Cumberland State Forest, NSW, Old Abandoned Arboretum 3a, 7a, 7b and 7c. VAST-2: Tracking Vegetation Transformation in Australian 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 the Cumberland State Forest, Old Abandoned Arboretum site, NSW, Australia.

Pre-European reference-analogue vegetation: The Cumberland State Forest is part of the Blue Gum High Forest (Daniel Connolly pers comm). It is a tall wet sclerophyll forest found on Wianamatta group Ashfield Shale. Blue Gum High Forest is dominated by Sydney blue gum (Eucalyptus saligna), blackbutt (E. pilularis), and turpentine (Syncarpia glomulifera) with a number of other eucalypts occurring patchily. A sparse open cover of small trees includes a variety of sclerophyllous and mesophyllous species. The ground layer is variable in composition and cover; including ferny, grassy or herbaceous and/or vines and climbers. The characteristics of the ground cover are related to the topgraphic position.

Brief chronology of changes in land use and management:
1788- Area managed by indigenous Darug people
1788-1824: Region explored, un-modified native forest blue gum/ironbark on shale
1825: Parcel selected by Mr Shepherd
1860: Tree cover likely to have been thinned - selective logging for fences and housing
1826-1907: Grazing stock on native pastures
1908: Land parcel cleared and sown to improved pasture, and evidence of chicken farm and fruit orchards
1909-1937: Managed as improved pasture and grazing
1937-38: Purchased by NSW Forestry Commission
1941-42: Remaining native forest trees cleared to establish an arboretum
1943-45: Arboretum planted as a future urban working forest
1946-73: Arboretum managed for education and demonstration - infilling regrowth native forest observed
1974-84: Arboretum increasing managed for recreation - infilling regrowth native forest observed
1985-2012: Area managed for recreation (ex-arboretum and regrowth native forest).