Forest Types
Eucalypt
Eucalypts are iconic Australian forest trees. There are more than 700 species and almost all of these are native only to Australia. Eucalypts are also referred to as ‘gum trees’ because many of them produce a resinous gum.
Eucalypts are iconic Australian forest trees. There are more than 700 species and almost all of these are native only to Australia. Eucalypts are also referred to as ‘gum trees’ because many of them produce a resinous gum.
Almost 80% of Australia’s forests contain Eucalypts as the dominant species. Evolving from rainforest ancestors, Eucalypts have adapted to a range of Australian environments and climates, from alpine areas to the hot, dry centre. The presence of fire has also influenced their development, and is a natural part of the regeneration cycle of Eucalypt forests.
There are different types of Eucalypt forests in Australia, characterised by different tree species and varying degrees of canopy cover. Mallee eucalypts are unique in that they have multiple stems rising from the ground, instead of a single trunk. They grow in areas which have very dry summers, with the majority of Mallee forests found in South Australia and Western Australia. Mallee forests are used extensively for cattle grazing, but are not well suited to wood production.
Eucalypt woodlands are forests that have open canopies with crown cover ranging from 20-50%. These woodlands are sometimes called savannas. Almost half of Australia’s Eucalypt woodlands occur in Queensland, with large areas also found in the Northern Territory and Western Australia.
Eucalypt open forests usually have a crown cover of 50-80%. They are quite diverse and can have as many as 10 eucalypt species per hectare. Eucalypt open forests occur in all States and Territories of Australia and can be dominated by trees over 70 metres tall. A Eucalyptus regnans currently growing in Tasmania is around 96 metres in height and is the tallest flowering plant in the world.
Eucalypt closed forests have a crown cover of more than 80% and are generally comprised of species typical to northern Australian open forests. Most of the closed Eucalypt forests are found in the Northern Territory or in northern Western Australia.
For more information on Eucalypt forests: Read the National Forestry Inventory’s Eucalypt Forest Profile.
Eucalypt Forest
Photo: National Association of Forest Industries
