Regional ecosystem details for 3.12.40
| Regional ecosystem | 3.12.40 |
|---|---|
| Vegetation Management Act class | Least concern |
| Wetlands | Not a Wetland |
| Biodiversity status | No concern at present |
| Subregion | 1, (2), (5), (6), (3), (4) |
| Estimated extent1 | Pre-clearing 37000 ha; Remnant 2021 37000 ha |
| Short description | Corymbia nesophila +/- Eucalyptus tetrodonta open forest on igneous hills and rises |
| Structure code | Open Forest |
| Description | Open forest of Corymbia nesophila (Melville Island bloodwood) often with Eucalyptus tetrodonta (Darwin stringybark) co-dominant. The very sparse to sparse subcanopy can contain canopy species +/- Acacia crassicarpa (spoon tree) +/- A. flavescens (red wattle) +/- Erythrophleum chlorostachys (Cooktown ironwood) +/- Grevillea spp. The sparse to often mid-dense shrublayer contains juvenile canopy species +/- Neoroepera banksii +/- Coelospermum reticulatum (medicine bush) +/- Canarium australianum (mango bark) and a variety of other species. The sparse to mid-dense grassy groundlayer is often dominated by Heteropogon triticeus (giant spear grass), and / or Mnesithea rottboellioides (northern cane grass). In the Torres Strait Corymbia stockeri (gum topped bloodwood) can occur as a co-dominant. Occurs on igneous hills and rises. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 14c). |
| Protected areas | Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) NP (CYPAL), Cape Melville NP (CYPAL), Olkola NP (CYPAL), Ngalba-bulal NP (CYPAL) |
| Special values | 3.12.40: Potential habitat for NCA listed species: Senegalia albizioides, Solanum angustum. |
| Fire management guidelines | SEASON: Commence planned burns early in the dry season, after the wet season when dry enough to burn. Use occasional storm burns but generally avoid periods of extremely hot, dry conditions. INTENSITY: Low to moderate with occasional high during storm burns. INTERVAL: 2-5 years. INTERVAL_MIN: 2. INTERVAL_MAX: 5. STRATEGY: Apply a mosaic across the landscape at a range of intervals to create varying stages of post-fire response. Burn 30-60% at the property level. ISSUES: To mitigate against the impact of late dry season fires, commence burning early in the season and continue through the dry to break up continuity of fuels across the landscape. Planned fire applied repeatedly early in the dry season may lead to woody thickening because fires are not of sufficiently high intensity; this may be exacerbated by stock grazing. Manage extent, intensity and frequency of fires judiciously, to avoid habitat tree loss. |
| Comments | 3.12.40: REs 3.12.12, 3.12.13, vegetation community 3.12.15a and proposed new vegetation community 3.12.15x1b were amalgamated in to this RE. Occurs from Musgrave to Temple Bay on the Coen-Yambo Inlier. Small areas west of Cooktown and on some Torres Strait Islands. |
1 Estimated extent is from version 13 pre-clearing and 2021 remnant regional ecosystem mapping. Figures are rounded for simplicity. For more precise estimates, including breakdowns by tenure and other themes see remnant vegetation in Queensland.
