The Forestry Corporation has now been put on notice of three nominations of unique trees in Dunns Creek between Mogo and Malua Bay. As land managers on behalf of the NSW people, on government land where these trees are located locals have become concerned that negligent acts elsewhere has seen Forestry compromise areas that should have been corralled.
Three trees nominated in Logging Compartment 148 are likely to be over 600 years old and have now been nominated as significant trees with the National Trust.
Forestry have been advised that these trees need to have an exclusion zone around them and be properly marked out to prevent root compaction, accidental knocking branches off or accidental logging by private contractors. The trees are considered of great community value and require protection.
The Forestry Corporation were advised following their request for "stakeholder input" to inform their detailed operational planning. In particular, they are keen to:
· Identify whether stakeholders have any specific concern in relation to particular compartments
· Ensure stakeholders have access to the Harvest Plans and answer any questions they have about these documents
· Identify any additional issues, both on the forest and along potential log haulage routes, for consideration prior to operations commencing
Alarm bells rang and the trees were very quickly and clearly identified and the National Trust of Australia was immediately informed.
Below are the nominations for each of the trees Tree Name: Big Jenny (Liney's Corymbia) Tree Species: Corymbia maculata (spotted gum)
Big Jenny’s stats - Girth 5.55m, Height 39m, Average canopy width 23.5m
Nominated for the Following Categories:
Scientific Significance
Outstanding for its size
An outstanding example of its species.
Aesthetic
Is a better than average example of: its species, or a tree in its location.
Please state your reasons why the tree is significant. Include a sentence that explains and supports each category you have selected above:
Outstanding for its size – A local botanist has estimated the tree is over 600 years old.
An outstanding example of its species - At over 5.5 m circumference it is a big mother of a tree that demonstrates how big spotted gums can grow in riparian zones in rainforest pockets in SE Australia and how old these big trees are.
Is a better than average example of: its species, or a tree in its location – Endangered Greater Gliders that travel by gliding from tree to tree rely on a tall tree canopy and live in this area . This is the biggest and possibly oldest tree in this valley. See Greater Glider reference in the following recent Beagle Weekly article.
How does this tree compare with other trees of the same species that you are aware of?
Estimated at over 600 years old by a local botanist Big Jenny is a big mother of a tree. As it grows in a rainforest pocket at the headwaters of the Tomago River it also has a large girth of 5.5 m.
Are there any known threats to this tree? Please describe these:
Big Jenny is in Logging Compartment 148 in a buffer zone 50 m either side of the Tomaga River riparian zone. As the surrounding area will be heavily logged in August 2017 Big Jenny is at risk of being cut off by a contractor operating a harvester machine up the hill, who does not recognise the buffer zone boundaries or realise its age and size. Forestry staff are not present during harvesting and the public are banned, so Big Jenny’s fate lies in the hands of a private logging contractor. The caution tape in front of Big Jenny will not be seen from the cab of the harvester being operated uphill from her base. It is also at risk of fire when the logging site is burned. The removal of the immediate adjacent trees in the proposed logging operation will leave Big Jenny vulnerable to adverse weather events such as extreme wind.
Briefly summarise the tree(s) history. Include the history of the tree’s location and important dates and events that provide a context for the tree:
At over 600 years old Big Jenny was already 76 years old when Columbus undertook his first round trip voyage to the Americas in 1492.
Give any other reasons for your tree’s nomination that may place its significance beyond doubt:
Big Jenny is over 600 years old, adjacent to Jackhammer Mountain Bike Trail, provides habitat for endangered Greater Gliders and is visited by the locals who walk this forest. Batemans Bay is a significant nature based tourism destination for Canberra and is being marketed by Destination NSW as the unspoilt coast.
