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Southern Highlands Shale Woodland (SHSW) is a threatened ecological community (TEC). It is characterised by an assemblage of plants that are primarily found on clay soils derived from Wianamatta Shale, with some communities existing on a Shale-Basalt mix or intergrade.
An ecological community is a group of trees, shrubs and ground cover plants that occur together in a particular area. An endangered ecological community is facing a high risk of extinction in the immediate future.
Due to clearing, it mostly occurs in scattered patches of less than 5 hectares in area, with approximately less than 5-10% of the original extent now remaining.
SHSW is variable in structure and composition with three forms, known as:
Common species found in SHSW include;
Intact patches of SHSW are important for a variety of native animals, including threatened species such as;
Listed as threatened under the NSW Biodiversity Act 2016 and the Commonwealth Government’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). Note: there is a slight difference in its name between the State and Federal Listing.
Southern Highlands Shale Woodlands (SHSW) is mainly found in the Wingecarribee Shire Local Government Area (LGA) but may occur elsewhere in the Sydney Basin Bioregion.
Within the Wingecarribee Shire it can be found in rainfall areas that range from 1400mm in the east to 900mm in the west. The amount of rainfall can impact the form of SHSW found in an area:
Over 90% of the historic extent of Southern Highlands Shale Woodlands (SHSW) has been lost through clearing. The remaining patches of SHSW are still threatened by:
To reduce the risk of extinction of Southern Highlands Shale Woodlands (SHSW), the following recovery actions are required:
Wingecarribee Shire Council has received funding via the NSW Government to undertake conservation efforts to protect and enhance patches of Southern Highlands Shale Woodlands. Council will be delivering engagement opportunities for the community to learn more about this threatened ecological communities, including planting days.
Across the Wingecarribee Shire, eucalyptus trees have been exhibiting dieback, including species found within Southern Highlands Shale Woodlands. If you have SHSW on your property and noticing dieback, get in contact with Council’s Environment and Sustainability Branch 4868 0888.