| Project Objectives and Background |
Victoria has an agreed set of indicators for the monitoring and reporting of Sustainable Forest Management. However, DSE currently lacks an integrated framework or system for the monitoring of these indicators. Recent efforts to compile the Victorian State of The Forests Report have highlighted that our monitoring efforts have evolved independently for various themes and are inconsistent in the degree to which the data:
- addresses the indicators
- is maintained, readily available and part of an agreed on-going program of re-measurement
- covers the required spatial extent
- is current
- is sensitive enough to detect ecologically meaningful changes
- is verifiable, repeatable and of adequate quality with meaningful metadata
Prior studies within DSE Project 1.4 have identified potential assessment methodologies and indicator species for use as benchmark assessment markers for development into a coordinated forest health system (with respect to pests and pathogens). The work to date has highlighted the lack of adequate indicator systems and reporting arrangements for such systems, and the subsequent incorporation of findings into forest management systems. The ongoing studies within this project will allow for further refinement of initial findings into a coordinated system of forest health evaluation which directly meets the requirements of end-users.
The broad vision of a suitable system is a nested hierarchy of low resolution remote sensed data providing state-wide parameters for terrestrial vegetation underpinned high resolution data, field validation and sampling to determine stand level data and attributes not suitable for detection by remote sensing. Initially the program would be limited to basic indicators but the plot framework would provide the basis for permanent monitoring sites with linkages to existing other monitoring programs, ecological research and process monitoring.
For any such system to gain long term support key questions will need to be addressed, for example:
- how long will it take to establish baselines and detect the likely trends?
- can the outputs be linked to policy and management decisions?
- can ecological changes be detected in a repeatable and reliable way?
- does the information and subsequent decisions justify the costs?
- how can it be integrated with other monitoring and modelling programs (State and Commonwealth) to improve cost efficiency and reduce overlaps?
In addition, forest ecosystem health and its monitoring is a crucial prerequisite for the maintenance of biodiversity, productivity and the long-term sustainability of native forests and woodlands. The present project will develop a ready-to-use system for monitoring forest health with respect to biotic stress factors (pests and pathogens) with Mountain Ash forest as a model system.
Project Objectives:
The objectives of this project are to develop and test a large area terrestrial vegetation monitoring and reporting system driven by remote sensing focused on public forest but considering potential linkages to NRM and cross tenure vegetation monitoring.
The project aims to:
- Review and test existing approaches to forest monitoring.
- Provide the ongoing infrastructure to support long-term research in different forest types in Victoria as part of an integrated monitoring and analysis framework.
- Provide analysis of the forest productive capacity of forests under different types of management.
Components of this project were previously part of DSE Project 1.4. Outputs in relation to this are presented on the Project 1.4 webpage.
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| DFES Staff and Students |
Professor Rod Keenan, Head of Department, Project Supervisor
Mr Simon Murphy, Researcher
Dr Yue Wang, Senior Research Fellow
Dr Tom Baker, Senior Research Fellow
Dr Julian DiStefano, Research Fellow
Assoc Prof Michael Tausz
Dr Lauren Bennett, Research Fellow
Dr Sabine Kasel, Research Fellow
Dr Stefan Arndt, Senior Research Fellow
Mr Ian Smith, Senior Research Fellow
Mr Nick Collett, Research Fellow
Mr David Smith, Research Assistant
Dr Chris Weston, Senior Lecturer
Dr Julian Fox, Research Fellow
Mr Yadav Kendal, PhD Student
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| Project Partners and Collaborators |
Project Partners
Department of Sustainability and Environment - Monitoring and Reporting
Department of Sustainability and Environment - Forest Resources
NSW DPI
VicForests
Arthur Rylah Institute
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| Highlights |
Modeling the Effects of Partial Harvesting Systems on Timber Yield in Mixed Species Mixed Age Forests
Integration of ecosystem science into policy and practices is one of the fundamental changes occurring in forest management around the world in recent decades. For example, the use of variable retention or partial harvesting system mimics the natural disturbance, such as wildfire, to leave scattered dead and live trees as habitats. Recent studies, however suggest that retained live trees (overwood) and older stands at edges (forested edges) have a competitive effect on regrowth growth and actual effects on future dynamics and yield of regrowth forests are currently unknown for most forest types. The objectives of this project are: (i) to investigate the effects of forested edges and retained overwood on regrowth growth; and (ii) to quantify the magnitude (growth reduction) of forested edge and overwood effects.
The research is undertaken in collaboration with DSE, VicForests and Forestry Tasmania. Some highlights were:
- A sampling program was completed by DSE in the summer of 2007 to provide information for the analysis and modelling. A total of 84 (10 or 20 m x 50 m) transects was established perpendicularly 50 m into regrowth stands in mixed species forests in East Gippsland. These sampled stands cover a range of stand age (16 – 36 years), overwood retention (0 – 20 m2/ha retained basal area) and silvicultural systems (clearfelling, seedtree and shelterwood).
- Statistical analysis and modelling using the transect data provided by DSE were competed by August 2008. The results showed that the growth of regrowth trees were significantly reduced within 5 to 10 m from forested edges and for an overwood retention of 15% pre-harvested basal area or higher. Under this growth condition, the reduction of tree growth could be 28% for diameter and 16% for height
- A research paper on the project was presented at the IUFRO International Conference on Modeling Complex Stand Structures and Associated Dynamics. July 29 – August 3, 2007, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada.
- A join-meeting between DSE, VicForests, Forestry Tasmania and DFES was held on September 23, 2008 in Hobart to discuss the research proprieties of the project and issues of collaboration.
