Teacher guide to Namoi ‘special place’
Background document
Site 1: Black Jack State Forest, Gunnedah
1.1
Introduction
Welcome to the ‘Special place’ pack for Black Jack State Forest near Gunnedah.
Black Jack State Forest is an important part of a network of areas of remnants of native
vegetation. When visiting, you will study a remnant of a White box endangered ecological
community. Remnant vegetation adds value to the region, by providing important services to
the agriculture industry and local communities (e.g. the forest provides habitat for bats, which
help farmers by reducing numbers of insect pests). The surveys undertaken during the visit
can be used to evaluate the environmental services this remnant provides to those who live
around it.
At this site, you can compare the scale and nature of the remnant natural vegetation of the
flood plain with the productive agricultural landscape. Students can undertake field tasks from
the activities in the education package. The tasks can be completed as individual or combined
components over one or multiple day trips, depending on student numbers, time constraints
and teacher support.
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Special features of Black Jack State Forest
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Close proximity to Gunnedah – approximately 9 km south
Quiet – away from busy roads
Free access
Wheelchair access may be possible for parts of the Black Jack State Forest activities; however,
it is a good idea to assess the area before the trip. The unsealed road and track may have
access limitations
Area of over 197 hectares that supports high-quality remnants of white box
High plant and animal diversity
Before travelling to Black Jack State Forest, visit the New South Wales (NSW) Forest
Corporation website (http://www.forestrycorporation.com.au) to become familiar with the
relevant regulations and safety issues.
One thing that makes Black Jack State Forest a ‘special place’ is that it contains two types of
woodland – shrubby white box and grassy white box – that support many different species of
plants (native grasses, herbs, shrubs and trees) and animals (birds, mammals and reptiles).
Another feature that makes this site special is that it shows the transition of grassy woodland
to shrubby woodland in the absence of fire. Many of the plants within Black Jack State Forest
were used by the Kamilaroi (also known as Gomilaroi and other spellings) tribe; for example,
as bush tucker food, medicines, implements (used for food, hunting and weapons), twine or
rope for practical and decorative purposes, dyes, and glues (McKemey & White 2011).
While at the site you will see physical signs of pre-European Aboriginal occupation. In the
woodland, 400-year-old trees that are still standing tell some of the story of the Kamilaroi
people in the area. Visitors can also learn first hand the vastly different ways the two cultures
– the Kamilaroi and the current residents – manage the landscape. One difference is that the
Kamilaroi were able to make use of trees without destroying them. For example, bark was
removed to make canoes, coolamons (shallow vessels) and even shields, leaving a scar on the
tree (see Fig. 1.1). The scarred tree continued to live and thus to provide other environmental
services (e.g. shade, firewood and even oxygen to breathe). In modern European land use,
vegetation is removed or severely altered to provide a landscape suitable for agricultural
purposes; these changes mean that other environmental services are lost from the landscape.
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Figure 1.1
interest 14)
1.2
A scar tree that can be seen on the tour at Black Jack State Forest (at point of
Flora of Black Jack State Forest
Black Jack State Forest is predominantly a shrubby woodland dominated by white box
(Fig. 1.2) with areas of grassland: a type of vegetation described as grassy white box
woodland endangered ecological community. The NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act
1995 (TSC Act) defines an ecological community as ‘an assemblage of species occupying a
particular area’. Ecological communities can be listed under the TSC Act as critically
endangered, endangered or vulnerable, depending on their risk of extinction (OEH 2012).
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Figure 1.2
Mixed-age white box woodland
Mature trees provide essential habitat for native animals, while younger trees contribute to the overall
‘health’ of the vegetation community.
Of the original grassy white box woodland within NSW, less than 1% remains. Black Jack
State Forest provides an example of this historically extensive vegetation type. The woodland
contains an abundance and diversity of hollow trees that provide habitat for native animals
(fauna) (Figs. 1.3, 1.4).
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Figure 1.3
A mature white box (Eucalyptus albens) in Black Jack State Forest that provides
important habitat for animals such as birds, bats, reptiles, frogs and small mammals
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Figure 1.4
Typical hollow of a mature tree that provides habitat for native animals
Different sized hollows accommodate different types of animals; without the hollows of mature trees,
many native animals, including threatened animals, would lack a home or protection.
Other common native plants occurring in Black Jack State Forest include white cypress pine
(Fig. 1.5) and wilga (Fig. 1.6). There is also occasional kurrajong (Fig. 1.7), which is a relict
rainforest plant – a reminder of the rainforest that covered inland Australia as part of
Gondwana. Threatened flora that occur in the Gunnedah region include blue grass, slender
tylophora, austral toadflax and lobed blue-grass, which are listed under either the TSC Act
and/or the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
(EPBC Act)
As a conifer, white cypress pine is sensitive to fire, unlike the eucalypts and many shrubs that
have evolved with fire. Native plants with fire-adapted strategies benefit from fire. For
example, mature wattle plants could be killed by fire; however, the wattle seeds will survive
in the soil and germinate after fire. The absence of fire favours regeneration of white cypress
pine; resulting in thick stands of stunted cypress pine that inhibits understorey vegetation
growth.
