Biodiversity and Vegetation - New South Wales

What major vegetation groups occurred in prior to European settlement?
What was the area of major vegetation groups in prior to European settlement?
Methods
Applications
Limitations
What major vegetation groups occur in (circa 1997)?
What is the area of major vegetation groups in (circa 1997)?
Methods
Applications
Limitations
What is the extent of native vegetation in ?
Methods
Limitations
Link to native vegetation information for 's bioregions
Knowledge, data and information gaps
References
Partnerships
Further information

New South Wales

What major vegetation groups occurred in prior to European settlement?

Map: Pre-European Major Vegetation Groups in

Source:

Major vegetation groups V1.0 (1km), National Land and Water Resources Audit 2001. Data used are assumed to be correct from suppliers.

The summary maps provide information on Australia's native vegetation collated within the National Vegetation Information System (NVIS) at July 2001 and with additional mapped information. The NVIS will be updated as vegetation mapping becomes available.

The map is a compilation of data collected at different scales by different organisations. Major Vegetation Groups were compiled by Environment Australia based on data collated by the Bureau of Rural Sciences and provided by Environment ACT, Department of Urban Services; NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service; NSW Royal Botanic Gardens; NSW State Forests; NT Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Environment; Queensland Herbarium, Environmental Protection Agency; SA Department for Environment and Heritage; Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment; Flora Section, Department of Natural Resources and Environment; Agriculture Western Australia; Western Australia Department of Conservation and Land Management and Geoscience Australia, National Mapping Division.

Map: Extent of the National Vegetation Information System data

What was the area of major vegetation groups in prior to European settlement?

Table 1: Area of vegetation groups in prior to European settlement
Major Vegetation Group	Area (km²)	% total extent
Rainforest and vine thickets	4,836	.6
Eucalyptus tall open forests	8,567	1.1
Eucalyptus open forest	138,576	17.3
Eucalyptus low open forest	10,894	1.4
Eucalyptus woodlands	207,980	26
Acacia forest and woodlands	26,099	3.3
Callitris forest and woodlands	23,724	3
Casuarina forest and woodlands	42,580	5.3
Melaleuca forest and woodlands	130	0
Other forests and woodlands	189	0
Eucalyptus open woodlands	31,247	3.9
Acacia open woodlands	138	0
Mallee woodlands and shrublands	36,746	4.6
Low closed forest and closed shrublands	3,761	.5
Acacia shrublands	77,081	9.6
Other Shrublands	5,294	.7
Heath	1,245	.2
Tussock grasslands	40,790	5.1
Hummock grasslands	4	0
Other grasslands, herblands, sedgelands and rushlands	65,917	8.2
Chenopod shrub, samphire shrub and forblands	68,766	8.6
Mangroves, tidal mudflat, samphire and bare areas, claypan, sand, rock, salt lakes, lagoons, lakes	5,670	.7

Methods

The material below is an extract from the Australian Native Vegetation Assessment 2001 report. For ease of cross reference, figure, table and section references pertain to the chapter structure of this report. The Further Information section provides links to the full graphics version of the material below and the Australian Native Vegetation Assessment 2001 report.

Pre-European vegetation of Australia has been reconstructed using a variety of interpolation and modeling techniques from mapping and information on the present types and extent, historical records and early aerial photographs. It is assumed that Australia had experienced no significant clearing other than changes due to fire regimes prior to European settlement.

The underlying data used to describe the pre-European vegetation is in many cases the same as that representing the present vegetation. Some States and Territories have assumed that vegetation types mapped as pre-European vegetation also approximate the present vegetation.

This presents varying problems in interpreting changes in vegetation. There are very few areas in Australia that have not undergone some modification in species or structure following European settlement (e.g. changes in fire regime). Australian scientists are still developing systems and techniques to assess the condition and changes to condition of native vegetation.

In all states, adding the present vegetation data from the National Vegetation Information System to the available pre-European mapping provided the source for the pre-European major vegetation groups. In South Australia, New South Wales and Tasmania the pre-European vegetation is presented as an interim product to be used at broad State and national scales. In Tasmania the pre-European data set was derived from modelling techniques and is yet to be finalised.

