Andrew M. Fisher’s research while affiliated with Charles Sturt University and other places

The occurrence of bird species was monitored over two years at eight forest remnants and two Pinus radiata plots on Sunny Corner State Forest, NSW. A total of 49 species was recorded during the study, of which 26 species used the pine plots on at least one occasion. Twenty-five (51%) of these 49 species are permanent residents of the study area. Based on an occurrence index derived for each species, the majority of species are uncommon or distributed at low densities on Sunny Corner State Forest. The avifauna assemblages of the pine plots were the least similar when comparisons were made between study sites. The paradigm shift from site comparisons to consideration of the landscape context allows these data to be evaluated in a manner more appropriate to conservation and management objectives. The Sunny Corner landscape is representative of exotic softwood plantations throughout Australia, and management recommendations are made with a view to enhancing this avifaunal diversity. These include retaining and extending the existing areas of native vegetation in the state forest, particularly along drainage lines, to provide habitat and allow the movement of birds. Attention to the impacts of routine forest operations on the vegetation and hence biota is emphasised, with a fauna and flora database used to foster a conservation ethic among forestry personnel.

The bird communities of six riparian woodland sites are described and compared with those of eight terrestrial woodland sites in the Central Tablelands near Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia. Riparian woodland, where still present in the Central Tablelands, is dominated by either relatively narrow strips of Casuarina cunninghamiana along stream banks or the less restricted Angophora floribunda trees associated with Eucalyptus melliodora?E. blakelyi woodlands. Four of the riparian sites were located within cleared agricultural land and two were located within a relatively large nature reserve. Bird censuses along a strip transect were conducted twice per season from spring 1993 to summer 1996. The riparian woodland communities contained within the cleared landscape of the Bathurst basin were found to support a diverse avifauna, a mix of woodland-forest and species associated with agricultural landscapes. Extensive observations of individual birds at riparian sites indicate that the tree canopy is the most widely used microhabitat stratum. While native riparian woodlands are generally degraded, their connectivity and stabilizing function (actual or potential) identifies them as a critical landscape component in maintenance or restoration programmes. Hence it is suggested that riparian strips could form the basis for rehabilitation initiatives within this landscape. Fenced plantings of endemic tree species supplemented by native understorey species could be linked with existing vegetation to enhance landscape connectivity. It is crucial that landholders become aware of the importance of riparian vegetation for nature conservation and stream stabilization. Incentives should be provided to landholders to encourage these areas to be fenced from stock in order to protect them from further degradation in a significantly disturbed ecosystem.