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

<br>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-Callitris-Eucalyptus mallee in South Australia, Australia. </br><br> Pre-European reference-analogue vegetation: <em>Callitris</em> (<em>Callitris preissii</em>) - <em>Eucalyptus</em> mallee (<em>E. odorata</em> and <em>E. porosa</em>) low open woodland. </br><br> Brief chronology of changes in land use and management:<ul style="list-style-type: disc;"> <li>1750-1849: Meru indigenous people manage the area</li> <li>1838: Explorers traversed the area</li> <li>1850: Pastoralists with shepherds, grazing sheep</li> <li>1883: Land selected, boundary fencing established</li> <li>1883-1900: Continuous grazing with sheep and cattle grazing native vegetation</li> <li>1890: Heavy timber cutting for Callington and Kanmantoo mines, sheep grazing</li> <li>1900: Area ploughed and sown to black oats</li> <li>1901-72: Continuous grazing with sheep and cattle grazing modified and native pastures</li> <li>1950: Commenced fertilising pastures using super - applied aerially several times in the 1960’s</li> <li>1972: Ceased applications of super fertilizer, ceased grazing all cattle removed</li> <li>1974: Area purchased by the Lay family</li> <li>1974-1981: Planted about 25,000 tubestock using local endemic species, mainly trees and shrubs</li> <li>1974-2012: Monitoring and recording of seedling survival and regeneration</li> <li>1974-1985, 2006-12: Major effort in controlling weeds and feral animals</li> <li>1982: Area gazetted as a Heritage Agreement</li> <li>1983-2003: All further revegetation efforts by direct seeding techniques such as “niche seeding”</li> <li>1992: Massive summer rains (a 1:430 year event) with major erosion along watercourses and regeneration of most species</li> <li>2004: Neighbour starts fire, which burns out 25% of area</li> <li>2006: Area gains a 10 year package of funding under the “bushbids” biodiversity stewardship programme</li> <li>2007: <em>Monadenia</em> weed orchid and bridal creeper begin to invade area.</li></ul></br>