Swamp Sclerophyll Forest on Coastal Floodplains
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Where fire has been excluded for long periods in Swamp Sclerophyll Forest, it may contain many species typical of the EEC, Littoral Rainforest, and on the NSW North Coast where substrates are volcanically derived it may adjoin with the EEC, Swamp Sclerophyll Forest Lowland Rainforest on Floodplains. Lucas McKinnon Determining the on Coastal Floodplains conservation value of remnants Introduction The degree of disturbance (i.e. the site condition) These guidelines provide background information of any remnant of Swamp Sclerophyll Forest may to assist land managers and approval authorities vary dependant on past land use, management Swamp Sclerophyll Forest in Wollongong LGA, showing the to identify remnants of Swamp Sclerophyll Forest practices and/or natural disturbance and this Lucas McKinnon transition between 3 components of the community, reedland, on Coastal Floodplains (hereafter referred to should be considered at the time of assessment. shrubland and sclerophyll forest. as Swamp Sclerophyll Forest), an Endangered Whilst not exhaustive, the following are a Ecological Community (EEC). For more detailed number of variations of Swamp Sclerophyll Forest information refer to the Swamp Sclerophyll Forest you may encounter: Profile and the NSW Scientific Committee Final It is important to take these factors into account Determination at: 1. Tree canopy intact with limited native when determining the conservation significance threatenedspecies.environment.nsw.gov.au vegetation in the understorey due to of remnants. underscrubbing, stock grazing pressure or too What is an Endangered Paperbark Forest on the NSW North Coast, a component frequent fire; For further assistance Ecological Community? of Swamp Sclerophyll Forest 2. Tree canopy intact (+/– reduced cover) with This and other EEC guidelines are available limited native vegetation in the understorey on DECC Threatened Species website: An ecological community is an assemblage dense and the community takes on the structure due to lack of fire or weed infestation (e.g. threatenedspecies.environment.nsw.gov.au of species which can include flora, fauna and of scrub. A particular site may only include dense Lantana incursion or Carpet Grass other living organisms that occur together in a The references listed below also provide further some of these vegetation structures such as the (Axonopus spp.) invasion in areas partially particular area. They are generally recognised by information to aid in identifying EECs. reedland or a paperbark forest but should still be cleared for agriculture); the trees, shrubs and groundcover plants that live • Botanic Gardens Trust plant identification considered as the community. See ‘Identifying 3. Tree canopy absent due to prior clearing there. An Endangered Ecological Community assistance: rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/plant_info/ is an ecological community listed as facing a Swamp Sclerophyll Forest’ below for further or fire, occurrence of regrowth of native botanical_info/plant_identification assistance. understorey species along with herbaceous very high risk of extinction in NSW under the The Scientific Committee’s final determination and/or woody weeds; or • Botanic Gardens Trust PlantNET: Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995. plantNET.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/search/simple.htm of the Swamp Sclerophyll Forest does not 4. Some characteristic tree canopy species not What is Swamp Sclerophyll delineate between higher and lower quality present due to past selective clearing. • Brooker, M. and Kleinig, D. (1990) Field Guide to Eucalypts of South-eastern Australia, Forest? remnants of this community. It specifically notes Even where a remnant is considered to be heavily Vol 2. Inkata, Melbourne. Swamp Sclerophyll Forest is a community that partial clearing and disturbance, in some degraded and in poor condition, it may still that generally has several layers of vegetation, instances, may have reduced this community’s have conservation value for a number of reasons • Harden, G. (ed) Flora of NSW Vols 1 – 4 canopy to scattered trees and this disturbed type (1990-2002). NSW University Press. including trees, shrubs, groundcovers and including: wetland plants such as reeds and sedges. It is a is still considered part of the EEC. Relatively few • NSW Scientific Committee Determinations: examples of this community would be unaffected 1. As part of a wildlife corridor that has nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/npws.nsf/Content/ community of plants that are generally found close to standing water on soils that are either by weedy taxa, including noxious species, such connective importance at local and/or Final+determinations as those listed in a variety of key threatening regional