The major vegetation groups that are mapped, represent the dominant vegetation occurring in a particular area.

Applications

The inferred pre-European vegetation mapping can provide:

a broad baseline to document change in the extent and type of native vegetation;
information to assist in understanding the landscape for management and conservation of biodiversity;
an understanding of native vegetation cover which, coupled with details on Australia's soils, topography and climate variability assists construction of a modelled; assessment of natural soil erosion. This then allows us to understand changes in soil erosion patterns that have accompanied land use and are now impacting on the condition of our rivers, estuaries and near shore zones (NLWRA in prep.);
species and vegetation community information to assist in regional revegetation activities; and
information to assist in understanding changes in water balance, the key driver of dryland salinity (NLWRA 2001a) and changes in catchment surface water hydrology (NLWRA 2001b).

Limitations

The variety of methods used to map pre-European vegetation, the scale of some of the data and the difficulty of mapping in fragmented landscapes has resulted in an Australia-wide map which presents a combination of very broad and detailed mapping.

Queensland, Western Australia, Victoria and the Northern Territory National Vegetation Information System data have the greatest reliability. The New South Wales, South Australia and Tasmanian data are interim products and provide a broad scale view of Australia's pre-European vegetation.

The Guidelines section of this report provides guidelines on the use of the information and Appendix 8 presents information on the sources of data that have been collated into the National Vegetation Information System to represent Australia's pre-European vegetation including the extent, scale and date of collection.

Figures 6 and 7 provide information on the location and extent of data sets, their scale and level of classification used to develop the major vegetation groups.

What major vegetation groups occur in (circa 1997)?

The vegetation of New South Wales includes major examples of a broad range of plant communities. They occur in subtropical, alpine and arid environments and reflect the diversity of geologic patterns and climatic variability. New South Wales shares many vegetation communities with the Australian Capital Territory, Queensland, Victoria and South Australia.

Eastern New South Wales is dominated by eucalypt open forests moving to landscapes dominated by acacia shrublands and chenopod and samphire shrublands in the west. Eucalypt woodlands occur throughout the State. Although the State contains many endemic plants, the sandstone communities of the Sydney Basin represent the major expression of plant communities confined specifically to this State.

Grasslands are widespread throughout central and eastern New South Wales and are composed of native and 'derived' grasslands. Derived grasslands occur in areas where the tree or shrub cover has been removed by clearing or other factors (Benson 1999).

Bioregions in New South Wales

Channel Country

Most of this bioregion occurs in Queensland with parts in the Northern Territory and South Australia. It has an arid climate with very dry hot summers and short dry winters and is characterised by vast braided, flood and alluvial plains.

Dominated by tussock grasslands, pockets of acacia shrublands and acacia forests and woodlands along drainage depressions in the west.
In the east chenopod and samphire shrublands, grasslands and acacia shrublands dominate.

Major land uses are grazing and nature conservation including the major part of the Sturt National Park.

Broken Hill Complex

This bioregion extends into South Australia and includes the entire length of the Barrier Ranges. It has a dry, hot to warm climate.

Acacia shrublands, chenopod shrublands and casuarina forests and woodlands dominate with a small area of callitris.
A range of vegetation groups occur along water courses including eucalypt low open forests, and eucalypt woodlands. Livestock grazing is the major land use with some nature conservation and native forestry.

Mulga Lands

Most of this bioregion occurs in Queensland. It is characterised by flat to gently undulating plains. Rainfall is summer dominant with increasing winter rain towards the south.

Dominated in the west by acacia shrublands and in the east with acacia forests and woodlands.
Other vegetation includes eucalypt open forests, casuarina and chenopod communities in drainage depressions and small areas of eucalypt woodland.

Livestock grazing is the dominant land use with some nature conservation.

Simpson-Strzelecki Dunefields

Most of this bioregion occurs in South Australia and the Northern Territory with a smaller part in Queensland.

Dominated by dune vegetation of acacia shrublands with a spinifex (hummock grassland) understorey and linear strips of eucalypt low open forests along drainage depressions.