The threatened flora of this area are listed in Appendix 1.1.
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Figure 1.5
White cypress pine (Callitris glaucophylla) is fire susceptible, but in the absence
of fire can become thick and exclude the growth of shrubs and groundcover
Figure 1.6
Wilga (Geijera parviflora) growing as part of the tall shrub layer within Black
Jack State Forest
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Figure 1.7
Kurrajong (Brachychiton populneus) seedling; a dry rainforest plant linked to
rainforests that once covered inland Australia when it was part of Gondwana
Weeds found throughout the area include cobbler’s pegs (Fig. 1.8), coolatai grass (Fig. 1.9),
feathertop rhodes grass, mother of millions, paddy’s lucerne, prickly pear and tall cactus (Fig.
1.10).
Figure 1.8
The weed cobbler’s pegs (Bidens pilosa) is a problem in Black Jack State Forest
a) Dense growth of cobbler’s pegs is often found along disturbed areas.
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b) Heads produce large numbers of seeds that easily attach to passing animals (including humans) that
act as dispersal mechanisms.
Figure 1.9
Coolatai grass (Hyparrhenia hirta) at the entrance to Black Jack State Forest;
this is an invasive weed that is a major threat to native vegetation and is difficult to eradicate
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Figure 1.10
Plants such as cactus that disperse and ‘escape’ from garden plantings can
become problematic for our native vegetation and wildlife
1.3
Fauna of Black Jack State Forest
Black Jack State Forest provides habitat for many native animals. Thirty-one animals listed as
threatened are known or predicted to use habitat within the forest, including 21 birds, 8
mammals and 2 reptiles. White box woodland remnants are important as a food source for the
endangered swift parrot and regent honeyeater, both of which are listed under the TSC and
EPBC Acts (AHD 2013). The squirrel glider (Fig. 1.11) also uses white box woodland habitat
for nesting and as a food source, and is known to occur in the Black Jack State Forest.
The threatened fauna of this area are listed in Appendix 1.1.
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Figure 1.11
The threatened squirrel glider (Petaurus norfolcensis) is known to occur in Black
Jack State Forest; it depends on tree hollows for habitat and white box for a food source
At least 14 exotic animals that are considered potential threats have been recorded at Black
Jack State Forest ‘special place’. These species include birds (common starling, rock dove,
house sparrow and common myna), rodents (house mouse, black rat), domestic animals (dog,
cat), as well as fox, brown hare, rabbit, European cattle, and goat.
Remnant vegetation is crucial for maintaining native biodiversity and ecosystems in the
Gunnedah area. Diverse ecosystems maintain robust food webs which are of value to grazing
and cropping enterprises and society in general. Microbats live under tree bark and in the
hollows of old trees. The microbats that thrive here including the rare South-eastern longeared bat or greater long-eared bat (Fig. 1.12) eat over half of their body weight of flying
insects each night including mosquitoes which can carry Ross River virus, a disease which
can be lethal to people. Improving remnant vegetation improves the resilience of these foods
webs which in turn improve the resilience of human communities.
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Figure 1.12
South-eastern long-eared bat or greater long-eared bat (Nyctophilus corbeni) are
successful predators of insects that fly at night time.
Barn owls and other predators are important in vermin maintenance (Fig. 1.13). They are
excellent mouse managers and are thus extremely valuable to graziers and croppers, helping
to reduce the impact of small vermin on profits. Barn owls require trees with hollows that
they can roost in. Hollows form when mature trees drop large limbs, taking some heartwood
with them. Large hollows are found in trees over 100 years old (Figs. 1.3 and 1.4, above).
Without old trees, desirable predatory birds are lost.
Wedge-tailed eagles found here are also successful hunters of vermin. Once blamed for taking
lambs, eagles have now been shown to prefer rabbits, wallabies and joeys. Yes, like barn owls,
eagles help us to manage vermin. Work practices at Werris Creek Coal for example,
demonstrate the value of wedged tailed eagles in the food web. Mining developments now
erect tall dead trees in rehabilitation areas before re-planting. Eagles occupy the dead trees
and hunt rabbits that would otherwise eat freshly planted trees and grass on rehabilitation sites.
The reduction in rabbit numbers significantly increases the success of tree plantings and
ground cover establishment, and environmental outcomes. Unfortunately, in previous years,
hunting reduced eagle numbers, especially in farming areas; hence, rabbit numbers increased,
which in turn reduced grass growth for graziers stock.
