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Native forest silviculture
Using existing native forests on farmland
for timber production is often overlooked in the rush to plant
more trees. The table below shows that there are over 11 million
hectares of privately owned native forests in Australia. These
forests cover a wide range of forest and woodland types, many
of which include commercially valuable timber species. Eucalypts,
including many of the more valuable timber species, dominate
many of these forests. But there are other commercially valuable
species including Acacia, Callitris, Casuarina, and many tropical
hardwoods, growing in native forests.
Although much of Australias native forest resources
have been cut over for timber in the past, and neglected since,
there is potential for private landowners to manage these
forests for timber and other values. Recent experience in
Queensland and Tasmania demonstrates the benefits of managing
private native forests for timber production and other products
and services. In Queensland, sawlog production from private
native forests recently exceeded that from public forests.
In Tasmania, approximately 30 per cent of the states
total sawlog and pulpwood production comes from private native
forests.
Bill Kerruish, is a harvesting researcher who has worked with
the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
(CSIRO) for many years. He suggests that farmers who have
a mature, well-managed native forest might be able to generate
as much cash in one week from strategically managing their
forest, as they could in 50 years of tree growing. It has
also been suggested that thinning regrowth eucalypt forests
can enhance a forests biodiversity values as well as
its future timber valuesee Murray and Thompson 2000
in Additional information.
Private native forest and woodland
groups in Australia
|
|
|
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Forest
Group |
|
Area
('000ha)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tropical Rainforest |
|
60
|
|
Subtropical Rainforest |
|
32
|
|
Temperate Rainforest |
|
70
|
|
Mangrove and Swamp
Forest |
|
164
|
|
South Western wet
eucalypt forest |
|
12
|
|
South Western dry
eucalypt forest |
|
495
|
|
South Eastern wet
eucalypt forest |
|
739
|
|
South Eastern ash
forest |
|
161
|
|
South Eastern dry
forest and woodland |
|
2698
|
|
South Eastern coastal
eucalypt forest |
|
382
|
|
Central coastal
eucalypt forest |
|
1470
|
|
North eastern coastal
eucalypt forest |
|
657
|
|
River Red Gum forest |
|
100
|
|
Native pine forest
and woodland |
|
10814
|
|
Morthern dry eucalypt
forest and woodland |
|
3220
|
|
|
|
|
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Total |
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11341
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|
|
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Source: Parsons, M. (1999) Native
forests on farms. Rural Industries Research and Development
Corporation Publication No. 99/21
The silvicultural management options available
to farmers with native forests are many and varied, and there
are many aspects to consider when developing a forest management
plan for a native forest. It is important to maintain a forests
genetic integrity and to make sure that the ecological processes
that support regeneration, wildlife habitat and soil protection
are not threatened. So, when native forests are harvested,
growers must use techniques that offer the best chance of
achieving successful natural regeneration or enhancing future
timber value. Clearfelling, gap logging, shelterwood systems
and selective harvesting are all options that may be considered.
For the light-demanding eucalypt species, selectively harvesting
individual trees rarely allows for healthy regeneration. But
in the tropical rainforests, this method may effectively mimic
natural gap formation.
Most state governments provide guidelines for managing and
harvesting native forests that require landowners to submit
management plans before undertaking any operations. The aim
of these guidelines is to ensure that timber harvesting in
done in a sustainable manner and that the forests are not
inadvertently cleared for agriculture. Landowners must contact
their relevant land management agency for information about
the procedures and options available.
Native forest silvicultural
options
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