Polarized debate surrounding Tasmania’s old-growth forests

2009 ◽  
Vol 85 (5) ◽  
pp. 762-771 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gordon M Hickey
Keyword(s):  
Public Policy ◽  
Common Ground ◽  
Sustainable Forest Management ◽  
World View ◽  
Forest Policy ◽  
Policy Debate ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
Old Growth Forests ◽  
Recent Developments

The debate surrounding Tasmania’s old-growth forests in 2004 represents a good example of a situation where, despite both sides of a highly polarized policy field drawing on science to support their world view (to varying degrees), little common ground was found to enable robust and shared discussions that were required to resolve the conflict and collectively define a sustainable future for Tasmania’s old-growth forests. This paper reviews the scientific and policy-related literature on old-growth eucalypt forests and outlines recent developments in old-growth forest policy in Tasmania. It describes the highly polarized public policy debate surrounding Tasmania’s old-growth forests in the lead up to the 2004 Federal election, and considers the challenges posed by polarized democratic debate when developing public policy. It then considers the different dimensions of forest-related scientific knowledge and discusses the role of science in informing and resolving the polarized old growth debate in Tasmania. Key words: Sustainable forest management, strategy, politics, research, government, Australia

scholarly journals Boreal old-growth forest structural diversity challenges aerial photographic survey accuracy

2020 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 155-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maxence Martin ◽  
Nicole J. Fenton ◽  
Hubert Morin
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Forest Management ◽  
Forest Succession ◽  
Structural Diversity ◽  
Aerial Survey ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Tree Species Composition ◽  
Forest Inventories ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
Aerial Surveys ◽  
Old Growth Forests

The erosion of old-growth forests in boreal managed landscapes is a major issue currently faced by forest managers; however, resolving this problem requires accurate surveys. The intention of our study was to determine if historic operational aerial forest surveys accurately identified boreal old-growth forests in Quebec, Canada. We first compared stand successional stages (even-aged vs. old-growth) in two aerial surveys performed in 1968 (preindustrial aerial survey) and 2007 (modern aerial survey) on the same 2200 km2 territory. Second, we evaluated the accuracy of the modern aerial survey by comparing its results with those of 74 field plots sampled in the study territory between 2014 and 2016. The two aerial surveys differed significantly; 80.8% of the undisturbed stands that were identified as “old-growth” in the preindustrial survey were classified as “even-aged” in the modern survey, and 60% of the stands identified as “old-growth” by field sampling were also erroneously identified as “even-aged” by the modern aerial survey. The scarcity of obvious old-growth attributes in boreal old-growth forests, as well as poorly adapted modern aerial survey criteria (i.e., criteria requiring high vertical stratification and significant changes in tree species composition along forest succession), were the main factors explaining these errors. It is therefore likely that most of Quebec’s boreal old-growth forests are currently not recognized as such in forest inventories, challenging the efficacy of sustainable forest management policies.

Old-growth forests: Data gaps and challenges

2003 ◽  
Vol 79 (3) ◽  
pp. 645-651 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ole Hendrickson
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Sustainable Forest Management ◽  
Ecosystem Approach ◽  
Ecosystem Change ◽  
Secondary Forests ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
Old Growth Forests ◽  
Considerable Impact ◽  
Growth Features