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| Fig. 1 Mean tree diameters estimated for 84 regrowth transects sampled in East Gippsland by 5-m distance intervals from forested edges and different silvicultrual systems (SC=Clearfelling, ST=Seedtree, SW=Shelterwood) |
Fig. 2 Basal areas predicted using the developed regression models for regrowth stands having a range of percent dominant crown covers and by 10-m distance intervals from forested edges. |
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| 2008/2009 Milestones |
- Review existing forest monitoring systems, plots and research sites in DSE/VicForests/ParksVic:
- Register of existing sites
- Report on monitoring systems
- Management of key research and monitoring sites -
- study site management plans
- ongoing measurement and maintenance
- workshop report on management of long-term research sites in Central Highlands
- Critical review of forest monitoring systems in other jurisdictions - Review paper
- Define monitoring goals, scope, and policy linkages - Report
- Test a pilot monitoring system for pests and pathogens - progress report and journal publication
- Develop monitoring and modelling system options:
- Development of a national collaborative project on mixed species and mixed aged production forests - project proposal
- Analysis of biometrical models and requirements for hierarchical sampling framework - report
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| Publications |
Peer-reviewed journal publications:
- Smith, D., Smith, I., Collett, N. and Elms, S. (2008). Forest health surveillance in Victoria. Australian Forestry. 71(3); 188-195.
Fully-Written Research Report to DSE:
- A full-written research report was provided to DSE project manager (F. Hamilton) on 2 August for presenting the preliminary results of analysing and modelling the edge effect transect data provided by DSE.
- Tran P. Dooley G. and Murphy S. (2008). Register of Forest Research Sites in Victoria. Progress Report for the Department of Sustainability and Environment, 263pp
- Collett, N. (2008). The use of arthropod assemblages in Mountain ash (Eucalyptus regnans F.Muell) forests in the Victorian Central Highlands as potential indicators of change, biodiversity and forest health. Progress Report for the Department of Sustainability and Environment, 18pp.
- Collett, N. (2008). Insect Pest Status Report for Victoria 2007-2008. Submitted to Research Working Group Seven (Forest Health) on behalf of DSE.
- Wang, Y., Keenan, R., Hamilton, F. and Murphy, S. (2007). Modeling the Dynamics and Growth of Mixed Species Mixed-Age Eucalypt Forests in South-Eastern Australia: A Review. Research Report for the SFES-DSE Cooperative Research Project 1.8. School of Forest and Ecosystem Science, The University of Melbourne, 31 pp.
- Wang, Y., Keenan, R., Hamilton, F. and Murphy, S. (2007). Models for Predicting the Suppressive Effects at Edges of Small Clearfalls on Regrowth in Low Elevation Mixed Species Forests. Research Report for the SFES-DSE Cooperative Research Project 1.8. School of Forest and Ecosystem Science, The University of Melbourne, 23 pp.
- Wang, Y. (2006). Modelling the growth and dynamics of mixed species and mixed-age forests in eastern Victoria. Research proposal for SFES-DSE 2006/07 Cooperative Project 1.8, 7 pp.
Student project theses
- Tran, P. (2007) The effects of strip thinning on the regeneration and composition of the understorey in a Eucalyptus regnans forest. Honours Research Thesis, The University of Melbourne.
See also publications from form subject project of DSE Project 1.4.
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| Presentations |
DFES Seminar Series'
Non Peer-Reviewed Conference Papers
- Presentation of paper to the International Congress of Entomology, Durban, South Africa July 2008. Invertebrates in the plantation, forest remnant and farmland landscape matrix.
- Wang, Y., Keenan, R., Hamilton, F. and Murphy, S. (2007). Characteristics and Modelling Challenges of Mixed Species Mixed-Age Forests in South-Eastern Australia. In Proceedings of the IUFRO International Conference on Complex Stand Structure and Associated Dynamics: Measurement Indices and Modelling Approaches. July 29 – August 2, 2007, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. (http://www.iufrosault.org/)
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| Other Knowledge Transfer and Outputs |
Teaching
- Associate Degree in Forestry Management - teaching in Forest Health
- Contributions to Master of Forest Ecosystem Science subjects Silviculture and Forest Dynamics and Sustainable Forest Management.
Other knowledge transfer activities
- Attendance (Ian Smith) at ICCP conference to assess biosecurity issues to Victoria’s forests
- Followed up and replied to general public enquiries on tree health issues as forwarded by DSE Customer Service Centre.
- Presentations to three schools on forest invertebrates in Victoria (Brighton Grammar (secondary), Firbank (secondary) and Beaumaris Primary)
- Supply of Eucalyptus tricarpa growth data to ‘Forest Resources’ group, from the Dargile thinning trial.
Discussions regarding establishing ‘edge effect’ plots in E.regnans regeneration at SSP Tanjil Bren.
- Finalisation of DSE internal report (RBR 396), titled: Dooley G.M. et al (Draft), Seedcrop development in Eucalyptus viminalis in High Elevation Mixed Species forest of East Gippsland.
- Rod Keenan attended National Long Term Ecological Research Committee, Canberra, 21 November 2006.
- Rod Keenan attended NCRIS, Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network meeting and contributed to the development of a proposal for funding for research infrastructure support, March – June 2007.
- Rod Keenan attended UN FAO Advisory Group for the the Global Forest Resource Assessment (funded by Department of Agiculture, Fisheries and Forestry) January 2007.
- Yue Wang presented at the Biennial Meeting of Research Working Group 2, 20-24 November 2006, Woodend, Victoria.
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| Contact |
Professor Rod Keenan
Department of Forest & Ecosystem Science
Melbourne School of Land and Environment
University of Melbourne
Water St, Creswick, Vic, 3363, Australia
Phone: +61 (0) 3 53214110
E-mail: rkeenan@unimelb.edu.au |
