Activities

The Friends of Black Mountain Coordination Group organises a range of formal and

informal activities for:

Protecting the integrity of Black Mountain and its connectivity to adjoining nature

reserves.

Preserving the Belconnen Way, Caswell Drive and Frith Street approaches to Black

Mountain as the main access for recreational, educational, research and

conservation activities on the Mountain and as a wildlife corridor

Preserving the aesthetic values of Black Mountain.

Protecting the nature reserve for future generations of Canberrans and the nation.

Preserving the significance and unique features of the diverse range of soil biota,

geology, native flora and fauna so close to the centre of the National Capital.

Preserving the ecotourism value of Black Mountain for Canberra.

Preserving the living heritage value of Black Mountain.

Providing interpretation and education about Black Mountain.

Preserving the recreational and community values of Black Mountain. dddddddd

Values

Black Mountain is an icon, also described as the 'Jewel In the Crown' of the Canberra

urban reserve system, Canberra Nature Park It is the largest and most prominent.

and reserve in Canberra Nature Park and has unique biodiversity. The mountain is a

gem of natural, cultural, recreational, scientific, educational and aesthetic value.

Environmental values

Black Mountain is an outstanding dry sclerophyil forest on the Southem Tablelands.

Low altitude temperate open forest and temperate grassland are well recognised as

under threat across southeast Australia broadly, and Canberrås Black Mountain is a

very significant reserve of these types of vegetation;

The reserve is very rich floristically, with over 500 species of plants recorded — In one

place — in the heart of the Bush Capital;

Trees include scribbly gums, brittle gums and stringybarks, as well as yellow box, red

gum, apple box, Blakeley's gum, cherry ballarts and a small populations of black

cypress pines Then there is a diverse array of wattles, heaths, daisies and

everlastings, native peas, grasses, sedges, and bluebells - plus a myriad of other

plant diversity such as fringed lilies, sundews, geebungs, guinea flowers, indigo,

sarsparilla, and lilies

Two significant endangered ecological communities are also represented in the

Reserve: natural temperate grassland and yellow box/red gum grassy woodland;

The Reserve is renowned for its orchids; so far, more than 60 species of orchids have

been recorded as being on Black Mountain in the Field Guide to the Orchids of the

Australian Capital Territory The management plan for Canberra Nature Park also

notes the Importance of the orchids recorded on Black Mountain at the time it was

published as representing two thirds of the total orchid diversity recorded for the

More than 90 species of birds have been recorded on Black Mountain cr.'er the years.

Many of these species depend on the relatively und sturbed breeding habitats in the

northern and western parts of the Reserve

The Caswell Drive area is also a wildlife corridor that is important for the Black

Mountain kangaroo population.

Ecologically, the mountaiås key feature IS the survival of the native plant understorey

and groundcover and the animal communities that depend on them;

Records of mammals on the mountain include kangaroos and swamp wallabies, the

wallaroo, brush-tailed and ring-tailed possums, echidnas, dunnarts, Stuar&

marsupial mouse and the yellow-footed marsupial mouse, sugar gliders, and nine

species of bat;

Reptiles include three snake species, mne species of skink, and seven lizard species,

including dragone There are also nine frog species, two rare cricket species, and two

scorpion species;

Black Mountain has unique geology and soil biota in the ACT

The reserve is an immensely valuable scientific and educational resource

botanically, and the conservation of this remnant area is dependent on minimal

fragmentation and absence of ecological barriers to other elements of Canberra

Nature Park

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Heritage values

This nature reserve holds a special place In Australian biology, because of its place

in scientific nomenclature. Due to its location next to CSIRO Herbarium and

Entomology, many of Australia's plant and insect species have been described on

Black Mountain

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Education values

Black Mountain is used for a variety of educational purposes, including spring and

summer wildflower walks conducted by local volunteers.

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Recreational and community values

Black Mountain is used by people from all over Canberra as a place to relax, look at

wildflower displays, watch birds, or simply recharge by recreation that has minimal

damage on the natural environment, consistent with appreciation, conservation and

preservation of the natural environment on Black Mountain.