Dominant land uses are grazing and nature conservation including the north-west corner of the Sturt National Park.

Murray-Darling Depression

This bioregion extends into South Australia and Victoria and is characterised by gently undulating sandy and clay plains frequently overlain by dunes.

Dominated by mallee woodlands and shrublands, casuarina forests and woodlands, acacia shrublands with some chenopod and samphire communities, grasslands and low closed forests and closed shrublands in the south.
Pockets of callitris forests and woodlands and eucalypt woodlands occur in the north.
Two small parts of the region in the east are dominated by mallee communities (Nombinnie Nature Reserve) in the north and grasslands in the south.

Major land uses are grazing and nature conservation (e.g. Mallee Cliffs National Park, Willandra World Heritage Area). Limited clearing of mallee, casuarina and chenopod communities has occurred in the far south.

Riverina

This bioregion extends into Victoria and a small part of the Murray River into South Australia. It has a dry climate and includes parts of the Murrumbidgee, Lachlan and Murray rivers.

Chenopod shrubs (bladder saltbush) and tussock grasslands dominate.
Low closed forests and closed shrublands occur along drier watercourses with eucalypt open forests, eucalypt woodlands and casuarina communities along the major watercourses.

Large areas in the south and south east of this region have been cleared. Major land uses are livestock grazing with large areas of irrigation, some dryland agriculture, native forestry and nature conservation (Willandra National Park).

Darling Riverine Plain

This bioregion extends partly into Queensland, contains the Darling River system and is characterised by alluvial fans and plains with a hot dry climate in the west and less dry in the east.

Dominated along the Darling River by eucalypt open forests, tussock grassland and chenopod and samphire shrubs.
Remaining area contains a wide variety of vegetation groups including chenopod and samphire shrublands, grasslands, acacia forests and woodlands, eucalypt woodland, eucalypt open woodland, low closed forests and closed shrublands and eucalypt tall open forests along the Barwon River.

Major land uses are grazing and dryland cereal cropping with some nature conservation, grazing of modified pastures, native forestry, and irrigated cropping and pastures. This bioregion spans parts of the western and central regions of New South Wales with much of the vegetation in the east and south cleared for dryland and some irrigated agriculture (cotton and cereals) or under threat of clearing for cropping.

Cobar Peneplain

This region consists of rocky outcrops with limited alluvial soils with a warm to hot dry climate.

Dominated in the western part by eucalypt woodland, acacia shrublands, callitris forests and woodlands with small areas of acacia forests and woodlands. This area remains uncleared and is primarily used for livestock grazing.
Patchy areas of eucalypt open woodland and grasslands occur in the east of the region which has undergone clearing for dryland agriculture.

Eleven percent of the bioregion is cleared. Major land uses are grazing of native pastures, cropping and some grazing of modified pastures, native forestry, nature conservation and irrigated cropping (cotton in the north).

Brigalow Belt South

Most of this bioregion occurs in Queensland. It has been substantially cleared for grazing and cropping.

Eucalypt open woodlands and woodlands and mallee woodlands and shrublands dominate the remaining vegetation.
Scattered remnants of eucalypt open forests, callitris and acacia forests and woodlands and acacia open woodlands remain.

Major land uses are grazing of native and modified pastures, native forestry and dryland agriculture (cereals, legumes, cotton, oilseeds and oleaginous fruit) with some nature conservation (e.g. Pilliga Nature Reserve) and irrigated cotton.

New South Wales South Western Slope

This bioregion has a small part within Victoria and is characterised by foothills and isolated ranges with a warm to hot and dry climate. It has been extensively cleared (66%) of eucalypt woodlands for cropping and grazing with introduced pastures.

Remnants of eucalypt woodland, eucalypt open forests and grasslands occur with scattered occurrences of callitris, heath and chenopod and samphire shrublands.

Major land uses are dryland agriculture (cereals, legumes, oilseeds and oleaginous fruit), irrigated cropping (cereals and cotton), irrigated pastures and irrigated horticulture (e.g. tree fruits).

New South Wales North Coast

This biorregion is characterised by a series of escarpments, foothills and coastal plains and has a subtropical (summer and winter rainfall) to temperate climate further inland.

