VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PLAN for Bidjigal Reserve - Land

Vegetation Management Plan - Bidjigal ReserveFour (4) vegetation communities were confirmed in the Reserve: Sandstone Riparian Scrub (‘SRS’);Hinterland Sandstone Gully Forest (‘HSGF’); Coastal Sandstone Ridgetop Woodland (‘CSRW’), andSydney Hinterland Transition Woodland (‘SHTW’).It is possible that another transitional community - Cumberland Shale Sandstone Transition Forest(‘CSSTF’) (as shown in Figure 4.1) also occurs; but the distinction between this community and SHTWis difficult to determine because CSSTF is highly variable in floristic composition. Two (2) smallremnants of this community have been mapped by Tozer et al. (2006) on the margins of the Reservein Zones N2 and E2, immediately adjacent to SHTW. Analysis of data from two (2) survey plots in theN2 site indicate that this site shows a maximum number of diagnostic species for SHTW (see Table4.2). As well, the site is dominated by species consistent with the SHTW community (e.g. Corymbiagummifera, Angophora costata and Syncarpia glomulifera), and not by species considered to bedominant in CSSTF (e.g. Eucalyptus crebra, Eucalyptus fibrosa and Eucalyptus punctata).Previous mapping (BHSC 2004, Tozer et al. 2006) indicates that Sydney Turpentine Ironbark Forest(‘STIF) occurs within the Reserve, for example on the edge of Eric Mobbs Reserve in Zone N2.Ground-truthing and data analysis for the two (2) survey plots established by UBM indicates that thisis not the case, although Syncarpia glomulifera (Turpentine) - an indicative species of this community- does occur in many parts of the Reserve. The occurrence of Turpentine in the Reserve isconsidered to be either in association with (i.e. forming a component of) other communities, orrepresenting a zone of transition into the STIF community which occurred widely outside theReserve prior to urbanisation. Most of the STIF in the Locality has now been cleared for urbandevelopment. In either case, there is not a significant proportion of diagnostic species present in thesurvey plots to identify Zone N2 as the STIF ecological community.The vegetation on Bald Hill has previously been mapped either as Sydney Sandstone Heath (BHSC2004), or as STIF (Tozer et al. 2006). Analysis of site data collected during the UBM study indicatesthat this area supports a stand of Coastal Sandstone Ridgetop Woodland (‘CSRW’). A series offires/hazard reduction burns in the Bald Hill area has provided a mosaic of vegetation at differingstages of regeneration after fire. This provides a unique opportunity to observe the response ofCSRW at differing intervals after fire. This would make an ideal study for tertiary students in theecological field.A distinction has been made between the vegetation occurring on the gully slopes, and vegetationwhich occurs lower in the landscape next to the creeklines, these forming the true ‘ripariancorridors’. This vegetation community, Sandstone Riparian Scrub (‘SRS’) has been described andmapped by Tozer et al. (2006), and the UBM survey confirms its presence in these areas.See Table 4.2 for the results of the analysis of survey plot data.4.1.2 Conservation Value of the Vegetation Communities OccurringAlthough there are no endangered plant communities occurring within the Reserve, its large size(~186 ha), which is unique in the urban environment, generally intact core bushland, andconnectivity through a network of creeks and watercourses to other bushland in the Locality andRegion makes this an extremely valuable natural resource.UBM Ecological Consultants Pty Ltd 46