Klori Travelling Stock Reserve

A Grassy White Box Woodland Community

Klori Travelling Stock Reserve

A Grassy White Box Woodland Community

Making a Difference -

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The issue

Klori Travelling Stock Route (TSR) is located approximately 40 km west of Tamworth in the North West of NSW. Approximately 75 ha of Grassy  grassy white box woodland vegetation containing more than 200 species of plant and numerous native animal species. Local citizens recognised that the ecological community within Klori was facing significant threats from overgrazing, damage from road works and the invasion of Coolatai grass (Hyparrhenia hirta). Friends of Klori TSR was formed to help manage this endangered community.

The solution

The Tamworth branch of the Citizens Wildlife Corridors embarked on a mission to protect the site.

The primary focus was to protect the grassy white box woodland and manage the infestations of Coolatai grass which had infiltrated the area from roadworks and drainage into the site. The group used seasonal brush cutting and removal of seed heads and their solarisation and subsequent spraying of large tussocks with great success.

The Friends of Klori was founded in 2003 and with assistance from an Envirofund grant, the group produced a brochure and ran a successful field day highlighting their success. This dedicated group continue to work on the management of Coolatai grass and the promotion of the ecological value of the area.

The impact

This significant area of the TSR was successfully registered as part of the National Estate on 21 Nov 2000.

Today Klori is an intact remnant grassy white box woodland. The site remains free from Coolatai grass infestations due to the ongoing diligence and commitment of the volunteers who work to protect this area.

Klori is used by surrounding schools, TAFEs and universities for research and learning. In 2007/2008 a research project by the Department of Environment and Climate Change to assess the impact of Coolatai grass on the biodiversity of high conservation value remnants of Box-gum grassy woodland was undertaken at Klori.

The future for Klori is bright, the Friends of Klori are a small but diverse and talented group. There are plans further promote the important ecology of this site into the future with a plant identification brochure.

More extensive information on Klori TSR can be found here: http://www.grassroutes.org.au/content/friends-klori-travelling-stock-route

Learnings

Key facts

  • Less than 0.01% of the original grassy white box woodlands remain today
  • The grass roots community driven project was registered as part of the National Estate on 21 Nov 2000
  • Approx 75 ha of a vulnerable ecological community is protected