Large areas of eucalypt open forests, rainforests and mangroves occur on the coast.
Large areas on the foothills and coast plains have been cleared.
More detailed mapping and survey has shown that this area has a high diversity of vegetation and plant species.

The area has been extensively cleared (38%) primarily for grazing of native and modified pastures with other major land uses including minimal use, native and some plantation forestry and nature conservation. The largest areas of rainforest are protected, as are many coastal communities (e.g. Oxley Wild Rivers, Barrington Tops, Myall Lakes and Lamington National Parks). Irrigation occurs along the coast and the south and dryland cropping for cereals and sugar.

New England Tableland

This bioregion consists of undulating elevated plateaus of hills and plains with a temperate (dry and hot summer) climate and extends into southern Queensland.

Dominated by eucalypt open forests, woodlands and open woodlands.

The area has been cleared primarily for grazing of native and modified pastures, minimal use, some nature conservation, native forestry and dryland cropping (cereals).

Nandewar

This bioregion extends into southern Queensland and is located on the north western slopes of New South Wales with a temperate (hot summer) climate with winter and summer rain.

Dominated by eucalypt open forests and open woodlands and mallee woodlands and shrublands.

The area has been extensively cleared primarily for grazing of native pastures, dryland cropping (cereals and legumes) and some grazing of modified pastures. Other land uses include minimal use, nature conservation( Kaputar National Park is the largest protected area) and native forestry.

Sydney Basin

This bioregion is characterised by dissected plateaus (sandstones and shales) with a temperate (mild to hot summer) climate.

Dominated by a large range of vegetation types including eucalypt woodlands, eucalypt open forests and scattered patches of eucalypt tall open forests, eucalypt low open forests, eucalypt woodland, heath, mallee, rainforest, mangroves, grasslands and samphire communities.

Thirty-two percent of the bioregion has been cleared (particularly on the Illawarra and Cumberland Plains) for grazing of native pastures, urban development and small areas of irrigation, forestry and grazing of modified pastures. Large areas of vegetation are protected such as the Wollemi, Yengo, Blue Mountains, Nattai and Morton National Parks.

South East Corner

This bioregion extends into Victoria and is characterised by a series of deeply dissected near coastal ranges, gently undulating terraces, coastal plains, dunes and inlets. It has a temperate, mild to warm summer climate.

Dominated by eucalypt open forests and eucalypt tall open forests on the steep escarpment and undulating foothills.
Scattered patches of rainforest, eucalypt woodland and open woodland, acacia forests, woodlands and shrublands, heath, mangroves and other wetland vegetation.

Major land uses include native forests, nature conservation and grazing. Clearing of eucalypt open and tall open forests and heath and grasslands on the coast has occurred mainly for urban expansion, livestock grazing and cropping.

South East Highlands

This bioregion extends into the Australian Capital Territory and Victoria. The region consists of undulating plateaus and steep dissecting ranges.

Dominated by eucalypt woodlands and tussock grasslands in the south.
Scattered patches of heath, eucalypt tall open forests, rainforest and swamps occur throughout the region.

The region has been extensively cleared with grazing of native and modified pastures the major land uses. Other land uses include plantations, native forests, dryland cropping, nature conservation and some irrigated cropping.

Australian Alps

This bioregion extends into Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory. The alpine region in southern New South Wales is characterised by a series of high elevation plateaus.

Contains the only alpine and the majority of the subapline vegetation in New South Wales and is often snow covered in winter.
Dominated by eucalypt open forests and woodlands and tussock grassland.
Small areas of eucalypt open woodlands and heath are present.

The majority of this region is protected in the Namadgi and Kosciuszko National Parks. The region is recovering from past grazing and soil erosion. The Kosciuszko National Park is under pressure from tourism and ski development. It is the location of major water impoundments for diversion to the Murray and Murrumbidgee rivers.

Map: Major Vegetation Groups in (circa 1997)

Source:

Major vegetation groups V1.0 (1km), National Land and Water Resources Audit 2001. Data used are assumed to be correct from suppliers.

Map: Extent of the National Vegetation Information System data