WELL, who knows what the weather will be like when you are reading this, but here in mid of winter there’s a feeling of spring in the air.
Trees and shrubs are covered in new growth, grass is starting to green up and birds are starting to collect nest material.
The native forests of the Hinterland are in someways a library that can tell us about the variability of our climate – if only we can read them.
It’s not just soil type that influences plant growth, climate is a major factor.
For example, prolonged dry periods can lead to a drop in soil moisture and the water table.
We have rainforest communities on the range, such as Kondalilla Falls National Park, Triunia National Park and the High Tor Conservation Park that are full of rare and unusual dry rainforest plants that have the ability to survive during dry periods.
Decade after decade of wet weather could see these forests change to a forest type more reminiscent of Mary Cairncross; however, these parks contain species that can tolerate dry spells that might only occur a decade or even century apart.
Variation in climate has a direct effect on the dominance of certain individual plants and plant communities.
During the last ice age 10,000 years ago, the local climate was much drier and cooler.
Research suggests that there was less rainforest on the range than there is now and that the area was dominated by windswept grassland and open eucalypt forest. It was only in the moister south facing gullies and slopes that the rainforests held on.
What does all of this have to with me, I hear you ask? Well not much really … other than to suggest you give some thought, to what you are planting in your garden.
The forests of the Hinterland are not a homogenous entity with the same old trees and shrubs.
We should give thought to what we are planting and where, plan for diversity in form and species so that our gardens can also survive the variability of our climate.
