Byrnes Scrub Nature Reserve protects a large stand of dry rainforest dominated by hoop pine. This is considered to be one of the most important dry rainforest stands in the Clarence River catchment. It also contains adjacent smaller areas of dry and moist old growth sclerophyll forest, and an area of wetter subtropical rainforest along the main creek line.
The reserve has been identified as a centre of endemism for wet forest vertebrate fauna, which means that there is a high overall probability of occurrence for animals that are restricted to wet forest types in north-eastern NSW.
