<
https://theconversation.com/logging-devastated-victorias-native-forests-and-new-research-shows-20-has-failed-to-grow-back-254465>
"Following the end of native logging in Victoria on January 1 2024, the state’s
majestic forests might be expected to regenerate and recover naturally. But our
new research shows that’s not always the case.
We quantified the extent of regeneration following logging in the eucalypt
forests of southeastern Australia between 1980 and 2019. This included nearly
42,000 hectares of logged mountain ash forest in Victoria’s Central Highlands.
We analysed satellite data, logging records, on-ground surveys and drone
photography, and discovered that nearly 20% of logged areas failed to
regenerate. This represents more than 8,000 hectares of forest lost. All that
remains in these areas are grassy clearings, dense shrublands or bare soils.
We also found the rate of regeneration failure has increased over the past
decade. While failure was rare in the 1980s, it became much more common over
time – affecting more than 80% of logged sites by 2019.
These regeneration failures weren’t random. They were found mostly in close
proximity to each other, on areas with steep slopes, relatively low elevation,
and where the area of clear-felled forest was long and narrow.
Our research shows more needs to be done to restore Victoria’s forest after
logging."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
