Indicative distribution
The areas shown in pink and/purple are the sub-regions where the species or community is known or predicted to occur. They may not occur thoughout the sub-region but may be restricted to certain areas.
(
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The information presented in this map is only indicative and may contain errors and omissions.
Scientific name: White Box-Yellow Box-Blakely’s Red Gum Grassy Woodland and Derived Native Grassland
Gazetted date:
17 May 2006
Profile last updated:
06 Apr 2022
Description
Box – Gum Grassy Woodlands and Derived Grasslands are characterised by a species-rich understorey of native tussock grasses, herbs and scattered shrubs, and the dominance, or prior dominance, of White Box, Yellow Box or Blakely’s Red Gum trees. In the Nandewar Bioregion, Grey Box (Eucalyptus microcarpa or E. moluccana) may also be dominant or codominant. The tree-cover is generally discontinuous and consists of widely-spaced trees of medium height in which the canopies are clearly separated (Yates & Hobbs 1997). In its pre-1750 state, this ecological community was characterised by: • a ground layer dominated by tussock grasses; • an overstorey dominated or co-dominated by White Box, Yellow Box or Blakely’s Red Gum, or Grey Box in the Nandewar bioregion; and, • a sparse or patchy shrub layer. Associated, and occasionally co-dominant, trees include, but are not restricted to: Grey Box (Eucalyptus microcarpa), Fuzzy Box (E. conica), Apple Box (E. bridgesiana), Red Box (E. polyanthemos), Red Stringybark (E. macrorhyncha), White Cypress Pine (Callitris glaucophylla), Black Cypress Pine (C. enderlicheri), Long-leaved Box (E. gonicalyx), New England Stringybark (E. calignosa), Brittle Gum (E. mannifera), Candlebark (E. rubida), Argyle Apple (E. cinerea), Kurrajong (Brachychiton populneus) and Drooping She-oak (Allocasuarina verticillata) (Austin et al. 2002; Beadle 1981; Fischer et al. 2004; NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service 2002; Prober & Thiele in press). This ecological community occurs in areas where rainfall is between 400 and 1200 mm per annum, on moderate to highly fertile soils at altitudes of 170 metres to 1200 metres (NSW Scientific Committee 2002). In order to meet the definition of the TEC sites must satisfy condition criteria stipulated in the Listing Advice and/or Conservation Advice. Typically condition is assessed by reference to patch size and vegetation structure thresholds or species composition metrics.
Distribution
White Box-Yellow Box-Blakely’s Red Gum Grassy Woodland and Derived Native Grassland is found from the Queensland border in the north, to the Victorian border in the south. It occurs in the NSW North Coast, New England Tableland, Nandewar, Brigalow Belt South, Sydney Basin, South Eastern Highlands, NSW South Western Slopes, South East Corner and Riverina Bioregions.
Habitat and ecology
- Characterised by current or prior occurrence of White Box, Yellow Box and/or Blakely's Red Gum and a generally grassy understorey. In the Nandewar Bioregion, Grey Box may also be dominant.
- The trees may occur as pure stands, mixtures of the three species or in mixtures with other trees, including wattles.
- Commonly co-occurring eucalypts include Apple Box (E. bridgesiana), Red Box (E. polyanthemos), E. macrorhyncha), Coastal Grey Box (E. moluccana), Candlebark (E. rubida), Bundy (E. goniocalyx), Broad-leaved Stringybark (E. goniocalyx), Youman's Stringybark (E. youmanii) and others.
- The understorey in intact sites is characterised by native grasses and a high diversity of herbs; the most commonly encountered include Kangaroo Grass (Themeda australis), Poa Tussock (Poa sieberiana), wallaby grasses (Rytidosperma spp.), spear-grasses (Austrostipa spp.), Common Everlasting (Chrysocephalum apiculatum), Scrambled Eggs (Goodenia pinnatifida), Small St John's Wort (Hypericum gramineum), Narrow-leafed New Holland Daisy (Vittadinia muelleri) and blue-bells (Wahlenbergia spp.).
- Shrubs are generally sparse or absent, though they may be locally common.
- Remnants generally occur on fertile lower parts of the landscape where soil fertility is relatively high compared to the surrounding landscape.
