annual report 2011 - Forestry Tasmania

NATIVE FORESTS
Native Forests - Key research and development projects
Sustainability Objective FT Staff and
Collaborators
Project name and aims 2010-11 Progress
1. Sustain biodiversity and habitat
1.4 Oldgrowth forests
Maintain a minimum of 250,000
hectares of oldgrowth in reserves
in State forests (25% of Tasmania’s
reserved oldgrowth forests), for
conservation values.
M Neyland
L Edwards
D McElwee
R Scott
S Read
T Wardlaw
Alternatives to clearfelling lowland wet
eucalypt forest
To establish a replicated silvicultural systems
trial (SST) in wet eucalypt forests at Warra and
compare the standard clearfell, burn and sow
system with potential alternatives.
Monitored and maintained the trial.
Drafted long term monitoring plan for the SST.
Retain oldgrowth elements
including large trees, stags,
understoreys and logs across the
forest estate.
This will involve: continuing the
TCFA variable retention program.
J Jarman
M Neyland
Collaborators
Tasmanian
Herbarium
(G Kantvilas),
University of
Southern
Illinois
(P Minchin)
Impacts of harvesting and regeneration
operations on lichens and bryophytes in wet
eucalypt forests
To assess the impact of various logging and
regeneration treatments on the lichen and
bryophyte floras of wet eucalypt forest.
Sampled plots in the aggregates of two coupes and completed the species
identifications.
Prepared the dataset for analysis by Dr Peter Minchin (University of
Southern Illinois, USA).
Made substantial progress with the draft manuscript on assessing the
impacts of the treatments.
Progressed paper describing the general ecology of the bryophytes and
lichens at Warra.
Progressed paper on cryptogam succession after harvesting and burning.
Finalised establishment report for the project.
M Neyland
J Hickey
S Read
L Edwards
Warra SST reporting
To report on aspects of the Warra silvicultural
systems trial.
Manuscript summarising the results of the trial at age three years accepted
by Australian Forestry.
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