A background in the study of plant communities in South Australia
Work on defining plant communities in South Australia was published as far back as 1972 with the important publication by Raymond Specht, Vegetation of South Australia. It was preceded by a publication by the same name by Professor Joseph Garnett Wood (1900-1959) in 1937. Like many studies, the knowledge incorporated the work of pioneering botanists and plant enthusiasts since before the beginning of the South Australian colony (History of Botany in South Australia, D. Kraehenbuehl, 1986). Another significant publication is The Native Forest and Woodland Vegetation of South Australia by Clifford Boomsma (1980).
Rich biodiversity on the Fleurieu
Fleurieu peninsula occupies a landmass which includes the Mount Lofty Ranges. The varied geology of the Fleurieu has had an important effect on the ecosystem development. This includes the types of woodlands and wetlands which harbour unique flora and fauna.
The Mount Lofty Ranges is one of Australia’s 15 biodiversity hotspots, with half of the state’s native plant species and three quarters of its native bird species. Natural assets include grassy woodland habitats, and rare vegetation such as the Mt Compass oak-bush and threatened orchid species, and threatened fauna including 147 species of threatened birds. (Landscape South Australia Hills and Fleurieu | About the Hills and Fleurieu region).
The Landscape South Australia Hills and Fleurieu maintain a list of 40 described woodlands within the Fleurieu region. See Native Plant Species List.
Woodlands and Wetlands in the Mount Compass area (Pre-European Settlement)
The links below are representative of the woodland and wetland plant species in the Mount Compass area.
