This Conservation Advice was approved by the Minister / Delegate of the Minister on: 3/7/2008 Approved Conservation Advice (s266B of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999) Approved Conservation Advice for Eucalyptus glaucina (Slaty Red Gum)
This Conservation Advice has been developed based on the best available information at the time this conservation advice was approved.
Description Eucalyptus glaucina, Family Myrtaceae, also known as Slaty Red Gum, is a small to medium- sized woodland tree, often to 18 m and sometimes to 30 m high (Chippendale, 1988; Brooker & Kleinig, 2006). The bark sheds over the whole trunk in large plates or flakes to leave a smooth or granular, mottled surface of white or various shades of grey (Brooker & Kleinig, 2006). Conservation Status Slaty Red Gum is listed as vulnerable. This species is eligible for listing as vulnerable under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cwlth) (EPBC Act) as, prior to the commencement of the EPBC Act, it was listed as vulnerable under Schedule 1 of the Endangered Species Protection Act 1992 (Cwlth). The species is also listed as vulnerable under Schedule 2 of the Threatened Species and Conservation Act 1995 (NSW).
Distribution and Habitat Slaty Red Gum was originally known from the Rappville district, south of Casino, and in a number of localities in the Taree, Stroud, Dungog and Paterson districts, NSW (Johnson, 1962). This species is only conserved in a flora reserve in Bremer State Forest, south of Casino (L. Copeland, 2001, pers. comm.). One of the records from Taree is of a single tree that was washed away in a flood and the species has not been recorded at the site since (D. Binns, 2000, pers. comm.). This species occurs within the Hunter Central Rivers and the Northern Rivers (NSW) Natural Resource Management Regions. Slaty Red Gum grows in a range of situations, from shallow soils or stony hillsides, but not on poor sandstones (Johnson, 1962) to grassy woodland on deep, moderately fertile and well- watered soil (Harden, 1991) to gentle slopes near drainage lines in alluvial and clayey soils (Chippendale 1988). The distribution of this species overlaps with the “White Box-Yellow Box-Blakely’s Red Gum Grassy Woodland and Derived Native Grassland” EPBC Act-listed threatened ecological community.
Threats The main identified threats to Slaty Red Gum include clearing and fragmentation of habitat for agriculture and development, timber harvesting activities, and lack of regeneration through grazing pressure (DECC, 2005). The main potential threat to Slaty Red Gum is frequent fires that may suppress regeneration (DECC, 2005).
Research Priorities Research priorities that would inform future regional and local priority actions include: • Design and implement a monitoring program.
Eucalytpus glaucina Conservation Advice - Page 1 of 3 This Conservation Advice was approved by the Minister / Delegate of the Minister on: 3/7/2008 • More precisely assess population size, distribution, ecological requirements and the relative impacts of threatening processes. • Undertake survey work in suitable habitat and potential habitat to locate any additional populations/occurrences/remnants. • Undertake seed germination trials to determine the requirements for successful establishment.
Regional Priority Actions The following regional priority recovery and threat abatement actions can be done to support the recovery of Slaty Red Gum. Habitat Loss, Disturbance and Modification • Monitor known populations to identify key threats. • Monitor the progress of recovery, including the effectiveness of management actions and the need to adapt them if necessary. • Identify populations of high conservation priority. • Control the removal of Slaty Red Gum for firewood or fencing material (DECC, 2005). • Ensure agriculture and timber harvesting activities (or other infrastructure or development activities involving substrate or vegetation disturbance) in areas where Slaty Red Gum occurs do not adversely impact on known populations. • Investigate formal conservation arrangements such as the use of covenants, conservation agreements or inclusion in reserve tenure. Trampling, Browsing or Grazing • Develop and implement a stock management plan for roadside verges and travelling stock routes. • Modify grazing in known stands of Slaty Red Gum to enhance regeneration. Fencing may be required (DECC, 2005). Fire • Develop and implement a suitable fire management strategy for Slaty Red Gum that includes avoiding frequent fires that may suppress regeneration (DECC, 2005). • Identify appropriate intensity and interval of fire to promote vegetation regeneration. • Provide maps of known occurrences to local and state rural fire services and seek inclusion of mitigative measures in bush fire risk management plans, risk register and/or operation maps. Conservation Information • Raise awareness of Slaty Red Gum within the local community, especially among landholders. Enable Recovery of Additional Sites and/or Populations • Undertake appropriate seed collection and storage. • Investigate options for linking, enhancing or establishing additional populations. • Implement national translocation protocols (Vallee et al., 2004) if establishing additional populations is considered necessary and feasible.
Local Priority Actions The following local priority recovery and threat abatement actions can be done to support the recovery of Slaty Red Gum. Habitat Loss, Disturbance and Modification • Minimise adverse impacts from land use at known sites.
Eucalytpus glaucina Conservation Advice - Page 2 of 3 This Conservation Advice was approved by the Minister / Delegate of the Minister on: 3/7/2008 • Protect populations of the listed species through the development of conservation agreements and/or covenants. Trampling, Browsing or Grazing • Manage known sites on private property to ensure appropriate cattle grazing regimes are conducted, i.e. that enable seedling regeneration. • Prevent grazing pressure at known sites on leased crown land through exclusion fencing or other barriers. Fire • Implement an appropriate fire management regime for local populations.
This list does not necessarily encompass all actions that may be of benefit to this species, but highlights those that are considered to be of highest priority at the time of preparing the conservation advice.
Existing Plans/Management Prescriptions that are Relevant to the Species • The Cessnock City Council (2006) mentions Slaty Red Gum in the Vineyards section (Chapter E3) of its Development Control Plan as a suggested species for corridor plantings. This prescription was current at the time of publishing; please refer to the relevant agency’s website for any updated versions.
Information Sources: Binns, D (NSW State Forests). Personal Communication. 2000. Brooker, MIH & Kleinig, DA 2006, Field Guide to Eucalypts. Volume 1, South-eastern Australia, Bloomings Books, Hawthorn, Victoria. Cessnock City Council 2006, Cessnock Development Control Plan 2006 Section E, Chapter E3 (Vineyards), viewed 5 March 2008,
Eucalytpus glaucina Conservation Advice - Page 3 of 3