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Publications
Australian experiences of linking biodiversity to commercial forestry
Edited by Digby Race & David Freudenberger
ANU Forestry & CRC Sustainable Production Forestry and CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems
Environment Australia, March 2003
Integrated Tree Cropping's
commercial plantations in south-west Western Australia
By Sylvia Leighton4
Over the last decade, blue gum (Eucalyptus globulus) plantations for paper production have become a major industry in the south coast region of Western Australia. There are now 120,000 ha planted in the Denmark, Cranbrook, Plantagenet and Jerramungup Shires of theis region (pers. comm. J. Levinson 2002). Since 2001, harvesting has begun on the first experimental plantations, a new woodchip mill has become operational, and the first two shipments of bluegum woodchips have left Albany for Japan. Future production from this resource is expected to rise from 400,000 tonnes to 1 million tonnes per annum (Great Southern Development Commission, 2001).
Representatives from Integrated Tree Cropping, South Coast Sharefarms and Great Southern Plantations recently explained that their companies have a clear and immediate focus to implement environmental management systems into their 'on ground' practices. Already, many of the local plantation companies undertake environmental reviews or audits to assess their environmental performance. They do so in the context of increasingly stringent legislation, the development of economic policies and other measures to foster environmental protection, and an increasing concern from communities about environmental issues related to plantation development. International Standards covering environmental management are intended to provide organisations with the elements of an effective environmental management system to achieve environmental and economic goals. Many of the local companies are seeking forest certification from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC, 1996) or the AS/NZS 14001 (Australian/New Zealand Standard, 1996).
One blue gum plantation company — Integrated Tree Cropping (ITC), has always endeavoured to incorporate practices that reduce the impact of their activities on the remnant native vegetation on the property which they have leased or purchased. ITC has been keen to set a high standard for minimising the environmental impacts from plantation forestry for the wider industry.
Large scale blue gum plantations in south-west Western Australia don't seem to provide much wildlife habitat. A recent study found that there were almost twice as many species of birds, mammals, reptiles and frogs found in nearby remnant vegetation than in blue gum plantations. Abundance of wildlife was also lower in the plantations. These blue gum plantations simply did not provide much habitat complexity. There is very little understorey of tussock grasses, shrubs and fallen timber under dense plantings of blue gums. A few more species used the edges of plantations that link with remnant vegetation compared to the interior of the plantations, however the difference was minor.
Further reading: Hobbs et al. (2003).
ITC has always had a policy of retaining all paddock trees and remnant bush at the proposed plantation site. They have also not allowed sheep grazing in to any of their plantation sites in the past. This was to protect any unfenced remnant bush from further degradation by grazing livestock. However, grazing of plantations may be reintroduced as a way of reducing the amount of second year weed control herbicide that is being used. This is provided the significant areas of remnant vegetation or riparian zones are fenced off. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) requires companies and or managers to investigate ways of reducing the amount of chemicals being used in the production of timber products provided it is economic to do so.
The recent acquisition of the Australian Plantation Timber Company estate by ITC brings with it a history of grazing that will be re-assessed in light of FSC requirements. Another issue for managers of large plantation forests is how best to reduce the level of grass and plantation debris that contribute to damaging wildfire. Grazing assists managers in lowering the level of grass in the plantation without resorting to the use of herbicides. ITC may choose to adopt grazing of stock within plantations to protect the important plantation assets as well as protecting the increasingly valuable remnant vegetation estate from damage by wildfire (pers comm. R. Banks 2002)
ITC have carried out fox baiting and some feral cat control on selected properties in the Albany region where there are large patches of remnant bush on a property owned by ITC. They also sponsored the fox control program on a property leased by ITC in Victoria where a population of the endangered Eastern Barred Bandicoot occurs.
ITC have not carried out any pesticide spraying for insect control in the plantations for the last two years even though there is reduction in wood volume production where insect attack is severe (ITC have, however, retained the right to spray if absolutely necessary). Agrotoxins used to combat pests can impact on the local wildlife and cause deleterious effects in the environment (Majer & Recher 1999). Public pressure from local communities, concerned about impacts on human health, forced the WA State government to ban the use of a systemic pesticide spray (Dimethoate) in the aerial spraying used to control the insect pests of blue gums.
Woodlands and forests support an amazing variety of insects. A comparative study in Western Australia and the New England Tablelands (NSW) identified more than 1,600 species of insects from just 40 trees. That variety of insects is nearly as many species of birds, mammals, reptiles and frogs on the entire Australian continent! Some of these insects can be pests and damage trees, but they are all food for the dozens of birds and bat species that can be seen feeding from the bottom of trees to the top canopy within any healthy forest or woodland.
Further reading: Majer and Recher (2000).
Some blue gum plantation companies now spray with a pesticide called Alphacypermethrin which is not mobile in soil and has a half-life of 2 to 4 weeks. It is rapidly hydrolysed in local soil conditions (pH = 9), but in acidic and neutral soils the hydrolysis half-life can be extended by another 20 to 29 days. However, Alphacypermethrin is considered highly toxic to fish and aquatic arthropods, slightly toxic to birds (FMC International AG, 1998), as well as possible side-effects for people.
In its earlier days, ITC established a few native plants in key landcare sites, like creekline areas, on some of the properties where they had plantation plantings. ITC have also assisted any landholders who requested additional site preparation for establishing a wildlife corridor/native species planting nearby to the ITC blue gum plantation. The landholders usually cover all 'on ground' costs for this additional planting. ITC will be establishing small areas of enrichment plantings this year on some properties. This year, a trial of a number of species will be planted on land previously unsuitable for traditional plantation forestry for the purpose of providing wildlife corridors and lowering watertables on sites low in the landscape (pers. comm. R. Banks, 2002).
ITC had also agreed to register some of their (company-owned) properties with the Land For Wildlife scheme, however the current company restructuring has delayed this move. Registration with this scheme would provide ITC with the opportunity to have the remnant native plants recorded and management advice to support the species long-term survival.
ITC have also provided financial support (along with other bluegum plantation companies) for the joint CSIRO-Murdoch University (2001) study into the biodiversity which is found within bluegum plantation sites. It has also sponsored many local Landcare activities and the 'Spirit of the Forest' art show.
4 Grateful acknowledgement for assistance with information for this case study: