Hackelia latifolia

Habitat

• ‘Habitat’ refers to both known habitat for the species (i.e. in or near habitat where the species has been recorded) and potential habitat (i.e. areas of habitat with appropriate characteristics for the species and within the species' potential range which have not yet been adequately surveyed).
• If in doubt about whether a site represents potential habitat for this species, contact the Threatened Species Section for further advice.
• The known range of forest houndstongue includes four widely-separated locations in the State's north including King Island (see distribution map, above). The potential range for forest houndstongue includes King Island and northern and north-eastern Tasmania.
• Habitat for forest houndstongue corresponds to 'Riparian Bush' and 'Tea-tree and paperbark wet scrub and forest​​’ in the NRE Bushcare Toolkit​.
• Habitat for forest houndstongue includes the following elements: damp eucalypt forest along creeklines and rivers, and Melaleuca ericifolia swamp forest; variable geology including Precambrian quartzitic sequences, Permian sediments, Jurassic dolerite, Devonian granite and Quaternary alluvium on a range of substrates; the altitude range is 5 to 140 m above sea level.

What to avoid

The main threats to forest houndstongue are any activities which clear or degrade habitat, including:

• This perennial herb flowers in spring to summer. Non-specialis​ts may be able to detect forest houndstongue at any time of year due to its distinctive rough-textured foliage. See the Listing Statement for more information on how to identify this species.
• Recorded habitat for Austrocynoglossum latifolium in Tasmania includes damp eucalypt forest along creeklines and rivers, and Melaleuca ericifolia swamp forest.
  

• Learn to identify forest houndstongue so as to recognise the species if it occurs on your property. If in doubt about what it is, seek expert assistance with identification.
• If you live or work in the area where the species occurs (see distribution map, above), look out for and record any observations of the species. All records of this species can provide important information on distribution and abundance.
• If you are interested in knowing for certain whether the species occurs on your land, organise a formal survey. You may need to employ an ecological consultant to do this. Your local Bushcare or Field Naturalist club may be able to assist you with a survey.
• Always report any observations of the species to the NRE Natural Values Atlas, or else provide the data direct to the Threatened Species Section. Records stored on the NVA are a permanent record and are accessible to other people interested in this species.
• Consider the needs of the whole habitat. Preserving a threatened species' habitat is a very important way to manage both the species and the environment in which it lives.
• Habitat for forest houndstongue corresponds to the following Bushcare Toolkit bush types: 'Riparian Bush' and 'Tea-tree and paperbark wet scrub and forest​’ in the NRE Bushcare Toolkit.
• For long-term protection of localities on private land – consider protection of habitat through a vegetation management agreement or conservation covenant. See the NRE Private Land Conservation Program for more details.
• To protect habitat from the establishment and spread of weeds - prevent the spread of woody weeds in habitat of forest houndstongue, and always follow weed management guidelines.

• See the 'What is Needed' section in the forest houndstongue Listing Statement for a full list of conservation management actions for this species.

• To avoid loss of the species at known localities – do not remove vegetation in this species’ habitat, including clearing, cutting and slashing.
• To avoid permanent habitat loss - do not convert habitat (e.g. to plantation, pasture or cropping land).

• To avoid severe damage by burning to the riparian (river-side) habitat for forest houndstongue - exclude fire from this habitat.
• The Bushcare Toolkit provides more information on fire management in 'Riparian Bush' and 'Tea-tree and paperbark wet scrub and forest​’ vegetation types. 

Dam construction

• To avoid total loss of known localities – do not inundate known localities through dam construction.

• To protect known localities of forest houndstongue – avoid risk of off-target herbicide damage to plants during the treatment of weeds within or adjacent to known localities.