Appendix Two Alpine and extensive mountain and upland hill country communities still largely intact. Lowland forest in the mid to upper Pelorus valley still largely intact. Lowland hill country in the Rai and lower sections of the Pelorus and Wakamarina, especially lower hillslopes, greatly compromised. Alluvial forest almost entirely gone. All low altitude non-forest communities variously altered and diminished, especially on active floodplains and deltas. 2. Communities and Habitats Lowland podocarp-beech and mixed broadleaf forests in the lower altitude parts of the mid and upper Pelorus catchment (<600m), one of the largest lowland forest tracts in Marlborough - regionally important. A major national stronghold for hard beech. A major tract of upland beech forest. Stunted, windshorn forests on exposed ridges and summits. Remnant alluvial communities regionally important including fertile podocarp and mixed broadleaf low terrace and floodplain forests and less fertile podocarp- beech high terrace forests. Very distinctive communities, especially deciduous kowhai-ribbonwood-lacebark forests, and tall mixed podocarp forests. Vital habitat for a wide range of species largely confined to fertile alluvial natural areas including nationally threatened species. Riparian communities very distinctive, especially flood zone shrublands and herbfields on bedrock and river silts. Alpine communities highly distinctive, and unique to North Marlborough due to suite of localised endemic species and presence of otherwise North Island species - nationally significant. Estuarine communities extensive, very distinctive, and provide important habitats - regionally outstanding. Overall, very high natural biodiversity due to wide range of altitude, landforms and water regimes - alluvial and alpine areas especially significant. Alluvial biodiversity vulnerable to loss. Biotic patterns and sequences, dynamics and process functioning largely intact at higher altitudes, but severely compromised throughout most of the lower hillslopes, and almost lost in alluvial areas. Highly fragmented and very difficult to interpret alluvial patterns. Inter-tidal patterns well-preserved but sequences through to alluvial communities largely gone. Many Sounds species reach their inland limits in this ecosystem. Natural productivity variable, ranging from high in alluvial and inter-tidal communities and decreasing to low in alpine communities. Generally, a low abundance of native fish and a limited whitebait fishery. Trout fishery present. 3. Plants Alpine: Brachyglottis ‘Richmond’ (n); Ourisia ‘Richmond (r)(n); Leucogenes leonto podium ; Celmisia cordatifolia (r)(n); Exocarpus bidwillii ; Celmisia rutl andii (n); Hebe r igidula (n); Celmisia macmahonii var. hadfieldii (n); Cop rosma serrul ata (r). Alluvial/riparian: Scutellaria novae-zelandiae (r); Coprosma rubra (r); lowland ribbonwood (r); kowhai; Teucridium parvif (r); Leptinella nana (r); olium Poranthera micr ophyl la (r); Au stralina p usilla (r); Alseuosma pus illa; Korthalsella lin dsayi (r); swamp mahoe; Brachyglottis traversii (r); Olearia App Two - 51