How much old growth is there? How much was there? Is remaining old growth disappearing? If so, how fast and why? Is any more old growth being created? How fragmented are old-growth forests? What other forest types and land uses surround them? Scientists see these as challenging questions, never to be fully resolved. Policy makers see information gaps and want answers. They assume that because the public values old-growth forests, their continuing availability must be assured. Forest managers need to be convinced that old-growth forests provide unique values before taking costly measures to conserve them. The relative stability of old-growth forests is interesting from a management perspective. Are old-growth forests more resistant to high-intensity disturbances, such as crown fires and violent storms? Do they resist insect outbreaks? A related issue is the quality of ecosystem services provided by old-growth forests. Do they have an exceptional ability to provide clean water, to stabilize hydrologic regimes, and to moderate local climates? Can they be used to test hypotheses about complexity, stability, resilience, and ecosystem change? These questions provide a strong rationale for developing working definitions of old-growth forests, for retaining areas of old-growth forest, and for replicating old-growth features in landscapes managed for timber production. Old-growth forests are desirable sites for monitoring, serving as benchmarks for adaptive management. Knowledge about old-growth forests has already had a considerable impact on policy and management, particularly in coastal regions. Current research and monitoring systems may not be adequate for the task of identifying and describing the biological complexity and diversity inherent in old-growth forests. New investments in collecting and managing data from old-growth (and secondary) forests are needed, and will pay manifold dividends to future generations of Canadians. This paper suggests that the central role of old-growth forests in developing sustainable forest management should create an incentive for the forest science, policy, and management communities to unite in support of their conservation. Key words: biodiversity, gene conservation, resilience, ecosystem approach, information management, ecosystem services

scholarly journals Compared to Wildfire, Management Practices Reduced Old-Growth Forest Diversity and Functionality in Primary Boreal Landscapes of Eastern Canada

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maxence Martin ◽  
Pierre Grondin ◽  
Marie-Claude Lambert ◽  
Yves Bergeron ◽  
Hubert Morin
Keyword(s):  
Boreal Forests ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
Industrial Scale ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Ecosystem Based Management ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
Old Growth Forests ◽  
Boreal Landscapes ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Primary Forests

Large primary forest residuals can still be found in boreal landscapes. Their areas are however shrinking rapidly due to anthropogenic activities, in particular industrial-scale forestry. The impacts of logging activities on primary boreal forests may also strongly differ from those of wildfires, the dominant stand-replacing natural disturbance in these forests. Since industrial-scale forestry is driven by economic motives, there is a risk that stands of higher economic value will be primarily harvested, thus threatening habitats, and functions related to these forests. Hence, the objective of this study was to identify the main attributes differentiating burned and logged stands prior to disturbance in boreal forests. The study territory lies in the coniferous and closed-canopy boreal forest in Québec, Canada, where industrial-scale logging and wildfire are the two main stand-replacing disturbances. Based on Québec government inventories of primary forests, we identified 427 transects containing about 5.5 circular field plots/transect that were burned or logged shortly after being surveyed, between 1985 and 2016. Comparative analysis of the main structural and environmental attributes of these transects highlighted the strong divergence in the impact of fire and harvesting on primary boreal forests. Overall, logging activities mainly harvested forests with the highest economic value, while most burned stands were low to moderately productive or recently disturbed. These results raise concerns about the resistance and resilience of remnant primary forests within managed areas, particularly in a context of disturbance amplification due to climate change. Moreover, the majority of the stands studied were old-growth forests, characterized by a high ecological value but also highly threatened by anthropogenic disturbances. A loss in the diversity and functionality of primary forests, and particularly the old-growth forests, therefore adds to the current issues related to these ecosystems. Since 2013, the study area is under ecosystem-based management, which implies that there have been marked changes in forestry practices. Complementary research will be necessary to assess the capacity of ecosystem-based management to address the challenges identified in our study.

scholarly journals Bryophyte Conservation in Managed Boreal Landscapes: Fourteen-Year Impacts of Partial Cuts on Epixylic Bryophytes

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey Opoku-Nyame ◽  
Alain Leduc ◽  
Nicole J. Fenton
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Coarse Woody Debris ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Woody Debris ◽  
Permanent Plots ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Clear Cut ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
Old Growth Forests ◽  
Over Time

