Identification of distinctive new rainforest communities in the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, Australia

Researchers have identified two distinctive new rainforest communities in the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area (GBMWHA), Australia, which were previously misclassified as sclerophyll-dominated forests. This discovery challenges existing vegetation mapping, revealing that 65% of surveyed sites and over 90% of putative rainforests in the region are incorrectly labeled. The study used field validation, high-resolution spatial data, and bryophyte analysis—typically overlooked in vegetation classification—to delineate these communities: 'Hawkesbury Warm Sheltered Gully Rainforest' and 'Hawkesbury Subtropical-Dry Bench Rainforest.' The findings underscore the urgent need to revise Plant Community Type (PCT) mapping to protect the region's Outstanding Universal Values, which face threats from fires and urban development.

Bendall, E. R., Wong, V., Bell, S. A. J., & Gallagher, R. V. (2026). Identification of distinctive new rainforest communities in the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, Australia. Vegetation Classification and Survey, 7, 103–125. https://doi.org/10.3897/vcs.186732