National park in Australia
Belford National Park
is a national park in
New South Wales
, Australia, 5 km west of
Branxton
. The park is in the traditional country of the
Wonnarua
. The park was created in January 2003 under the Lower North East
Regional Forest Agreement
2000.
[2]
Previously, the park was the Belford State Forest. The park is 294 hectares of isolated forest bounded by the
New England Highway
to the south.
[3]
[4]
Description
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There are currently no visitor facilities in the park, and the only permitted activity is bushwalking. The only built trail is the Perimeter Fire Trail, accessible off the New England Highway. Kirkton Road bisects the park, but is not within park boundaries. The park is fully fenced.
[3]
Flora and fauna
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Flora
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The predominant vegetation community in the park is Central Hunter Ironbark-Spotted Gum-Grey Box Forest, an
endangered ecological community
. The
vulnerable
slaty red gum
is found within the park.
[3]
Several invasive nonnative plants are found in the park including
African olive
,
prickly pear
,
tiger pear
and
mother of millions
.
[3]
Fauna
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19 species of mammals, 49 birds, 4 reptiles and 4 amphibians are found within the park. The park protects 8 species listed as vulnerable: the
powerful owl
,
grey-crowned babbler
,
speckled warbler
,
spotted-tailed quoll
,
eastern bent-wing bat
,
eastern freetail-bat
,
large-footed myotis
and
squirrel glider
.
[3]
Eight nonnative fauna species are found in the park and pose a threat to the native wildlife: dogs, rabbits, foxes, black rats, cats and
Indian mynahs
(and occasionally cows and horses).
[3]
References
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