Big Eucalypts of Greater Melbourne sightings

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Overview

This is a collection of the largest individuals of different Eucalypt tree species (Eucalyptus, Corymbia & Angophora) in Greater Melbourne. Some Eucalypt species are capable of growing to enormous size, and these are referred to as giant Eucalypts. The giant Eucalypts are often given special names due to their local and national significance.

Why are big Eucalypts important? They support a diverse range of other species. Big Eucalypts often contain multiple tree hollows for hollow dependent fauna. They are major carbon stores both in wood volume and root biomass.

EUCLID https://apps.lucidcentral.org/euclid/text/intro/index.html, and Native Eucalypts of Victoria and Tasmania - South-eastern Australia by Dean Nicolle show how large some Eucalypt species can grow. They can help you decide if the Eucalypt you have sighted is large for its species.

Examples of giant Eucalypts: 'Old Blotchy' is a Corymbia maculata on the South Coast of NSW (10.8 m trunk girth), 'Darejo' is a Eucalyptus denticulata (Errinundra shining gum) in Gippsland - Victoria (14.4m trunk girth), 'Blue-tier Giant' is a Eucalyptus regnans (mountain ash) in Tasmania (19.4m trunk girth), 'Trident Tree' is a Eucalyptus obliqua (messmate stringybark) in Tasmania (11.5m trunk girth), 'and Kowen Guardian' to a Eucalyptus bridgesiana (apple box) at Kowen Forest (approx. 9 m trunk girth). An ACT Parks & Conservation Service Ranger gave the Kowen Guardian its name because it is adjacent to a population of the endangered Eucalyptus aggregata (black gum).

How to contribute

NatureMapr has an automatic timeline function which will allow monitoring of changes in the condition of the big Eucalypts over time. It collates sightings of species in the same location and links them in a timeline.

If you are concerned that the sighting is a sensitive site then check the tick box 'suppress the location from public view' before uploading.

The collection relies on trunk circumference, i.e. trunk girth, because measurement of height requires specialised equipment (clinometer, laser range finder, or LiDAR).

Measure the trunk girth 1.3m above the ground to avoid the buttress effect on the measurement.

If trunk girth is estimated without a tape measure then note that it is an approx. girth. If height has been measured then record the height in the comments or notes and the measurement method.

To add your big Eucalypt sighting to this project select the star icon at the top right of the sighting and select the Big Eucalypts of Greater Melbourne collection name.

If it is a giant sized Eucalypt then check if it already has a special name bestowed upon it by traditional land managers. If not then start a discussion about an appropriate name in the comments.

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