Karst Vegetation in the Macquarie Catchment of Central Western New South Wales - A Status Report
During 1999 and 2000 the Australian Speleological Federation (ASF) undertook a preliminary vegetation survey of karst outcrops in the Macquarie Catchment as part of the Natural Heritage Trust funded, Macquarie Karst Vegetation Rehabilitation Project.
The location of karst outcrops were mapped onto 1:50,000 and 1:25,000 topography maps. The vegetation on the outcrops was surveyed and a status assessment made of its type, general condition, long term sustainability and significance. The results of the project were presented in the project report "Karst of the Central West Catchment, NSW: resources, Impacts and Management Strategies", edited by J. Dunkley and P. Dykes. In the period since the publication of this report the project results have been further analysis particularly in regard to clearing rates over karst areas on private tenure and the likely long-term impacts that agricultural/grazing activities are expected to have on karst vegetation and karst vegetation communities.
The paper will present quantitative data not available when the above report was prepared which would indicate that karst landscapes on private tenure in the Central West are extensively degraded with much of the remaining vegetation under intense pressure from domestic stock grazing, weed invasion and rural residential development. The effect of past clearing and rabbit plagues will also be discussed, particularly with regard to rehabilitation activities.
*Full paper not provided.