Vegetation of 'Little Bora' Nature Conservation Trust Agreement, North Western Slopes, New South Wales

Abstract

The vegetation of the 'Little Bora' Nature Conservation Trust Agreement property (560 ha in area), 8 km south east of Bingara (lat 29° 55'S long 150° 37') in the Gwydir Shire and within the Nandewar Bioregion is described. Eight vegetation communities are defined based on flexible UPGMA analysis of cover-abundance scores of all vascular plant taxa. These communities are mapped based on ground truthing, ADS40 imagery interpretation, topography and substrate. Communities described are: 1) 'Melaleuca bracteata' - 'Eucalyptus melanophloia' - 'Eucalyptus camaldulensis' Woodland, 2) 'Callitris glaucophylla' - 'Eucalyptus melanophloia' - 'Eucalyptus albens' Woodland, 3) 'Callitris glaucophylla' - 'Eucalyptus melanophloia' - 'Brachychiton populneus' Woodland, 4) 'Eucalyptus albens' Woodland, 5) 'Eucalyptus caleyi' - 'Eucalyptus albens' - 'Callitris glaucophylla' Woodland, 6) 'Callitris glaucophylla' - 'Eucalyptus melanophloia' - 'Eucalyptus albens' Woodland, 7) 'Austrostipa verticillata' - 'Austrostipa scabra' Derived Grassland, 8) 'Eucalyptus melliodora' - 'Eucalyptus dealbata' Woodland. A total of 232 vascular plant taxa were found of which 14% were considered exotic in origin. 66 ha of listed threatened communities were mapped along with populations of a currently listed Extinct plant (TSC Act) 'Dodonaea stenophylla'.