Forestry Zone
Park management | Downloand the Management plan | Phillip Island management | Forestry zone
It is the aim to manage the Forestry Zone of the National Park for timber production, whilst protecting areas of high conservation value. The area comprising the Forestry Zone was cleared for banana plantations during the 1930's but after the collapse of the banana industry developed into a dense thicket of African Olive. This area was included in the Mt Pitt Reserve as an area reserved for forestry purposes in 1955.
Some sections adjacent to the western boundary were cleared of olive and Eucalypt plantations were established. The boundary of the Forestry Zone was based on an assessment of the extent of the heavily weed infested forest as determined from aerial photography. The area includes several small areas of remnant native vegetation.
Management of the plantations within the zone is the responsibility of the Norfolk Island Parks and Forestry Service (NIPFS). Forestry management on Norfolk Island is based on the Forestry Working Plan (Benson, 1985) and a Report on the Forestry Working Plan (1992). The later Report made a number of specific recommendations relevant to the management of the Forestry Zone, including that the planting of approximately 4 ha per year of Norfolk Island Pine be continued.
The small areas of remnant native vegetation in the Forestry Zone have been surveyed and recommended for preservation due to their high nature conservation values. Consideration will be given to incorporating areas of this zone, which are uneconomic for forestry plantations into the main body of the park. In addition, no non-native species will be planted in the Forestry Zone with the exception of eucalypts which may be planted for a second rotation as existing eucalypts are harvested.
It is necessary to have a reliable source of seedlings for the success of forestry operations within the Forestry Zone and for rehabilitation and endangered flora recovery programmes in other areas of the National Park. In recognition of this need, the NIPFS and Parks Australia jointly established a nursery within the Forestry Zone of the park. The nursery is staffed and maintained by the NIPFS in cooperation with Parks Australia.
Surplus stocks of trees and shrubs have been made available to the public, with financial returns from sales going to the Norfolk Island Administration. There is an increasing public demand for greater numbers and species of seedlings.