No visit to the Australian Alps would be complete without marvelling at the resilience and majesty of snow gums, with their colourful bark and gnarly twisted trunks. Snow gum woodlands distinguish the Australian Alps from alpine areas across the world and are deeply bound to the hearts and minds of many Australians who visit from far and wide for recreation, relaxation, and connection. These uniquely beautiful ecosystems are significant cultural landscapes for many First Nations Peoples, representing important sites of ceremony and knowledge sharing. In addition to their myriad cultural values, snow gum woodlands are critical to numerous ecological processes, including carbon sequestration, soil and slope stabilisation, snow retention, and groundwater recharge. This is especially critical for the water security of the Murray Darling Basin[i].

However, we have begun to witness ecological decline to the point of collapse in subalpine snow gum woodlands throughout the Australian Alps.

Elevated winter temperatures have accelerated the life cycle of the native longicorn beetle, increasing population numbers[ii]. Increased insect predation pressure has caused widespread dieback in snow gum communities across the high country, exacerbated by water stress from drought conditions. There is currently no coordinated program to halt this infestation.

In recent decades, climate-fuelled bushfires have devastated huge areas of the Alps. Although snow gum woodlands evolved alongside fire, disturbance events are increasing in frequency and severity. More than 90% of snow gum woodlands have been burnt at least once in the last 20 years, with long-unburnt areas comprising <1% in the Victorian Alps[iii]. In many areas we are witnessing localised ecological collapse, with degraded woodlands being replaced by grass and scrub.

We are on the verge of losing the landscapes that Australians spent decades protecting. The research is clear: if we want future generations to marvel at the majesty of snow gum woodlands, decisive, sustained and coordinated action is imperative.

We express strong support for the nomination of Eucalyptus pauciflora subsp. niphophila as a threatened species and underscore the urgency of developing a robust recovery plan for these fragile ecosystems at a national scale. This includes increased funding for essential research, increased capacity building for remote area firefighting, and effective restoration and invasive species management[iv].

Threatened  status has been critical for the protection of other alpine communities. In 2009, ‘Alpine Sphagnum Bogs and Associated Fens’ were recognised as a Threatened Ecological Community under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act 1999. This led to the elaboration of a National Recovery Plan with a suite of actions designed to minimise harms, improve restoration capacity and research efforts, and gather monitoring data[v]. Increased coordination, awareness and resourcing resulting from the listing has been crucial to addressing the decline of these critical alpine ecosystems.

To save our snow gums from continued degradation and decline, we advocate for their nomination as a Threatened Species under the EPBC act. It is imperative to invest in recovery efforts immediately to secure a future for this iconic and cherished ecosystem.