The Northern Tablelands is home to a number of unique ecological communities, some of which are found nowhere else in Australia. Shaped by cold winters, seasonal rainfall, and variable frequencies of drought and fire, the woodlands across the Northern Tablelands are comprised of a complex assemblage of flora and fauna well adapted to the harsh and challenging conditions. The term ‘Ecological Community’ refers to the grouping of native plants and animals that occupy a unique habitat, providing vital ecosystem services for the community and surrounding landscape. Agricultural land modification has had a dramatic effect on the woodlands of the Northern Tablelands, reducing their health and extent over years of repeated disturbance, and threatening their ability to persist as functional ecosystems. This has resulted in two ecological communities on the Tablelands now classified as ‘Threatened Ecological Communities’, the New-England Peppermint Woodland, and the Ribbon Gum - Mountain Gum - Snow Gum Grassy Forest/Woodlands. An ecological community may be classified as threatened if its condition and extent are reduced or compromised, either by the invasion of exotic species, clearing and fragmentation, habitat degradation, or processes that may disrupt their ability to persist into the future. For both woodlands, the loss of habitat has been so dramatic that New England Peppermint now occupies only 10% of its pre-agricultural distribution, and the Ribbon-gum – Mountain-gum – Snow-gum- grassy forest/woodland 16%. Furthermore, of what woodland remains, the vast majority is found only in fragmented patches within Significant Roadside Environments, Travelling Stock Routes, or on private property. The key to performing or assisting natural regeneration is the identification of species occurring within your landscape, the following sections briefly describe the composition of these communities and provide resources for species identification.