Natural threats such as fire, insects and diseases are basic to forest dynamics. However, they can disrupt the flow of goods and services from forests by affecting tree growth and survival, water quality and yield, and animal and plant life. Also considered are pests, microorganisms or trees that are non-native to a particular ecosystem that can cause environmental harm.
Fire and disease are significant threats to old- growth forests across all tenures. In Victoria and New South Wales, large areas of old-growth have been burned and converted to regeneration and earlier growth stages since the RFA surveys mostly in the 2003 fires, but the impact on the extent of old-growth areas has not been fully reported.
For jarrah forests to be classified as old-growth in Western Australia, they must be free of the Phytophthora root-rot disease, which is considered a form of disturbance. Logging is also a contentious issue, several states have developed policies for the exclusion of harvesting from old-growth; or for altered management prescriptions (eg alternatives to clearfelling) to reduce impacts.
As forests develop, small disturbances such as low-intensity fires, windstorms that drop a few trees, or insects and disease that kill pockets of trees create “character”—mosaics of young and old patches of trees, snags, damaged trees, small openings, shrubs, and herbs. These mosaics contribute to ecological diversity continuously throughout a forest’s history.
Fire remains the biggest threat to forests of all ages in Victoria including old growth. VicForests, and its contractors, are actively involved in fire fighting initiatives. This includes providing machinery, equipment and access to forests to reduce this threat.
Forests help produce rainfall. The more trees, the more water gets absorbed into clouds and the more rain falls. If the forests disappear, there will be less rain resulting in dryer conditions that eventually lead to drought. Once this happens, the damage is extensive making it difficult to plant more trees or plants later because the soil is so hard and dry.
Fire and disease are significant threats to old- growth forests across all tenures. In Victoria and New South Wales, large areas of old-growth have been burned and converted to regeneration and earlier growth stages since the RFA surveys mostly in the 2003 fires, but the impact on the extent of old-growth areas has not been fully reported.
For jarrah forests to be classified as old-growth in Western Australia, they must be free of the Phytophthora root-rot disease, which is considered a form of disturbance. Logging is also a contentious issue, several states have developed policies for the exclusion of harvesting from old-growth; or for altered management prescriptions (eg alternatives to clearfelling) to reduce impacts.
As forests develop, small disturbances such as low-intensity fires, windstorms that drop a few trees, or insects and disease that kill pockets of trees create “character”—mosaics of young and old patches of trees, snags, damaged trees, small openings, shrubs, and herbs. These mosaics contribute to ecological diversity continuously throughout a forest’s history.
Fire remains the biggest threat to forests of all ages in Victoria including old growth. VicForests, and its contractors, are actively involved in fire fighting initiatives. This includes providing machinery, equipment and access to forests to reduce this threat.
Forests help produce rainfall. The more trees, the more water gets absorbed into clouds and the more rain falls. If the forests disappear, there will be less rain resulting in dryer conditions that eventually lead to drought. Once this happens, the damage is extensive making it difficult to plant more trees or plants later because the soil is so hard and dry.