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The biodiversity of undisturbed, remnant areas such as Black Jack State Forest helps to make
the neighbouring country more productive; it also increases the health and resilience of
communities such as nearby Gunnedah. Remnant woodland areas such as Black Jack State
Forest are also recognised as windbreaks, reducing moisture loss from grazing and cropping
enterprises. Farm-design specialists are increasingly adapting these shelter principles to
benefit agriculture (Curtis 1994).
Figure 1.13
The Barking owl (pictured) and Barn owl play an important role in the food web
in vermin maintenance.
1.4
Geology and soils of Black Jack State Forest
Black Jack State Forest is in what is geologically known as the Gunnedah Basin, which is the
central portion of the Sydney Bowen Basin. The Permian age (300 to 250 million years ago)
coal deposits that have formed the basis of an extensive mining industry in NSW and
Queensland are contained within this basin. The area was covered by volcanic ash 300 million
years ago; it then sagged, forming the basin in which sedimentary rocks were deposited over
millions of years (Carbon Mineral Limited 2012). The complex geological history of the basin
and changing climates over millions of years have resulted in a large variety of soils and
vegetation communities within the region. Black Jack State Forest has rich red soils known as
‘Black Jack soils’.
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1.5
References
AHD (2013). Oxley Park. Australian heritage database.
http://www.environment.gov.au/heritage/ahdb/ accessed 8 March 2013.
Carbon Mineral Limited (2012). Permian geology of the Gunnedah Basin.
http://www.carbonminerals.com.au/carbon_final_draft_014.htm accessed 10 February 2013.
Curtis D (1994). Seven ways to shelter a paddock. Greening Australia Field Notes, Armidale.
Forest Corporation (2012). Visiting forests. http://www.forestrycorporation.com.au/visiting
accessed 1 March 2013.
McKemey M and White H (2011). Bush tucker, boomerangs and bandages: Traditional
Aboriginal plant use in the Border Rivers and Gwydir Catchments. Border Rivers-Gwydir
Catchment Management Authority, NSW.
OEH (2012). Threatened ecological communities. NSW Office of Environment and Heritage.
http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedspecies/hometec.htm accessed 8 March 2013.
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Appendix 1.1
Threatened and migratory species list for Black Jack
State Forest
This appendix lists the threatened species recorded, or likely or predicted to occur at Black
Jack State Forest.
Common name
Scientific name
Plants (Flora)
TSC Act
EPBC Act
E = endangered
V = vulnerable
M = migratory
V
Tall red grass
Bothriochloa biloba
Creeping tick-trefoil
Desmodium campylocaulon
E
Bluegrass
Dichanthium setosum
V
V
Finger panic grass
Digitaria porrecta
E
E
Pine donkey orchid
Diuris tricolor
V
Austral toadflax
Thesium australe
V
Slender tylophora
Tylophora linearis
V
E
Regent honeyeater
Anthochaera phrygia
E
E
Fork-tailed swift
Apus pacificus
Bush stone-curlew
Burhinus grallarius
E
Speckled warbler
Chthonicola sagittata
V
Spotted harrier
Circus assimilis
V
Brown treecreeper
Climacteris picumnus victoriae
V
Varied sittella
Daphoenositta chrysoptera
V
Latham's snipe
Gallinago hardwickii
Little lorikeet
Glossopsitta pusilla
V
Painted honeyeater
Grantiella picta
V
Little eagle
Hieraaetus morphnoides
V
Swift parrot
Lathamus discolor
E
Square-tailed kite
Lophoictinia isura
V
Hooded robin
Melanodryas cucullata
V
Black-chinned honeyeater
Melithreptus gularis
V
Rainbow bee-eater
Merops ornatus
Turquoise parrot
Neophema pulchella
V
Barking owl
Ninox connivens
V
Superb parrot
Polytelis swainsonii
V
Animals (Fauna)
Birds
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M
M
E
M
V
Grey-crowned babbler
Pomatostomus temporalis
V
Diamond firetail
Stagonopleura guttata
V
Large-eared pied bat
Chalinolobus dwyeri
V
Little pied bat
Chalinolobus picatus
V
Spotted-tailed quoll
Dasyurus maculatus
V
E
Corben's long-eared bat
Nyctophilus corbeni
V
V
Squirrel glider
Petaurus norfolcensis
V
Koala
Phascolarctos cinereus
V
Yellow-bellied sheathtail-bat
Saccolaimus flaviventris
V
Eastern cave bat
Vespadelus troughtoni
V
Aprasia parapulchella
V
Mammals
V
V
Reptiles
Pink-tailed legless lizard
Pale-headed snake
Hoplocephalus bitorquatus
V
EPBC Act, Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
TSC Act, NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995
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V