McKies Stringybark/Blackbutt Open Forest - profile

Scientific name: McKies Stringybark/Blackbutt Open Forest in the Nandewar and New England Tableland Bioregions 
 Conservation status in NSW: Endangered Ecological Community

Description

This is an open forest community characterised by the presence of McKie's Stringybark (Eucalyptus mckieana), New England Blackbutt (E. andrewsii), and Black Cypress Pine (Callitris endlicheri). Other tree species may also be present. A wide range of shrub and forb species make up the understorey.

Location and habitat

Distribution
 Restricted distribution on the North West Slopes and New England Tablelands, from Kings Plains to Bundarra and to west of Uralla. The community has been severely fragmented, and generally occurs on private property and along roadsides and Travelling Stock Routes.

• This community is found on laterite soils in low-lying areas and open depressions.

Regional information
This species is found in the following catchment management authority regions. Click on a region name to see more details about the distribution, vegetation types and habitat preference of the species in that region.

• Border Rivers/Gwydir

Threats

• Risk of local extinction due to small, scattered remnants.
• Clearing and fragmentation of community for agriculture, roadworks and development.
• Rural subdivision.
• Weed invasion. Narrow linear remnants of this community are highly susceptible to weed invasion.
• Disturbance and clearing of remnants for fencelines, trail clearing and selective logging.

Recovery strategies

Priority actions are the specific, practical things that must be done to recover a threatened species, population or ecological community. The Department of Environment and Conservation has identified 13 priority actions to help recover the McKies Stringybark/Blackbutt Open Forest in New South Wales.

What needs to be done to recover this species?

• Support local Landcare groups to identify and protect local remnants.
• Identify roadside remnants and protect during roadworks.
• Assist with the control of introduced weeds.
• Protect remnant areas of community from clearing, fragmentation and logging.
• Support property agreements and voluntary conservation agreements.
• Expand and reconnect isolated forest remnants.

References

• NSW Scientific Committee (2001) McKies stringybark/blackbutt open forest in the Nandewar and New England Tableland bioregions - Endangered ecological community determination - final. DEC (NSW), Sydney.