Clear cut harvest simplifies and eliminates old growth forest structure, negatively impacting biodiversity. Partial cut harvest has been hypothesized (1) to have less impact on biodiversity than clear cut harvest, and (2) to encourage old growth forest structures. Long-term studies are required to test this hypothesis as most studies are conducted soon after harvest. Using epixylic bryophytes as indicators, this study addresses this knowledge gap. Fourteen years after harvest, we examined changes in epixylic bryophyte community composition richness and traits, and their microhabitats (coarse woody debris characteristics and microclimate) along an unharvested, partial cuts and clear cuts harvest treatment in 30 permanent plots established in the boreal black spruce (Picea mariana) forests of northwestern Quebec, Canada. Our results were compared to those of an initial post-harvest study (year 5) and to a chronosequence of old growth forests to examine species changes over time and the similarity of bryophyte communities in partial cut and old growth forests. Coarse woody debris (CWD) volume by decay class varied among harvest treatments with partial cuts and clear cuts recording lower volumes of early decay CWD. The epixylic community was richer in partial cuts than in mature unharvested forests and clear cuts. In addition, species richness and overall abundance doubled in partial and clear cuts between years 5 and 14. Species composition also differed among treatments between years 5 and 14. Furthermore, conditions in partial cut stands supported small, drought sensitive, and old growth confined species that are threatened by conditions in clear cut stands. Lastly, over time, species composition in partial cuts became more similar to old growth forests. Partial cuts reduced harvest impacts by continuing to provide favorable microhabitat conditions that support epixylic bryophytes. Also, partial cut harvest has the potential to encourage old growth species assemblages, which has been a major concern for biodiversity conservation in managed forest landscapes. Our findings support the promotion of partial cut harvest as an effective strategy to achieve species and habitat conservation goals.

Nationale Forstprogramme: Internationaler Kontext, erste europäische Erfahrungen und Lehren für die Schweiz | National forest programmes: Context and first experiences in Europe and lessons for Switzerland

2002 ◽  
Vol 153 (11) ◽  
pp. 419-429 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kurt Bisang ◽  
Willi Zimmermann
Keyword(s):  
Forest Management ◽  
Sustainable Forest Management ◽  
Forest Policy ◽  
National Forest ◽  
Policy Debate ◽  
Intergovernmental Panel ◽  
International Policy ◽  
Forest Policies ◽  
Policy Level ◽  
International Forest Policy

Since UNCED 1992, national forest programmes(NFP) have served as a strategy to formulate and implement forest policies aiming at sustainable forest management. At the international policy level, the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests and the United Nations Forum on Forests have issued a set of proposals for action. A number of countries have started to plan and implement national forest programmes. However, precisely what NFPs are, and what their impact might be, is not entirely clear. This article gives an overview of the international forest policy debate and discusses first experiences made with NFPs in European countries. Against this background the article reflects on the lessons learnt and discusses the prospects for an NFP in Switzerland.

The eastern boreal old-growth balsam fir forest: a distinct ecosystem

2004 ◽  
Vol 82 (6) ◽  
pp. 830-849 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mireille Desponts ◽  
Geneviève Brunet ◽  
Louis Bélanger ◽  
Mathieu Bouchard
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Balsam Fir ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Saprophytic Fungi ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
Second Growth ◽  
Old Growth Forests ◽  
Gaspe Peninsula ◽  
Pristine Forest ◽  
Gaspé Peninsula

The objective of this project was to assess the importance of pristine forests in maintaining the botanical biodiversity of the humid boreal balsam fir forest of eastern Canada. The study was based on a comparative analysis of silviculturally mature second-growth stands and pristine forest stands at two stages of development (senescent and old growth) in the Gaspé Peninsula. The structure and composition of the stands was described, and the abundance of structural attributes evaluated. The communities of nonvascular plant species (mosses, liverworts), lichens, and saprophytic fungi were compared. The study demonstrated that the pristine forest landscape studied was composed largely of old-growth and senescent stands. Old-growth forests are differentiated by their irregular structure. The results regarding nonvascular plant species, lichens, and saprophytic fungi show higher species diversity in old-growth forests, corresponding to higher habitat diversity. Species assemblages were comparable between the pristine forests, but different from those of second-growth stands. Rare species are found more frequently in the old-growth forests. The results indicate that the old-growth balsam fir stands of the Gaspé Peninsula constitute critical habitats for maintaining a large number of species threatened by the gradual disappearance of primeval stands.Key words: forest management, biodiversity, old-growth forest, humid boreal fir forest, nonvascular plants.

