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: Southern Highlands Shale Forest and Woodland in the Sydney Basin Bioregion
Gazetted date:
28 Aug 2015
Profile last updated:
25 Oct 2022
Description
The Southern Highlands Shale Forest and Woodland of the Sydney Basin Bioregion ecological community is dominated by eucalypt trees and typically has a herbaceous understorey, but is variable in vegetation structure, ranging from a tall wet sclerophyll forest to more open, grassy woodland. It occurs in the New South Wales Southern Highlands region and is associated with soils derived from Wianamatta Shale. The Southern Highlands Shale Forest and Woodland is endemic to New South Wales, occurring within the southern part of the Sydney Basin IBRA bioregion. The ecological community occurs on the Southern Highlands plateau and is associated with clay soils derived from Wianamatta Group shales. The Southern Highlands Shale Forest and Woodland occurs in the Wingecarribee Shire (boundary as defined July 2015), although outliers may occur in adjacent local government areas. The eastern limit of the ecological community is the Illawarra escarpment where Wianamatta Shale is replaced by other geologies (younger basalts and older sedimentary geologies of the Hawkesbury, Narrabeen and Illawarra Groups) near the towns of Kangaloon, Robertson and Fitzroy Falls; the southern limit is in the vicinity of the town of Penrose; it is currently known to extend north to near Braemar and Alymerton; and west to near Canyonleigh, High Range, Berrima and Medway. The Southern Highlands Shale Forest and Woodland generally occurs in areas receiving an annual rainfall of between 1400mm (in the east) to 900mm (in the western parts of its range). Typically it occurs at elevations of between 470m to approximately 830m above sea level (ASL). The Southern Highlands Shale Forest and Woodland has a tree canopy dominated by eucalypts and a typically herbaceous understorey. It shows some variation in structure and composition in different locations due to differences in: rainfall, topographic shelter, exposure, the influence of cold air drainage and ponding; and the influences of groundwater and proximate geologies across the distribution of the ecological community. In addition, extensive clearing, grazing, logging, weed invasion, altered fire regimes and changed hydrological patterns have also resulted in variation in form. Reflecting this variation, three ‘forms’ of the ecological community are recognised: ‘typical’, ‘tall wet’ and ‘short dry’. The ‘typical’ form occurs in areas of more moderate rainfall and can be further differentiated into three variants: Penrose; Braemar; and Bundanoon ridges and exposed slopes. The ‘tall wet’ form
typically occurs in areas with higher rainfall, soil moisture and fertility, and in areas of sheltered topography. In areas of lower rainfall, more frost and, in some cases more exposed locations, a ‘short dry’ form of the ecological community occurs. 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
Regional distribution and habitat
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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 Southern Highlands Shale Forest and Woodland in the Sydney Basin Bioregion in New South Wales.
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IBRA Bioregion
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Known or predicted
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Geographic restrictions region
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