scales; waterlogged or subject to periodic flooding • River-flat Eucalypt Forest on or inundation. It is usually an open to closed processes (e.g. Lantana, introduced perennial 2. Providing important winter feed trees for Coastal Floodplains species profile: forest with a shrubby or reedy/ferny understorey, grasses and exotic vines / creepers). arboreal mammals and birds; threatenedspecies.environment.nsw.gov. although in some areas the tree layer is low and 3. Providing a ‘stepping stone’ for fauna in an au/tsprofile/profile.aspx?id=10786 otherwise cleared / fragmented landscape; • Robinson, L (2003) Field guide to native plants 4. Providing significant habitat components of Sydney revised 3rd edition. Kangaroo Press. such as hollow bearing trees important to the • Thackway, R, and Cresswell, I. (1995)(eds) life cycle of migratory, non-migratory and/or ‘An interim biogeogeographic regionalisation nomadic species; of Australia: a framework for establishing 5. It may contain threatened species of flora in the national system of reserves.’ (Australian Lucas McKinnon its own right; and/or Nature Conservation Agency: Canberra) 6. Maintaining a healthy native seed bank, very important in highly cleared landscapes. Disclaimer: The Department of Environment and Climate Change has prepared this document as a guide only. The information provided is not intended to be exhaustive. It does not constitute legal advice. Users of this guide should do so at their own risk and should seek their own legal and other expert advice in identifying endangered ecological communities. The Clearing on the edge of Swamp Sclerophyll Forest. This An area of Swamp Sclerophyll Forest cleared for grazing Department of Environment and Climate Change accepts no responsibility for errors or omissions in this guide or for any loss or introduces the community to edge effects such as weed invasion. with scattered paddock trees. damage arising from its use. Department of Environment and Climate Change 1300 361 967 Communities Ecological for Endangered Guidelines Identification environment.nsw.gov.au [email protected] | December 07 ISSN 1834-9935 DECC 2007/593 Where is Swamp Sclerophyll Forest Mahogany (Eucalyptus resinifera subsp. hemilampra), found? Cabbage Tree Palm (Livistona australis) and Swamp Characteristic Species List Turpentine (Lophostemon suaveolens). The density of Swamp Sclerophyll Forest is characterised by Swamp Sclerophyll Forest is associated with humic clay Scientific Name Common Name (Range) tree species (i.e. the number of any particular species at the species listed below. The species present at Tree Canopy Species (>6m) and sandy loam soils on waterlogged or periodically any one site), is not a critical factor in determining the any site will be influenced by the size of the site, Allocasuarina littoralis Black She-Oak flooded areas. These soils are generally deposited during presence or absence of this community as this will vary recent rainfall or drought conditions and by its Casuarina glauca Swamp Oak + flood events and occur on the flats, drainage lines and depending on site history. disturbance (including fire and logging) history. Eucalyptus botryoides Bangalay + (S-Gos) river terraces of the Coastal Floodplain. The community Shrubs and Groundlayer plants Note that NOT ALL the species listed below need Eucalyptus longifolia Woollybutt (S-Syd) is usually found below 20m in elevation although to be present at any one site for it to constitute Eucalyptus resinifera subsp. Red Mahogany (N-J-Bay) sometimes up to 50 m elevation on small floodplains The understorey of this community is characterised by Swamp Sclerophyll Forest. hemilampra or where the larger floodplains adjoin lithic (rocky) a layer of shrubs including tea-trees, paperbarks and Eucalyptus robusta Swamp Mahogany +(N-Ulla) substrates or coastal sand plains. It is found in the NSW wattles, and the groundcover may consist of ferns, grass, + = Key indicator species; N = North of; Ficus coronata Sandpaper Fig North Coast, Sydney Basin and South East Corner sedges and reeds. Most commonly a site will have a S = South of; B-Bay = Batemans Bay; Livistona australis Cabbage Tree Palm + bioregions (see map). combination of these plant types. See table for typical Gos = Gosford; Illa = Illawarra; J-Bay = Jervis Lophostemon suaveolens Swamp Turpentine species of the understorey. Bay; Sho = Shoalhaven; Syd = Sydney; Melaleuca ericifolia Swamp Paperbark Melaleuca linariifolia Flax-leaved Paperbark + Ulla = Ulladulla Melaleuca quinquenervia Broad-leaved Paperbark + How can I identify areas For further help with identification see: Melaleuca styphelioides Prickly-leaved Tea Tree of Swamp Sclerophyll plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/search/simple.htm (N-Now) Shrub Species (~1.5-6m) Forest? Swamp Mahogany Woollybutt (Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus Acacia irrorata