Photographer: Greg Steenbeeke

COOLIBAH – BLACK BOX WOODLAND

INTRODUCTIONAll part of a communityEcological communities are groups of plants, animals and other organisms that naturally occur together. The structure and composition are determined by environmental factors such as climate, landscape position, soil, aspect and altitude.

While a particular ecological community will vary in structure and composition across its range, there are common elements that clearly identify one ecological community as distinct from another.

Ecological communities also exist in different condition ‘states’, each with defining characteristics. States range from high quality to degraded with several in between.

Management affects the state of a community and depending on the type of management action, can cause a community to make a ‘transition’ to a better or worse state.

Coolibah – Black Box WoodlandThe Coolibah – Black Box Woodland threatened ecological community occurs on the grey, self-mulching clays of floodplains, swamp margins, ephemeral wetlands, and stream levee areas of the Darling Riverine Plains and the Brigalow Belt South Bioregions. It is characterised by a dominant eucalyptus overstorey of Coolibah (Eucalyptus coolabah) and Black Box (Eucalyptus largiflorens), with a grassy understorey.

Unfortunately large areas of this woodland have been cleared across the region and remaining fragments are listed as endangered. The woodland and its waterways provide an essential home to many of our catchments’ most threatened species.

Coolibah – Black Box Woodland is listed as an endangered ecological community under both the Australian Government’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) and the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (TSC Act).

Activities which affect the condition or extent of Coolibah – Black Box Woodland may require consent or approval.

Where does the community occur?The community is situated within the upper reaches of the Murray-Darling Basin and southern part of the Fitzroy River system The community is distributed from central western NSW to central northern Queensland.

Managing and enhancing biodiversity on your land helps build a resilient landscape that balances production and conservation

Photographer: David Carr

IdentificationCoolibah – Black Box Woodland has a canopy of widely spaced Coolibah and/or Black Box trees with a mid-storey of shrubs and a ground layer of grasses and herbs.

Healthy Coolibah – Black Box Woodland typically has widely spaced trees, of different ages and sizes, a high diversity of grass species, fallen timber and hollow trees.

Under the EPBC Act there are specific criteria to identify Coolibah – Black Box communities. You should refer to the listing advice for the exact identification criteria.

A patch must be at least 5ha and have a tree canopy cover of at least 8%. The patch must have trees of either Coolibah or Black Box. Some of the trees must have a diameter at breast height greater than 30 cm or hollows (dead or live trees). If trees have been coppiced then some trees must have a diameter greater than 20 cm.

At least 10% of the ground cover must be native grasses, herbs, saltbush or low shrubs and at least half of the ground cover must be native species.

Coolibah – Black Box Woodland is a very dynamic and resilient community. During drought and after floods it may have different species dominating the ground layer than during other times. The composition of the ground layer will vary between grass-dominated, saltbush dominated and shrub-dominated depending on the conditions.

Description

Profile drawing of Coolibah – Black Box Woodland community (M. Goode)

DOMINANT CANOPY SPECIES

Absent from derived (previously cleared) grasslands

Eucalyptus coolabah subsp. coolabah CoolibahEucalyptus largiflorens Black box

ASSOCIATED CANOPY SPECIES

Vary according to landscape position, rainfall and soil type

Acacia cambagei GidgeeAlectryon oleifolius BooneryCasuarina cristata BelahEucalyptus populnea subsp. bimbil Poplar boxEucalyptus camaldulensis River red gumMelaleuca trichostachya Tea tree

MID-STOREY SPECIES

Sparse to dense

Acacia stenophylla Black wattle, River coobaAcacia salicina CoobaAcacia oswaldii MiljeeCapparis mitchellii Bumbil, Wild orangeCapparis lasiantha NepineDuma florulenta LignumEinadia hastata SaloopEremophila bignoniiflora EurahEremophila glabra TarbushEremophila mitchellii False sandalwood, Budda Exocarpos aphyllus Leafless ballart Geijera parviflora Wilga Lomandra longifolia Mat-rushMyoporum montanum Western boobiallaRhagodia spinescens Spiny saltbushVachellia farnesiana Mimosa bush

GROUNDCOVER SPECIES

Astrebla lappacea Curly Mitchell grassAustrostipa spp. Speargrasses Bothriochloa spp. Red grassesBoerhavia dominii TarvineChloris ventricosa Tall chloris Dichanthium sericeum Queensland blue grassEnteropogon acicularis Curly windmill grassEremophila debilis Amulla Leptochloa digitata Umbrella canegrassMarsilea drummondii NardooPanicum decompositum Native milletPanicum queenslandicum Yadbila grassPaspalidium jubiflorum Warrego summer grassSclerolaena birchii Galvanised burrSclerolaena muricata Black roly polyTetragonia tetragonioides Warrigal greens

