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.
(
click here to see geographic restrictions).
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 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
Gazetted date:
17 Jul 2020
Profile last updated:
29 Jul 2022
Description
White Box – Yellow Box – Blakely’s Red Gum Grassy Woodland and Derived Native Grassland 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 (commonly referred to as Box-Gum Woodland) was listed as a Critically Endangered Ecological Community (CEEC) on July 17, 2020. It is an open woodland community (sometimes occurring as a forest formation), in which the most obvious species are one or more of the following: White Box
Eucalyptus albens, Yellow Box
E. melliodora and Blakely's Red Gum
E. blakelyi. Intact sites contain a high diversity of plant species, including the main tree species, additional tree species, some shrub species, several climbing plant species, many grasses and a very high diversity of herbs. The community also includes a range of mammal, bird, reptile, frog and invertebrate fauna species. Intact stands that contain diverse upper and mid-storeys and groundlayers are rare. Modified sites include the following:
Areas where the main tree species are present ranging from an open woodland formation to a forest structure, and the groundlayer is predominantly composed of exotic species; and
Sites where the trees have been removed and only the grassy groundlayer and some herbs remain.
The Australian Government listing of White Box-Yellow Box-Blakely's Red Gum Grassy Woodland and Derived Native Grassland is slightly different to the NSW listing. Areas that are part of the Australian Government listed ecological community must have either:
An intact tree layer and predominately native ground layer; or
An intact native ground layer with a high diversity of native plant species but no remaining tree layer.
Distribution
Box-Gum Woodland 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 the presence or prior occurrence of White Box, Yellow Box and/or Blakely's Red Gum and a generally grassy understorey.
- 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 domestic stock 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 by over grazing and trampling by feral 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.
- 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.
- Loss and decline of mature hollow-bearing trees that provide habitat for hollow-utilising fauna (e.g. possums, microbats, hollow-nesting birds).
- Predation by feral carnivores on native fauna important for the functional processes of the ecological community.
- Feral pigs degrade habitats by digging over soil and leaf litter, turning logs and loose rocks and trampling ground vegetation. Pigs also prey directly on frogs, soil invertebrates and native birds and reptiles (including their eggs).
- Degradation by overabundant 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).
Recovery strategies
A targeted strategy for managing this species has been developed under the Saving Our Species program; click
here for details. For more information on the Saving Our Species program click
here
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.
Information sources
- (2020) Conservation Assessment using the Common Assessment Methodology (NSW)
- Beadle, N.C.W. (1981) The Vegetation of Australia. (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge)
- Eddy, D. (2002) Managing Native Grassland: a guide to management for conservation, production and landscape protection. (World Wide Fund for Nature Australia, Sydney)
- Eddy, D., Mallinson, D., Rehwinkel, R and Sharp. S. (1998) Grassland Flora: a field guide for the Southern Tablelands (NSW & ACT). (Environment ACT, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, World Wide Fund for Nature Australia, Australian National Botanic Gardens, Natural Heritage Trust, Canberra)
- Fallding, M. (2002) A Planning Framework for Natural Ecosystems of the ACT and NSW Southern Tablelands. Natural Heritage Trust, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, and Land & Environment Planning. Queanbeyan, NSW.
- NSW Scientific Committee (2002) White box yellow box Blakelys red gum woodland - Endangered ecological community determination - final. DEC (NSW), Sydney.
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