control works are in place, eg. weed control, some re-emphasis is needed. In addition, some new initiatives are required including: reducing the rate of introductions of new exotics; a system to remove potential environmental weeds from the settlement area; phytosanitary guidelines; pathogen quarantine measures; search and removal of environmental weeds from remote areas; and ex situ initiatives for plant species restricted to the cloud forests of the southern mountains.