Photo Key:1 Coolibah leaves and fruit 2 Eurah flower 3 Nardoo 4 Black box leaves and buds 5 Umbrella canegrass All photographs by David Carr

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Plants of Coolibah – Black Box Woodland

BIRDS

ParrotsRed-winged parrotBudgerigarBlue bonnetPale-headed rosella NEastern rosellaSuperb parrot ●Mulga parrotEastern ringneckRed-rumped parrotLittle lorikeet ●

CockatoosCockatielSulphur-crested cockatooLittle corellaMajor Mitchell’s cockatoo ● W

Red-tailed black-cockatoo ●Glossy black-cockatoo ●Galah

Ground feeding and low nesting birdsBlack-necked stork ● R

Brolga ● R

EmuBanded lapwingMasked lapwingStubble quailBrown quailPainted button-quailRed-chested button-quailLittle button-quailCrimson chatWhite-fronted chatSinging BushlarkRichard’s PipitAustralian reed-warbler ■ R

Brown songlarkRufous songlarkGolden-headed cisticolaTawny grassbirdLittle grassbirdBush stone-curlew ●Australian bustard ●

Ground feeding birdsAustralian white ibisR

Straw-necked ibisGrey-crowned babbler ●White-browed babblerDiamond doveBar-shouldered dovePeaceful doveCrested pigeonCommon bronzewingDiamond firetail ●

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Animals of Coolibah – Black Box Woodland

Double-barred finchPlum-headed finchZebra finchChestnut-breasted mannikin

Aerial feeding birdsDollarbirdRainbow bee-eater ■Dusky woodswallowWhite-breasted woodswallowWhite-browed woodswallowMasked woodswallowBlack-faced woodswallowLittle woodswallowRestless flycatcherGrey fantailWillie wagtailWhite-backed swallowWelcome swallowFairy martinTree martinFork-tailed swift ■White-throated needletail ■

Medium to large bush birdsLaughing kookaburraSacred kingfisherAzure kingfisher RRed-backed kingfisherFan-tailed cuckooHorsfield’s bronze-cuckooShining bronze-cuckooPallid cuckooBlack-eared cuckooPied butcherbirdGrey butcherbirdAustralian magpiePied currawongMagpie-larkBlack-faced cuckoo-shrikeGround cuckoo-shrikeWhite-bellied cuckoo-shrikeFan-tailed cuckooHorsfield’s bronze-cuckooShining bronze-cuckooPallid cuckooBlack-eared cuckooWhite-winged trillerBrown treecreeperWhite-winged choughAustralian ravenLittle ravenTorresian crowLittle crowApostlebirdSpotted bowerbird

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KEY:● Species, population or community listed as vulnerable or endangered under the EPBC and/or TSC Act■ Species listed as migratory under the EPBC ActN, E, S, W = Regional extent – North, East, South or West of Border Rivers-Gwydir catchment areaH = found at high altitudeR = found in riparian/wetland areas

Spiny-cheeked honeyeaterNoisy minerYellow-throated minerLittle friarbirdNoisy friarbirdBlack honeyeaterBlue-faced honeyeaterPainted honeyeater ●Brown honeyeaterYellow-faced honeyeaterWhite-plumed honeyeaterSinging honeyeaterBrown-headed honeyeaterBlack-chinned honeyeater (eastern subsp.) ●Striped honeyeaterOlive-backed oriole

MAMMALS

Terrestrial (land dwelling)Paucident planigaleNarrow-nosed planigaleFat-tailed dunnartStripe-faced dunnart ●Common dunnartWater-rat RWestern grey kangarooEastern grey kangarooRed kangarooCommon wallarooSwamp wallabySpotted-tailed quoll ●Short-beaked echidna

Arboreal (tree dwelling)Koala ●Feathertail gliderSugar gliderCommon brushtail possum

BatsMicrobatsGould’s wattled batChocolate wattled batLittle pied bat ●Lesser long-eared batCorben’s long-eared bat ●Inland broad-nosed batLittle broad-nosed batLittle forest batSouthern freetail batInland freetail batWhite-striped freetail-batYellow-bellied sheathtail-bat ●

MegabatsLittle red flying-fox

IntroducedEuropean cattleGoatDingo, domestic dogFoxDeerHorseCatBrown hareRabbitHouse mouseBlack ratPig

