Editing Litchfield National Park (section)

==Flora==
The Central sandstone plateau supports rich woodland flora communities dominated by species including [[Eucalyptus miniata|Darwin woolybutt]] and [[Eucalyptus tetrodonta|Darwin stringybark]], as well as [[banksia]]s, [[grevillea]]s, [[Terminalia (plant)|terminalias]] and a wide variety of other woodland species.

Remnant pockets of [[monsoon]] rainforest thrive along the bottom of the escarpment, and in the deep narrow gorges created over thousands of years by the force of the waterfalls cutting into the escarpment walls.

They are significant because of their size and lack of disturbance. Here visitors will find [[lilium|lilies]] and slender ground [[orchid]]s growing among ''[[Pandanus]]'', [[paperbark]] and [[swamp]] [[bloodwood]]s.

=== Gamba Grass ===
The invasive species ''Andropogon gayanus,'' better known as gamba grass is a significant threat to the park’s biodiversity due to the frequent, high intensity, late dry season wildfires it exacerbates.<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 2017 |title=Litchfield National Park Plan of Management October 2017 |url=https://depws.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/451272/lmp-pom-2017.pdf |access-date=16 April 2024 |website=Northern Territory Government |publisher=Parks and Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory, Northern Territory Government}}</ref> The grass was introduced into the [[Northern Territory of Australia]] in 1931 for trial as [[Cattle feeding|cattle feed]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-02-20 |title=WA close to eradicating one of our most dangerous weeds as other states struggle |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-02-21/gamba-grass-eradication-close-in-wa-/100836152 |access-date=2024-04-16 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU}}</ref> There are now large swathes of the plant over 532,900 hectares between [[Darwin, Northern Territory|Darwin]] and [[Katherine, Northern Territory|Katherine.]] Gamba grass already accounts for as much as 20% of Litchfield National Park, around 30,000 hectares of the 144,000-hectare park, contributing to worsening fire seasons.<ref>{{Cite web |title=New research shows prized national park at risk from invasive weed |url=https://www.uwa.edu.au/news/article/2023/february/new-research-shows-prized-national-park-at-risk-from-invasive-weed |access-date=2024-04-16 |website=www.uwa.edu.au |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-02-26 |title=This highly flammable weed is taking over Litchfield National Park. Experts say urgent action is needed |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-02-27/gamba-grass-nt-litchfield-national-park-funding-recommendations/102024716 |access-date=2024-04-06 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-08-21 |title=Plea to eradicate highly flammable invasive weed in Litchfield National Park 'before someone gets hurt' |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-08-21/nt-litchfield-fire-deliberately-lit-gamba-grass-spread/102756454 |access-date=2024-04-06 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU}}</ref> Researchers estimate that this will increase to as much as 30% by 2033, a major threat to the park's future due to the extreme fire risk, the severity of which can destroy locals species.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-02-23 |title=RIEL researcher warns of gamba grass threat to Litchfield National Park {{!}} Charles Darwin University |url=https://www.cdu.edu.au/riel/news/litchfield-gamba-grass |access-date=2024-04-06 |website=www.cdu.edu.au |language=en}}</ref> Total eradication is no longer considered viable due to substantial spread since 2014.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Rossiter-Rachor |first=Natalie A. |last2=Adams |first2=Vanessa M. |last3=Canham |first3=Caroline A. |last4=Dixon |first4=Dan J. |last5=Cameron |first5=Thorsteinn N. |last6=Setterfield |first6=Samantha A. |date=2023-05-01 |title=The cost of not acting: Delaying invasive grass management increases costs and threatens assets in a national park, northern Australia |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301479722023581 |journal=Journal of Environmental Management |volume=333 |pages=116785 |doi=10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116785 |issn=0301-4797|doi-access=free }}</ref>