Funds: $174,969

Source: Caring for our Country

Contract: X0000002776G

High Country Wetlands and Woodlands extends on the recent HiCUB project well beyond the towns of Guyra, Armidale, Uralla and Walcha into grazing country and woodland areas. The project focused on conserving and increasing the resilience of three nationally listed endangered ecological communities that occur across the northern tablelands. These are Box, Gum Grassy Woodlands, New England Peppermint Woodlands and Upland Wetlands (Lagoons).

Upland Wetlands are shallow depressions in the landscape mostly on basalt. They may hold some water permanently or dry out seasonally or for extended periods. This importantly provides a number of environments and varied habitats (wet to drier) providing opportunities for a variety of plants and animals. Well known Upland Wetlands include Mother of Ducks at Guyra and Dangar’s at Uralla however there are many smaller wetlands hidden away.

Hydrological changes such as draining, impoundment or having dams sunk into basin floors have been the main destructive disturbance to these systems whilst feral animals especially foxes continue to pose a serious threat to fauna.Box, Gum Grassy Woodlands have a diverse understorey of native tussock grasses, herbs and scattered shrubs, and are dominated by White Box, Yellow Box or Blakely’s Red Gum trees. Overall this community has been heavily cleared (90%) across its range.

New England Peppermint Woodlands are characterised by the dominance, or prior dominance of New England Peppermint trees. The native grassland left behind after clearing trees from these two communities is still recognised as the original community and is called derived grassland.The project area extended south from Guyra to Walcha.