BIRDS

ParrotsRed-winged parrotBudgerigarBlue bonnetPale-headed rosella NEastern rosellaSuperb parrot ●Mulga parrotEastern ringneckRed-rumped parrotLittle lorikeet ●

CockatoosCockatielSulphur-crested cockatooLittle corellaMajor Mitchell’s cockatoo ● W

Red-tailed black-cockatoo ●Glossy black-cockatoo ●Galah

Ground feeding and low nesting birdsBlack-necked stork ● R

Brolga ● R

EmuBanded lapwingMasked lapwingStubble quailBrown quailPainted button-quailRed-chested button-quailLittle button-quailCrimson chatWhite-fronted chatSinging BushlarkRichard’s PipitAustralian reed-warbler ■ R

Brown songlarkRufous songlarkGolden-headed cisticolaTawny grassbirdLittle grassbirdBush stone-curlew ●Australian bustard ●

Ground feeding birdsAustralian white ibisR

Straw-necked ibisGrey-crowned babbler ●White-browed babblerDiamond doveBar-shouldered dovePeaceful doveCrested pigeonCommon bronzewingDiamond firetail ●

Grey shrike-thrushEastern shrike-tit

Crested bellbird WGolden whistler E

Rufous whistlerEastern yellow robin

Hooded robin ●Jacky winter

Red-capped robin

Small bush birdsInland thornbill

Yellow-rumped thornbillYellow thornbill

Buff-rumped thornbillChestnut-rumped thornbill

Southern whitefaceWestern gerygone

White-throated gerygoneWeebill

MistletoebirdSuperb fairy-wren

Variegated fairy-wrenWhite-winged fairy-wren

Splendid fairy-wrenVaried sittella ●

Spotted pardaloteStriated pardalote

Silvereye

Birds of preyCollared sparrowhawk

Brown goshawkWedge-tailed eagle

Swamp harrierSpotted harrier ●

Black-shouldered kiteWhite-bellied sea-eagle R

Whistling kiteLetter-winged kite

Black kiteLittle eagle ●

Square-tailed kite ●Brown falcon

Nankeen kestrelAustralian hobbyPeregrine falcon

Black falconGrey falcon ●

Nocturnal birdsGrass owl ●

Barn owlSouthern boobook

Barking owl ●Tawny frogmouth

Australian owlet-nightjarSpotted nightjar

IntroducedHouse sparrowCommon myna

Common starlingFeral pigeon

Spotted turtle-dove

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Photo Key:1 Red-winged parrot – A. Coward2 Brolga – Iestyn Taylor3 Baby emus – Lori Charlson4 Red-tailed black-cockatoo – Phil Spark5 Stripe-faced dunnart – J. Gerth6 Sugar glider – Phil Spark7 Little forest bat – Phil Spark

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Only terrestrial birds have been included however there are 67

species of water birds frequently found in Coolibah-Black Box

Woodland. For further information, contact your nearest Local Land

Services office.

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REPTILES

DragonsBurn’s dragonEastern bearded dragonLong-tailed earless dragon

TurtlesBroad-shelled snake-necked turtle REastern snake-necked turtle RMurray short-necked turtle R

SnakesMurray/Darling carpet pythonGreen tree snakeSouthern death adderYellow-faced whip snakeDe Vis’s banded snakeRed-naped snakeGrey snakePale-headed snake ●Mulga snakeSpotted black snakeRed-bellied black snakeEastern brown snakeEastern shovel-nosed snakeVariable black-naped snakeCurl snakeEastern bandy-bandy

Blind SnakesProng-snouted blind snakeRobust blind snakeProximus blind snakeBrown-snouted blind snake

GeckosSouthern spiny-tailed geckoBox-patterned geckoTessellated geckoEastern stone geckoEastern spiny-tailed geckoDubious dtellaVaried dtellaPrickly geckoMarbled velvet gecko

Legless lizardsPatternless delmaExcitable delmaBurton’s snake-lizardCommon scaly-footWestern scaly-foot

SkinksFive-clawed worm-skink ●Shiny-palmed shinning-skinkUnspotted yellow-sided ctenotusRobust ctenotusBrown-blazed wedgesnout ctenotus

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KEY:● Species, population or community listed as vulnerable or endangered under the EPBC and/or TSC Act■ Species listed as migratory under the EPBC ActN, E, S, W = Regional extent – North, East, South or West of Border Rivers-Gwydir catchment areaH = found at high altitudeR = found in riparian/wetland areas

