Wirilda-Eucalyptus-Allocasuarina Open Grassy Woodland, SA. VAST-2: Tracking the Transformation of Australia's Vegetated Landscapes

The aim of this project is to compile land use and management practices and their observed and measured impacts and effects on vegetation condition. The results provide land managers and researchers with a tool for reporting and monitoring spatial and temporal transformations of Australia’s native vegetated landscapes due to changes in land use and management practices. Following are the details about Wirilda-Eucalyptus-Allocasuarina open grassy woodland, SA.

Pre-European reference-analogue vegetation: river red gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis), blue gum (E. leucoxylon) - drooping sheoak (Allocasuarina verticillata) open woodland.

Brief chronology of changes in land use and management:
1750-1849: Meru indigenous people manage the area
1838: Explorers traversed the area
1850: Pastoralists with shepherds, grazing sheep
1883: Land selected, boundary fencing established
1883-1900: Continuous grazing with sheep and cattle grazing native vegetation
1890: Heavy timber cutting for Callington and Kanmantoo mines, sheep grazing
1901-72: Continuous grazing with sheep and cattle grazing modified and native pastures
1901-ongoing: Area invaded by invasive pasture species (oats) and weeds
1950: Commenced fertilizing pastures using super - applied aerially
1972: Area purchased by the Lay family
1974: Ceased applications of super fertilizer, ceased grazing, all cattle removed
1974-1981: Planted thousands of local endemic seedlings mainly trees and shrubs
1974-2012: Monitoring and recording of seedling survival and regeneration
1974-1985, 2006-12: Major effort in controlling weeds and feral animals
1982: Area gazetted as a Heritage Agreement
1992: Massive summer rains (a 1:430 year event) with major erosion along watercourses and regeneration of most species
2004: Neighbour starts fire that burns out 25% of area
2006: Area gains a 10 year package of funding under the “bushbids” biodiversity stewardship programme
2007: Monadenia weed orchid and bridal creeper begin to invade area.