At the start of May, Landcare ACT headed out to Kowen for a very special planting day, bringing along Canberra Intrepid Landcare for their very first community event. 
We were there for the Black Gum (Eucalyptus aggregata), to plant in the only known population that exists in the entire territory. Back in 2014 just 16 mature trees remained, and the 2019 drought took out a large portion of them. The big problem for this population is isolation. So few trees in one spot means limited genetic diversity, making it harder for the species to cope with disease or a shifting climate. This project tackles that head on. Seed was collected from Black Gum populations across NSW, and we planted seedlings grown from that seed around the existing stand to boost numbers and bring in new genetics.
Black Gum is listed as Vulnerable in the ACT and nationally. It’s a medium-sized eucalypt with distinctive dark bark. The flowers draw in native bees and butterflies, the canopy shelters treecreepers and scarlet robins, and as they age, the drop their limbs which eventually become hollow homes for larger animals like gliders and cockatoos.

On the planting day, we also put in other native species that would once have formed part of this landscape, helping piece back together the cold grassy woodland that Black Gum calls home.
We couldn’t have done it without excellent guidance on the ground. Martin from ACT NRM led the way and kept us on track, and Lori from Environmental Restoration Design and Planning brought real expertise to the day. A huge thank you to both of them, and all 15 volunteers from Canberra Intrepid Landcare who showed up and got stuck in for their very first event. What a way to start.
Every tree we plant gives this species a better shot at the future.