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CADAGHI
TO BE DECLARED A NOXIOUS WEED? David McMinn The
weed status of Cadaghi is currently being reviewed and it may soon be
declared noxious. This will mean that land owners will have to take
measures to control the spread of this tree on their properties. It already is regarded as an environmental weed
under the Bushland Friendly Nursery Scheme. Despite this adverse
classification, Cadaghi could still be purchased at The Channon market
until recently. Alas, a few nursery people are willing to sell
environmentally damaging weeds so long as they make some money. This
tree was widely used during the 1980's for garden plantings even though
black sooty mould fungus and attack by monolepta beetles and scale
insects made it unsuitable for this purpose. It was also extensively
promoted for wind breaks and other farm plantings throughout the North
Coast. By the 1990's, it was increasingly apparent that this
species was becoming a major weed threat. Description.
Cadaghi was originally classified in the genus Eucalyptus, but in 1995 this was split into two genera and the scientific name for
this species changed to Corymbia torelliana. This species is often
a large emergent tree up to 30m high in the tropical rainforest and
wet sclerophyll forests of north east Queensland.
The light green trunk and branches are its most
striking feature. The
leaves are also light green, often with pinkish new growth. It flowers
profusely in summer with masses of cream flowers, which are heavily
honey scented. The fruit is a round woody capsule and the tiny seeds are
spread by wind and gravity. It is one of the few species of the
eucalyptus group that grows in rainforests. Adverse Impacts Kills
Native Bees. It is not clear how Cadaghi actually kills these insects. Apparently,
native bees collect Cadaghi seeds for the waxy appendage, but this resin melts easily,
clogging up hives and resulting
in bee deaths. Native bees are key species for the pollination of many
native plants. Reduced numbers or extinctions of native bees would
have a severe impact upon many local plant populations. Commercial
European bees are removed when Cadaghi is in flower and thus it is not a
problem for honey production. Hybridisation.
Cadaghi and the Large Leaved Spotted Gun (Corymbia henryi) have been
recorded as hybridising in the North Coast - Moreton Bay regions. If
this hybrid produces viable seed, the gene pool of C henryi will become
contaminated and interbreeding could result in eventual extinction of
this species. Other species of Corymbia may hybridise with Cadaghi
presenting even more environmental concerns. Fortunately, Cadaghi and
the Spotted Gum (Corymbia maculata) do not flower at the same time and
can never cross pollinate naturally. Rampant
Weed. The absence of
controlling agents such as insects, parasites and pathogens means that
many plant species can spread out of control in a new environment. Fast growing weeds out
compete native species thereby reducing their populations and
biodiversity. Curiously on our farm at
Blue Knob, Cadaghi has not presented a problem. A few seedlings have
come up (easily eliminated) but that is all. However, 6 kilometres on
the other side of the valley near Djanbung Gardens, it has become a
serious pest invading the nearby sclerophyll forest and, remarkably,
even growing well under large, shady Camphor Laurels. Why two
nearby locations should produce such contrasting outcomes is debatable.
Different soils and microclimates are possibilities. We are in the
process of eradicating Cadaghi trees at the back of our property and
will keep a close watch on the trees near the house to make sure they
do not get out of control. Like many people, we used Cadaghis in
windbreak plantings because they keep their lower branches and were very suitable for this purpose. We want to retain these trees if possible, as
removal would leave large gaps in the windbreaks around our house. Uses.
If widespread elimination of trees becomes necessary, profitable uses need to be found for Cadaghi
timber. Unfortunately, there is not much information available on this
hard wood. According to K R
Bootle (Wood In Australia), its heart wood was 'durable', but no
information was given to allow comparisons to be made with other timbers.
Nan and Hugh Nicholson (Rainforest Plants V) mentioned that it
made excellent planking for boats, although finding outlets for this
purpose may present problems. A local
furniture maker also uses Cadaghi branches to produce bush furniture because
it is both light and strong. Native & Semantics
Because a plant is 'native', people seem to have the mistaken belief
that it is environmentally friendly. This is not necessarily the case
and the term native may be interpreted in various ways. *
It is a species native to Australia - the meaning most commonly used.
Australian natives are considered to be OK to use in gardening/farming
and it is assumed that they will
not become weeds or cause ecological problems. This assumption
can prove to be completely incorrect, with Cadaghi being only one of
many examples. Silky Oak,
Native Daphne, Cootamundra Wattle and Umbrella Tree are just some of
many 'native' species that have gone feral when planted outside their
natural habitat. Then there is the major problem
of hybridisation. The Alexander Palm (Archontopheonix alexandrea)
from north east Queensland hybridises with the local Bangalow Palm (Archontopheonix
cunninghamiana) potentially degrading the integrity of the gene pool of
that species in the wild. For this reason, plant only
Bangalow Palms in our region, especially as they have the added
advantages of faster growth, better cold hardiness and, arguably, are
more attractive. An extreme example of hybridisation is Eucalyptus species
in southern France. Various species of this genus were introduced into
that region in the 19th century. They have interbred so completely that
botanists have trouble determining the taxonomy of a particular tree
without resorting to DNA testing. To prevent unwanted hybridisation, only plant
species of Eucalyptus/Corymbia native to our region. There are many North Coast
species to chose from, which are suitable for all sites: dry/wet,
boggy/well drained, steep/flat, deep/stony soils and so forth. *
Other people use 'native' in relation to species in the Northern Rivers. Even so, people have introduced new species into areas where
they were not part of the natural ecology. Pink Euodia (Meliocope elleryana) is
native to the Northern Rivers but was originally only found along the
coast. People have now widely planted this attractive species in inland
frost free sites. Similarly, Dunn's White Gum (Eucalyptus dunnii)
has only a limited natural distribution, but is now widely utilized in
forestry, farming and in large gardens throughout the region. *
Environmental purists consider 'native' applies to those plant species
found in a local area prior to white settlement. This is
ignored by virtually everyone. How many locals only plant species native to the
Nimbin Valley? In the long term, this concept of native is really only
academic. Another 100 years of global warming and the ecology of our
valley could change from subtropical rainforest/wet sclerophyll to tropical
monsoon forest with completely new species. Plant communities are naturally
in a
state of flux over thousands of years due to alterations in climate.
Human induced changes are another matter and global warming will cause sever strains
on forest ecology throughout Australia People will not change and they will continue to plant inappropriate plant species with a severe detrimental effect on the local ecology. What seems like a good plant option, can easily turn into a weed nightmare. Cadaghi is yet another example of the need to plant only suitable tree species in our region. This includes only natives to the North Coast and those native/exotic species known to have no adverse environmental impact. Over the long term, I remain pessimistic about maintaining the ecological integrity of our beautiful valley. Weeds, exotic diseases, global warming and human stupidity do not bode well for the future. Copyright.
© 2004. David McMinn. All
rights reserved. |