Structure, composition, and diversity of old-growth black spruce boreal forest of the Clay Belt region in Quebec and Ontario

2003 ◽  
Vol 11 (S1) ◽  
pp. S79-S98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Harper ◽  
Catherine Boudreault ◽  
Louis DeGrandpré ◽  
Pierre Drapeau ◽  
Sylvie Gauthier ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Boreal Forest ◽  
Picea Mariana ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Structural Development ◽  
Spruce Forest ◽  
Forest Stands ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
Old Growth Forests

Old-growth black spruce (Picea mariana) boreal forest in the Clay Belt region of Ontario and Quebec is an open forest with a low canopy, quite different from what many consider to be "old growth". Here, we provide an overview of the characteristics of old-growth black spruce forest for three different site types on organic, clay, and coarse deposits. Our objectives were (1) to identify the extent of older forests; (2) to describe the structure, composition, and diversity in different age classes; and (3) to identify key processes in old-growth black spruce forest. We sampled canopy composition, deadwood abundance, understorey composition, and nonvascular plant species in 91 forest stands along a chronosequence that extended from 20 to more than 250 years after fire. We used a peak in tree basal area, which occurred at 100 years on clay and coarse sites and at 200 years on organic sites, as a process-based means of defining the start of old-growth forest. Old-growth forests are extensive in the Clay Belt, covering 30–50% of the forested landscape. Black spruce was dominant on all organic sites, and in all older stands. Although there were fewer understorey species and none exclusive to old-growth, these forests were structurally diverse and had greater abundance of Sphagnum, epiphytic lichens, and ericaceous species. Paludification, a process characteristic of old-growth forest stands on clay deposits in this region, causes decreases in tree and deadwood abundance. Old-growth black spruce forests, therefore, lack the large trees and snags that are characteristic of other old-growth forests. Small-scale disturbances such as spruce budworm and windthrow are common, creating numerous gaps. Landscape and stand level management strategies could minimize structural changes caused by harvesting, but unmanaged forest in all stages of development must be preserved in order to conserve all the attributes of old-growth black spruce forest. Key words: boreal forest, old growth, paludification, Picea mariana, structural development, succession.

scholarly journals The Reproductive Strategy as an Important Trait for the Distribution of Lower-Trunk Epiphytic Lichens in Old-Growth vs. Non-Old Growth Forests

Forests ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 27
Author(s):  
Giorgio Brunialti ◽  
Paolo Giordani ◽  
Sonia Ravera ◽  
Luisa Frati
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Strategy ◽  
Beta Diversity ◽  
Reproductive Strategies ◽  
Epiphytic Lichens ◽  
High Turnover ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Lichen Diversity ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
Old Growth Forests ◽  
Species Rarity

(1) Research Highlights: The work studied the beta diversity patterns of epiphytic lichens as a function of their reproductive strategies in old-growth and non-old growth forests from the Mediterranean area. (2) Background and Objectives: The reproductive strategies of lichens can drive the dispersal and distribution of species assemblages in forest ecosystems. To further investigate this issue, we analyzed data on epiphytic lichen diversity collected from old-growth and non-old growth forest sites (36 plots) located in Cilento National Park (South Italy). Our working hypothesis was that the dispersal abilities due to the different reproductive strategies drove species beta diversity depending on forest age and continuity. We expected a high turnover for sexually reproducing species and high nestedness for vegetative ones. We also considered the relationship between forest continuity and beta diversity in terms of species rarity. (3) Materials and Methods: we used the Bray–Curtis index of dissimilarity to partition lichen diversity into two components of beta diversity for different subsets (type of forest, reproductive strategy, and species rarity). (4) Results: The two forest types shared most of the common species and did not show significant differences in alpha and gamma diversity. The turnover of specific abundance was the main component of beta diversity, and was significantly greater for sexually reproducing species as compared to vegetative ones. These latter species had also the least turnover and greater nestedness in old-growth forests. Rare species showed higher turnover than common ones. (5) Conclusions: Our results suggest that sexually reproducing lichen species always have high turnover, while vegetative species tend to form nested assemblages, especially in old-growth forests. The rarity level contributes to the species turnover in lichen communities. Contrary to what one might expect, the differences between old-growth and non-old growth forests are not strong.

