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Indicator: LD-30 National area under plantation forestry

Data

The summary report of the National Plantation Inventory shows that 1,716,172 ha of Australia is currently under plantation, of which 58% (1,000,642 ha) is comprised of softwood species and 42% (715,531 ha) is comprised of hardwood species. This represents an increase in plantations of 231,432 or about 16% since 2000. In 2000, only five per cent (66,980 ha) of the total plantation resource is reported as farm forestry. The 2005 Inventory Report provides no update on this figure.

• Australia's forest industry at a glance (PDF - 1520 KB) 

On the basis of limited available data on previous land use (data up to 2000 only), 53% of the current plantation estate is on previously agricultural land, whereas 21% is on former native forest land and 20% is second rotation plantings on land previously under plantation. The great majority of plantations established on former native forest land are of an older age-class (pre-1990). There has been a decline in the establishment of plantations on native forest land and an increase in the area planted on agricultural land, especially over the last 11 years.

• Plantations of Australia, Summary Report 2001 (PDF - 525 KB) 
• National Platation Inventory Australia, 2005 Update (PDF - 1340 KB) 

What the data mean

The effectiveness of plantation forestry as a response to the general degradation of the land due to clearing of vegetation is largely dependent on the previous land use prior to use as plantations. If the expansion of plantations has taken place on land that had old growth or re-growth tree cover which was harvested prior to replanting, the expansion does not signify an effective response to vegetation loss. If, as the data at this stage seem to suggest, most of the area planted is on previously agricultural land (despite the small percentage that is farm forestry), it implies a fairly significant response.

Data Limitations

Hectares of planted trees does not reflect how many trees per hectare have been planted, nor how long they survive. A measure of land by number and age of planted trees per hectare would be a better indicator.

Previous landuse reporting was a new component of the National Plantation Inventory and comprehensive data from all States were not available. Data for this part of the indicator does not appear to have been reported in 2005.

Issues for which this is an indicator and why

Land - Societal responses - Responses to vegetation loss, carbon loss, species loss and species change 

Replanting trees is an important strategy to redress the damage done to the land by removing its vegetation and the further pressures resulting from that damage. Area under tree plantation gives a physical measure of the extent of the response.

Other indicators for this issue:

• LD-27 Area and proportion of agricultural land under various aspects of "best practice" 
• LD-28 Percentage and area of farms with planted trees 
• LD-29 Area and proportion of forest under "best practice" 
• LD-31 Success of programs to reduce carbon loss and increase carbon sequestration 
• LD-38 Regions with investments having a major focus on salinity 
• BD-06 Measures taken to conserve species or ecological communities on land that is not part of the national reserve system 
• BD-17 Institutional response to loss of native vegetation 

Biodiversity - Landscapes - Government action on landscape protection 

Changes in area under tree plantation could be in part an indicator for government action on this issue.

Other indicators for this issue:

• BD-17 Institutional response to loss of native vegetation 
• BD-19 Extent and comprehensiveness of terrestrial protected areas 
• BD-24 Government investments to protect biodiversity for public good purposes 
• NCH-01 Process of listing, area and distribution of identified natural heritage places 
• NCH-05 Physical condition and integrity of a sample of natural heritage places 
• NCH-09 Funding provided to heritage and other agencies for natural heritage places 
• NCH-13 Changes in heritage legislation 
• CO-34 Number and extent of Marine Protected Areas 
• LD-27 Area and proportion of agricultural land under various aspects of "best practice" 
• LD-28 Percentage and area of farms with planted trees 
• LD-29 Area and proportion of forest under "best practice" 
• LD-38 Regions with investments having a major focus on salinity 
• AAT-13 Number and area of protected areas