Black Andrew Nature Reserve
The Black Andrew Nature Reserve is a protected nature reserve located on the south west slopes of New South Wales, Australia. The reserve is situated on the southern shore of Burrinjuck Dam on the Murrumbidgee River, an important reservoir for the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area.
History
The reserve was created in 2001 and is managed by the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service under the provisions of the Southern Regional Forest Agreement. Prior to creation of the reserve, it was Crown land and was managed by the then-New South Wales Department of Land and Water Conservation.Ecology
Flora
Seven distinct forest ecosystems have been identified in the reserve:- Blue gum - peppermint dry grass/shrub forest. This ecosystem exists on soils underlain by granite rock. Common plant species include blue gum, broad-leaved peppermint, red stringybark, narrow-leaved peppermint, silver wattle, shiny cassinia, Austral bracken fern, guinea flower, prickly broom-heath and snow grass.
- Moist ribbon gum grassy forest. This ecosystem exists on soils underlain by basalt rock. Common plant species include ribbon gum, narrow-leaved peppermint, silver wattle, Austral bracken fern, bidgee-widge, native geranium, kidneyweed, snow grass and weeping grass.
- Macphersons Swamp grassy forest. This ecosystem exists on deep colluvium along stream banks. Common plant species include apple box, narrow-leaved peppermint, black sallee, woolly tea-tree, black wattle, dagger wattle, sweet bursaria, Australian anchor plant, handsome flat-pea, bidgee-widge, weeping grass and wattle mat-rush.
- Riparian gully forest. This ecosystem exist on deep colluvium or soils underlain by granite rock. Common plant species include black wattle, blue gum, apple box, Austral mulberry, Austral bracken fern, silver wattle, hazel pomaderris, shiny cassinia, weeping grass, snow grass, Senecio species and common wheatgrass.
- Apple box - Norton's box moist grassy forest. This ecosystem exists on east-facing slopes on soils underlain by granite rock. Common plant species include apple box, Norton's box, silver wattle, Austral indigo, stinking pennywort, native geranium, weeping grass, snow grass, common wheatgrass and annual bluebell.
- Escarpment long-leaved box - black cypress heath/shrub forest. This ecosystem exists on exposed rock faces in the north east part of the reserve. Common plant species include long-leaved box, common fringe-myrtle, guinea flower, varnish wattle, shiny cassinia, grass tree, Deane's wattle, woolly grevillea, bitter-pea, lily, stiff geebung and leopard orchid.
- Norton's box - Poa grass forest. This ecosystem exists on the western slopes of the reserve. Common plant species include Norton's box, red stringybark, slender tea-tree, shiny cassinia, guinea flower, clustered everlasting and snow grass.