<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 the Cumberland State Forest, Old Abandoned Arboretum site, NSW, Australia. </br><br> 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 (<em>Eucalyptus saligna</em>), blackbutt (<em>E. pilularis</em>), and turpentine (<em>Syncarpia glomulifera</em>) 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. </br><br> Brief chronology of changes in land use and management:<ul style="list-style-type: disc;"> <li>1788- Area managed by indigenous Darug people</li> <li>1788-1824: Region explored, un-modified native forest blue gum/ironbark on shale</li> <li>1825: Parcel selected by Mr Shepherd</li> <li>1860: Tree cover likely to have been thinned - selective logging for fences and housing</li> <li>1826-1907: Grazing stock on native pastures</li> <li>1908: Land parcel cleared and sown to improved pasture, and evidence of chicken farm and fruit orchards</li> <li>1909-1937: Managed as improved pasture and grazing</li> <li>1937-38: Purchased by NSW Forestry Commission</li> <li>1941-42: Remaining native forest trees cleared to establish an arboretum</li> <li>1943-45: Arboretum planted as a future urban working forest</li> <li>1946-73: Arboretum managed for education and demonstration - infilling regrowth native forest observed</li> <li>1974-84: Arboretum increasing managed for recreation - infilling regrowth native forest observed</li> <li>1985-2012: Area managed for recreation (ex-arboretum and regrowth native forest).</li></ul></br>

<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>

<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-Eucalyptus-Allocasuarina open grassy woodland, SA. </br><br> Pre-European reference-analogue vegetation: river red gum (<em>Eucalyptus camaldulensis</em>), blue gum (<em>E. leucoxylon</em>) - drooping sheoak (<em>Allocasuarina verticillata</em>) 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>1901-72: Continuous grazing with sheep and cattle grazing modified and native pastures</li> <li>1901-ongoing: Area invaded by invasive pasture species (oats) and weeds</li> <li>1950: Commenced fertilizing pastures using super - applied aerially</li> <li>1972: Area purchased by the Lay family</li> <li>1974: Ceased applications of super fertilizer, ceased grazing, all cattle removed</li> <li>1974-1981: Planted thousands of local endemic seedlings 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>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 that 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>