- Sites with particular characteristics, including varying age classes in the trees, patches of regrowth, old trees with hollows and fallen timber on the ground are very important as wildlife habitat.
- Sites in the lowest parts of the landscape often support very large trees which have leafy crowns and reliable nectar flows - sites important for insectivorous and nectar feeding birds.
- Sites that retain only a grassy groundlayer and with few or no trees remaining are important for rehabilitation, and to rebuild connections between sites of better quality.
- Remnants support many species of threatened fauna and flora.
- Retention of remnants is important as they contribute to productive farming systems (stock shelter, seed sources, sustainable grazing and water-table and salinity control).
- The fauna of remnants (insectivorous birds, bats, etc) can contribute to insect control on grazing properties.
- Some of the component species (e.g. wattles, she-oaks, native legumes) fix nitrogen that is made available to other species in the community, while fallen timber and leaves recycle their nutrients.
- Disturbed remnants are considered to form part of the community, including where the vegetation would respond to assisted natural regeneration.
Regional distribution and habitat
Click on a region below to view detailed distribution, habitat and vegetation information.
Threats
- Habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation from agricultural, forestry, mining, infrastructure and residential development.
- Degradation by over grazing and trampling by introduced and native herbivores resulting in losses of plant species and structural diversity (simplification of the understorey and groundlayer and suppression of overstorey regeneration), erosion and other soil changes (e.g. loss of cryptogams, increased nutrient status).
- Degradation of remnants by non-native plant species, including noxious weeds, exotic pasture species and environmental weeds, including garden escapes, olives and pines.
- Degradation of remnants by feral pest animals resulting in the loss or modification of habitat and predation of native fauna that are part of the White Box Yellow Box Blakely’s Red Gum Woodland TEC.
- Harvesting of firewood (either living or standing dead, including material on the ground) and collection of on-ground woody debris.
- Removal of native ground layer in box-gum woodland remnants where trees have been partially or fully removed.
- Invasion of remnants by noisy miner (Manorina melanocaphala), displacing small native birds and leading to tree health decline.
- Increased nutrient status due to application of fertilisers to native groundcover.
- Altered fire regimes.
- Lack of community knowledge and appreciation of White Box Yellow Box Blakely’s Red Gum Woodland and their component threatened species.
- Human disturbance by off road vehicles, camping, other recreational activities and dumping.
- Overexplotation of nectar resources by commercial apiaries, impacting on nectar availability for native nectivorous species.
- Occupation of tree hollows by feral honeybees.
- Tree death from over abundant leaf eating insects and other factors.
- Uncertainty as to appropriate provenance required in a changing climate, and lack of appropriate seed and planting stock to assist in rehabilitation.
- Predation by feral carnivores on native fauna important for the ecological function of the White Box Yellow Box Blakely’s Red Gum Woodland TEC.
Recovery strategies
Priority actions are the specific, practical things that must be done to recover a threatened species, population or ecological
community. The Office of Environment and Heritage has identified
0 priority actions
to help recover the White Box-Yellow Box-Blakely’s Red Gum Grassy Woodland and Derived Native Grassland in New South Wales.
Activities to assist this species
- Undertake control of rabbits, hares, foxes, pigs and goats (using methods that do not disturb the native plants and animals of the remnant).
- Manage stock to reduce grazing pressure in high quality remnants (i.e. those with high flora diversity or fauna habitat).
- Do not harvest firewood from remnants (this includes living or standing dead trees and fallen material).
- Leave fallen timber on the ground.
- Erect on-site markers to alert maintenance staff to the presence of a high quality remnant or population of a threatened species.
- Encourage regeneration by fencing remnants, controlling stock grazing and undertaking supplementary planting, if necessary.
- Undertake weed control (taking care to spray or dig out only target species).
- Protect all sites from further clearing and disturbance.
- Ensure remnants remain connected or linked to each other; in cases where remnants have lost connective links, re-establish them by revegetating sites to act as stepping stones for fauna, and flora (pollen and seed dispersal).
- Mark remnants onto maps (of the farm, shire, region, etc) and use to plan activities (e.g. remnant protection, rehabilitation or road, rail and infrastructure maintenance work). On-site markers can alert maintenance staff to the presence of a threatened species.
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