scholarly journals Predicting the potential for old-growth forests by spatial simulation of landscape ageing patterns

2003 ◽  
Vol 79 (3) ◽  
pp. 621-631 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ajith H Perera ◽  
David J.B. Baldwin ◽  
Dennis G Yemshanov ◽  
Frank Schnekenburger ◽  
Kevin Weaver ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Temporal Variation ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Simulation Modelling ◽  
Spatial Simulation ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Disturbance Regimes ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
Large Scale Disturbance ◽  
Old Growth Forests ◽  
Spatio Temporal

Planning for old-growth forests requires answers to two large-scale questions: How much old-growth forest should exist? And where can they be sustained in a landscape? Stand-level knowledge of old-growth physiognomy and dynamics are not sufficient to answer these questions. We assert that large-scale disturbance regimes may provide a strong foundation to understand the spatio-temporal ageing patterns in forest landscapes that determine the potential for old growth. Approaches to describe large-scale disturbance regimes range from scenarios reconstructed from historical evidence to simulation of landscapes using predictive models. In this paper, we describe a simulation modelling approach to determine landscape-ageing patterns, and thereby the landscape potential of old-growth forests. A spatially explicit stochastic simulation model of landscape fire–forest cover dynamics was applied to a 1.8 million-ha case study boreal forest landscape to quantify the spatio-temporal variation of landscape ageing. Twenty-five replicates of 200-year simulation runs of the fire disturbance regime, at a 1-ha resolution, generated a suite of variables of landscape ageing and their error estimates. These included temporal variation of older age cohorts over 200 years, survivorship distribution at the 200th year, and spatial tendencies of ageing. This information, in combination with spatial tendency of species occurrence, constitutes the contextual framework to plan how much old-growth forest a given landscape can sustain, and where such forest could be located. Key words: landscape management, old growth, spatial simulation modelling, landscape ecology, boreal forest, Ontario, fire regime simulation, natural forest disturbances, stochastic models, age-class distribution

scholarly journals Bird Assemblages in Second-Growth and Old-Growth Forests, Costa Rica: Perspectives From Mist Nets and Point Counts

The Auk ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 118 (2) ◽  
pp. 304-326 ◽  
Author(s):  
John G. Blake ◽  
Bette A. Loiselle
Keyword(s):  
Costa Rica ◽  
Community Composition ◽  
Threatened Species ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
La Selva ◽  
Point Counts ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
Second Growth ◽  
Old Growth Forests

Abstract Second growth has replaced lowland forest in many parts of the Neotropics, providing valuable habitat for many resident and migrant bird species. Given the prevalence of such habitats and the potential benefit for conservation of biodiversity, it is important to understand patterns of diversity in second growth and old growth. Descriptions of species-distribution patterns may depend, however, on method(s) used to sample birds. We used data from mist nets and point counts to (1) describe species diversity and community composition in second-growth (young and old) and old-growth forests at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica; and (2) to evaluate perspectives on community composition provided by the two methods. We recorded 249 species from 39 families, including 196 species captured in mist nets (10,019 captures) and 215 recorded during point counts (15,577 observations), which represents ∼78% of the terrestrial avifauna known from La Selva (excluding accidentals and birds characteristic of aquatic or aerial habitats). There were 32 threatened species, 22 elevational migrants, and 40 latitudinal migrants. Species richness (based on rarefaction analyses of capture and count data) was greatest in the youngest site. Latitudinal migrants were particularly common in second growth; elevational migrants were present in both young and old forest, but were more important in old-growth forest. Several threatened species common in second growth were not found in old-growth forests. Trophic composition varied less among sites than did species composition. Mist nets and point counts differed in numbers and types of species detected. Counts detected more species than nets in old-growth forest, but not in young second growth. Mist nets detected 62% of the terrestrial avifauna, and point counts detected 68%. Fifty-three species were observed but not captured, and 34 species were captured but not observed. Six families were not represented by mist-net captures. Data from mist nets and point counts both support the conclusion that second-growth vegetation provides habitat for many species.

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