Tree Location:
Big Jenny is adjacent to Jackhammer Mountain Bike Trail in the 'state forest' west of Dunns Creek Road, Batemans Bay. GPS co-ordinates -35.771254, 150.187172 Tree Name: GRANMA Tree Species: Corymbia maculata (spotted gum) Granma’s stats - Girth 4.65m, Height 31m, Average canopy width 23mNominated for the Following Categories:Scientific Significance Outstanding for its sizeAn outstanding example of its species. AestheticIs a better than average example of: its species, or a tree in its location. Please state your reasons why the tree is significant. Include a sentence that explains and supports each category you have selected above: Outstanding for its size – A local botanist has estimated a neighboring significant nominated tree ‘Big Jenny’, growing in a riparian zone with a girth of 5.55 m, as over 600 years old. As Granma is growing in a more arid area up the hill yet still has a very large girth of 4.65 m, it is estimated Granma is even older than Big Jenny. An outstanding example of its species - At over 4.65 m in circumference Granma it is a big mother of a tree that demonstrates how big spotted gums can grow despite not being in a rainforest pocket, in SE Australia and how old these big trees are.Is a better than average example of: its species, or a tree in its location – Greater Gliders that travel by gliding from tree to tree, rely on a tall tree canopy and an endangered population is in this area. Granma is one of the three biggest and possibly oldest trees in this valley. See Greater Glider reference in the following recent Beagle Weekly article. How does this tree compare with other trees of the same species that you are aware of? Growing on a hillside, Granma could be even older than ‘Big Jenny’ that has been estimated at over 600 years old by a local botanist. Granma is a big mother of a tree it has a large girth of 4.65 m despite not growing in a riparian zone. Are there any known threats to this tree? Please describe these: Granma is in an area that will be heavily logged in August to September 2017. Granma is in Logging Compartment 148 on a hillside between the Tomaga River riparian zone and Dunns Creek Road close to log dump 5. Granma has not been identified as a Habitat tree or a Retention tree and is not in a riparian buffer zone. As well as not being logged Granma also needs a vehicle exclusion zone of the average canopy width of 23 m around the tree to prevent accidentally damage and root compaction from machinery. Burning should not occur as this is also a risk to Granma. Forestry staff are not present during harvesting and the public are banned, so Granma’s fate lies in the hands of a private logging contractor, who may not realise its age. The caution tape around Granma was not put there by Forestry. The removal of the immediate adjacent trees in the proposed logging operation will leave Granma vulnerable to adverse weather events such as extreme wind.Briefly summarise the tree(s) history. Include the history of the tree’s location and important dates and events that provide a context for the tree: Estimated at more than 600 years old, Granma was a tall tree when Columbus undertook his first round trip voyage to the Americas in 1492. Give any other reasons for your tree’s nomination that may place its significance beyond doubt: Granma provides potential habitat for the local endangered population of Greater Gliders and Yellow Bellied Gliders, listed as NSW vulnerable, who travel in the forest canopy and rarely come to ground. Granma needs to be inspected for hollows that provide essential habitat to possums and large birds. Batemans Bay is a significant nature based tourism destination for Canberra and is being marketed by Destination NSW as the ‘Unspoilt Coast’. Tree Location: Granma is next to logging dump site 5, in the 'state forest' west of Dunns Creek Road, Batemans Bay. GPS co-ordinates -35.772491, 150.189139 located in the Forestry designated FMZ3B STS Heavy (modified) zone. Tree Name: Stardust Tree Species: Corymbia maculata (spotted gum) Stardust’s stats - Girth 5.1m, Height 37m, Average canopy width 18m Nominated for the Following Categories: Scientific Significance Outstanding for its size An outstanding example of its species. Aesthetic Is a better than average example of: its species, or a tree in its location. Please state your reasons why the tree is significant. Include a sentence that explains and supports each category you have selected above: Outstanding for its size A local botanist has estimated a neighbouring significant nominated tree ‘Big Jenny’, growing in a riparian zone with a girth of 5.55 m, as over 600 years old. As Stardust is growing in a more arid area up the hill yet still has a very large girth of 5.1 m, it is estimated Stardust is even older than Big Jenny. An outstanding example of its species - At over 5.1 m in circumference Stardust it is a big mother of a tree that demonstrates how big spotted gums can grow despite not being in a rainforest pocket, in SE Australia and how old these big trees are.Is a better than average example of: its species, or a tree in its location – Greater Gliders that travel by gliding from tree to tree, rely on a tall tree canopy and an endangered population is in this area. Stardust is one of the three biggest and possibly oldest trees in this valley. See Greater Glider reference in the following recent Beagle Weekly article. How does this tree compare with other trees of the same species that you are aware of? Growing on a hillside, Stardust could be even older than ‘Big Jenny’ that has been estimated at over 600 years old by a local botanist. Stardust is a big mother of a tree it has a large girth of 5.1 m despite not growing in a riparian zone. Are there any known threats to this tree? Please describe these: Stardust is in an area that will be heavily logged in August to September 2017. Stardust is in Logging Compartment 148 on a hillside between the Tomaga River riparian zone and Dunns Creek Road. Stardust has been identified as a Habitat tree however Stardust needs a vehicle exclusion zone of the average canopy width of 18 m around the tree to prevent accidentally damage and root compaction from machinery. Burning should not occur as this is also a risk to Stardust. Forestry staff are not present during harvesting and the public are banned, so Stardust’s fate lies in the hands of a private logging contractor, who may not realise its age. The removal of the immediate adjacent trees in the proposed logging operation will leave Stardust vulnerable to adverse weather events such as extreme wind. Briefly summarise the tree(s) history. Include the history of the tree’s location and important dates and events that provide a context for the tree: Estimated at more than 600 years old, Stardust was a tall tree when Columbus undertook his first round trip voyage to the Americas in 1492. Give any other reasons for your tree’s nomination that may place its significance beyond doubt: Stardust provides potential habitat for the local endangered population of Greater Gliders and Yellow Bellied Gliders, listed as NSW vulnerable who travel in the forest canopy and rarely come to ground. Stardust needs to be inspected for hollows that provide essential habitat to possums and large birds. Batemans Bay is a significant nature based tourism destination for Canberra and is being marketed by Destination NSW as the ‘Unspoilt Coast’. Tree Location: Stardust in the 'state forest' near Dunns Creek Road, Batemans Bay. GPS co-ordinates – 35.772292, 150.188757 located in the Forestry designated FMZ3B STS Heavy (modified) zone.
