|
|
|
- The CAR reserve system under the Regional Forest Agreement (RPDC 2002) has resulted in 458,000 ha of new reserves containing 293,000 ha of forest. A framework has also been established through the Regional Forest Agreement to retain 80% of the 1996 area of forest Statewide. Within each bioregion, 50% of the 1996 area of each forest community needs to be retained.
- The Private Forest Reserves Program has protected about 30,000 ha of forested land, and the Protected Areas on Private Land Program has protected a small number of threatened non-forest communities. The Tasmanian Regional Forest Agreement (1997) established a Permanent Forest Estate Policy that sets minimum thresholds of forest communities to be retained; the Scientific Advisory Group for the Comprehensiveness, Adequate and Representative (CAR) Reserve System reviewed the current policy thresholds and recommended a revised framework to determine retention levels (CARSAG 2001).
- Land clearance is being addressed through actions such as the Vegetation Management Policy Framework and measures taken by the Forest Practices Board.
- The Forest Practices Board introduced a moratorium on the clearing of Rare and Endangered forest communities in 2002, and in 2003 the State Government announced that all Rare, Endangered and Vulnerable forest communities would be protected using the Forest Practices System which will protect 107,000 ha.
- The Threatened Species Strategy and the Nature Conservation Strategy were prepared. The Nature Conservation Strategy was prepared by the State Biodiversity Committee in 2001, and the State Government has formally responded to each of the recommendations in the Strategy.
- A Tasmania-wide assessment of biodiversity health was undertaken as part of the Australian Natural Resources Atlas (Audit) (Gouldthorpe & Gilfedder 2002).
- Overall the capacity to assess extent of forest types and communities has improved through digital data sources on plantations, forest groups, and vegetation communities. Information on the extent of forest and non forest vegetation communities has improved as a result of RFA mapping and TASVEG (Tasmania's vegetation mapping at 1:25,000 scales).
- Various pest management programs are being conducted by organisations such as DPIWE, Forestry Tasmania, Inland Fisheries Service, and CSIRO Division of Marine Research. Actions include new ballast water arrangements for all international vessels visiting Australia, the establishment of the fox eradication program in Tasmania, and a national threat abatement strategy for Phytophthora root rot (Phytophthora cinnamonii), which is currently being implemented.
- WeedPlan, Tasmania's weed management strategy, was developed in 1996 and is presently being reviewed. Tasmania's Weed Alert Network was established in 1999, and the RETICLE weed mapping database was launched in 2001.
- In 2001, the State Government introduced a new penalty for cutting, damaging or otherwise destroying a tree on reserved land. A national strategy for firewood collection and use in Australia has been developed. Tasmania had its first firewood conference in 2001 entitled 'Firewood: a Biodiversity Consumer and Human Health Issue'.
|
|
