Forests

Study of Old-growth Forest in Victoria's Central Highlands

Department of Natural Resources and Environment
Victoria
Forests Service Technical Reports 96-3
November 1996
© Crown (Government of Victoria) 1996

Contents

• Foreword

• Introduction

• Definition of Old-growth Forests
  • Perceptions of old-growth forest
  • Characteristics of old-growth forests
  • Definition of old-growth forest
    • Working definition
    • Explanation of terms to accompany working definition
    • National Forest Policy Statement

• The Central Highlands Study Area
  • Boundaries of study area
  • Aboriginal history
  • European history
  • Land use

• Old-growth Study Methods
  • Introduction
  • Study team
  • Study objectives
  • Crown form, growth stage and crown cover projection
  • Vegetation classes
  • Disturbance influences
  • Tree ageing

• Forest Disturbance - Identification and Survey
  • Introduction
  • Agricultural selection
  • Wildfire
  • Mining
  • Grazing
  • Timber harvesting
  • Fuel reduction burning
  • Other disturbances

• Analysis of Data and Results of Old-growth Study
  • Introduction
  • Construction of old-growth database
  • Identification of forested vegetation classes
  • Identification of growth stages
  • Stratification of disturbance
  • Assignment of old-growth forest status
  • Summary of results
  • Limitations to the study
    
    
• Management of Old-growth Forest
  • Introduction
  • Land use planning
  • Forest management planning
  • Conservation of old-growth forest

• Acknowledgements, References, and Appendix 1 - Forest Vegetation of the Central Highlands

This publication is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, photocopying or otherwise, without prior permission of the copyright owner.

This publication should be referenced as:
Victoria. Department of Natural Resources and Environment
Study of old growth forest in Victoria's Central Highlands

ISSN 1324-7778

ISBN 0 7306 6179 2

National Library of Australia - CIP entry

1. Forest management - Victoria - Central Highlands Region.

2. Forests and forestry - Victoria. Central Highlands Region.

3. Old growth forests - Victoria - Central Highlands Region.

4. Central Highlands Region (Vic.). I. Victoria. Forests Service.

II. Victoria. Dept. of Natural Resources and Environment.

(Series: Forests service technical reports; 96-3).

634.909945

Foreword
During the early 1990's the then Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (CNR) and the Australian Heritage Commission (AHC) reached joint agreement on a series of studies to evaluate National Estate values in Victoria's Central Highlands.

One of the studies undertaken involved an investigation of the area's 'Old Growth' forests. The work was carried out by a team of specialists, and overseen by a Steering Committee that had been established as part of the joint CNR/AHC National Estate process.

This report provides brief background to the study, outlines the methodology used, summarises the results, and briefly discusses the future management of the area's old growth forests.

The study has proved to be an essential input into the development of a Forest Management Plan for the area, and more recently, in the work that is underway to prepare a Regional Forest Agreement for the area.

Richard Rawson
Executive Director
Forests Service