Photo Key:8 Shingleback lizard – David Carr9 Carpet python – Phil Spark10 Five-clawed worm-skink – Alex Dudley11 Rough frog – Alex Dudley12 Salmon-striped frog – Alex Dudley

Tree-crevice skinkEastern water-skink RWood mulch-sliderEastern robust sliderCommon dwarf skinkSouth-eastern morethia skinkCommon bluetongueShingleback lizard

GoannasSand monitorBlack-tailed monitorLace monitor

AMPHIBIANSEphemeral dams, ponds, wetlands

Frogs and frogletsNew Holland frog NWater-holding frogRough frogStriped burrowing frog NGreen tree frogBroad-palmed frogPeron’s tree frogDesert tree frogEastern sign-bearing frogletCommon eastern frogletSloane’s froglet ●BullfrogLong-thumbed frogOrnate burrowing frogSalmon-striped frogSpotted marsh frogNorthern banjo frog NE

Painted burrowing frog

Toads and toadletsHoly cross toadWrinkled toadlet

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Management The aim of management of Coolibah – Black Box Woodland is to maintain or increase the extent of the community and to maintain or improve its condition.

• It is recommended that you do not clear Coolibah – Black Box Woodland patches, even under permissible exemptions from the Native Vegetation Conservation Act.

• Provide long-term protection for patches through landholder agreements with the Local Land Services or conservation agreements with the Office of Environment and Heritage or the Nature Conservation Trust.

• Do not cultivate in or near patches of this community and avoid opening new tracks, table drains or trenches through stands in good condition.

• Increase the area of this community through revegetation and assisted natural regeneration.

• Prevent herbicide or defoliant drift onto patches of Coolibah – Black Box Woodland by spraying when there is no wind or planting buffers of resistant trees (e.g. Belah).

• Adopt selective and rotational grazing practices and avoid grazing when ground layer plants are flowering and setting seed (usually spring to mid summer).

• Allow occasional flooding and avoid permanent inundation. Restoring hydrological regimes requires coordinated efforts of landholders and government at a regional scale.

• Manage weeds in and around existing patches of woodland. Avoid creating soil disturbances that favour weeds.

• Increase species diversity by introducing seedlings of other species from adjacent or similar patches.

Profile drawing of Coolibah – Black Box Woodland community (M. Goode)

Threats Clearing – of both the overstorey and understorey is a major threat to both the extent and the condition of this community. When the woodland understorey is removed, through cultivation for crops or pasture development, the community suffers greatly to the point it cannot be regenerated.

Grazing – by domestic and feral animals can remove the ground cover species.

Changing the groundwater or the flooding and drying regime – can kill mature trees and prevent regeneration.

Herbicide or defoliant drift – from spraying in adjacent paddocks will kill or reduce the health of trees and shrubs.

Weeds – such as Lippia (Phyla canescens), Johnson grass (Sorghum halapense) and African boxthorn (Lycium ferocissimum) compete with the ground layer plants and prevent regeneration.

Feral animals – particularly pigs can destroy ground layer plants and shrubs and introduce weeds. Foxes and cats prey on native animals.

Other threats – include salinity, mining, housing development, the effects of fragmentation and climate change.

Photographer: Greg Steenbeeke

Threats and Management

Photographer: David Carr

FURTHER INFORMATIONLook for ‘Coolibah – Black Box Woodlands of the Darling Riverine Plains and the Brigalow Belt South Bioregions’ on the Australian Government Threatened Species and Ecological Communities website www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/index.html

NSW Threatened Species www.threatenedspecies.environment.nsw.gov.au

Contact the Local Land Services on the contact details below.

Photographer: David Carr

ECOSYSTEM FUNCTION: HOW HEALTHY WOODLANDS WORK FOR YOUHealthy Coolibah – Black Box Woodlands provide a wide range of benefits that are often called ‘ecosystem services’. These include traditional services like grazing for livestock, but also other services such as:

• capture of solar energy• soil formation and cycling• nutrient cycling• water capture, filtration and delivery to water bodies• pollination• pest management (e.g. reducing insect pest pressure on crops)• habitat for fauna, notably hollow dwelling fauna which utilise hollows in old Coolibah,

River red gum and Poplar box trees• regional climate buffering• shade and shelter (e.g. for livestock)• breakdown and absorption of wastes• a sense of place• scenery

Credits: Text & flora list – David Carr; Fauna list – Phil Spark; Compilation – Michelle McKemey; Graphic design – Melanie Kilby

www.lls.nsw.gov.au1300 795 299

8:30 am to 5:30pm Monday to Friday