NORTH EAST NEW SOUTH WALES 10 Old Growth Forests 10

What are old growth forests? grazing, logging, excessive fires, weeds and dieback. Areas of old growth forests, in Old growth forests are those where the particular, have been severely reduced overstorey is in the late mature to over and now represent less than 10% of their NOTE mature (senescent or partly dying) growth original extent. NOTE stage with the presence of relatively large old trees, many containing hollows and Old growth forests are extremely often with the presence of dieback or important in the maintenance of dead branches in the crown. biodiversity (fauna, flora and insect diversity) and ecological functions Additionally, a diverse structure and (nutrient and water cycles). composition of species in the subcanopy and understorey and dead standing stags Specific values of old growth forests used and fallen trees (logs) may be present. for foraging, nesting, basking or roosting by native animals include: Areas of drier old growth forests and woodlands may be less diverse than more • diversity of hollows in limbs and trunks productive sites but are still characterised of live trees, dead trees (stags) and by a canopy of older trees (many with ground logs; hollows) but with a sparse understorey • more dead wood present both standing and a groundcover of native grasses. and as ground logs; • usually deep litter layer or native grasses present as ground cover; John Turbill • diversity in tree structure and age with older trees producing larger amounts of loose and shedding bark providing greater opportunities for nesting and roosting, and higher levels of food resources such as insects, nectar, pollen and sap; • mistletoe and epiphytes often present; and • more availability of nest building materials and locations and perches for resting, basking and hunting of forest birds and owls. Moist Old Growth Forest

Why are they important? Table 1 provides a list of species that are dependent on tree hollows and other key Old growth forests are recognised as resources provided by old growth forests. having very high aesthetic, cultural and nature conservation values. Their Mapping of forest growth stages? protection and management is extremely Old growth forest and other forest growth important in maintaining biodiversity. stages for public lands in north east NSW It is estimated that over half of the have been mapped using Aerial original forests of NSW have been cleared Photograph Interpretation (API). These and that much of what remains is maps give an indication of where old substantially disturbed or modified by growth forests occur across the landscape. Natural Resource Management Advisory Series: Natural Resource Management Advisory Series: John Turbill Definition of old growth forests

“an old growth forest is an ecologically mature forest where the effects of disturbances are now negligible” (JANIS 1997).

Old growth forests and woodlands on drier or less productive sites (for example in the Tableland areas) are generally characterised by an open forest structure with a sparser understorey and native grass groundcover with smaller diameter dead woody material on the forest floor. Old Growth Forest - Northern Tablelands

Forest growth stages diameter) and have some trees with large, partly dying crowns. Dead standing trees Forest growth stages are determined by (stags) and / or logs on the forest floor or structural characteristics of the forest. in streams may also be present. These include the presence or absence of older, mature to over mature trees with Forests and woodlands where the site large crowns and the presence or absence quality supports less productive forests will of regrowth. Forest growth stages for the usually be less than 25 metres in height north coast have been mapped into and not necessarily of a large diameter. different growth stage categories. These While these trees may contain hollows, it categories generally relate to the age of may be generally more difficult to observe the forest, the amount of older trees any dead limbs in the crown from the compared to regrowth and mature trees, ground. These forests are characterised by and amount of disturbance. The an open forest structure with a sparser categories of each of the growth stages are understorey and native grass groundcover further described below. Figure 1 with smaller diameter dead woody illustrates the characteristics associated material on the forest floor. with growth stages from regrowth to old Old growth forests have minimal senescent trees. disturbance at least in the upper canopy Old growth forest tree structure with respect to recent logging or clearing. Where some These are forests where there are many disturbance is present the extent is not late mature to senescent trees (larger sufficient to affect the old growth older trees, many with die-back in the characteristics of the forest. crown, and hollows in branches and the trunk). Additionally, there are very few Disturbed old forest younger regrowth trees and little evidence These forests are characterised by similar of disturbance such as recent logging. growth stage features as those described Old growth forests may vary in the size above but contain more obvious and height of older trees due to site disturbance to the upper canopy (e.g. quality and location (e.g. tree size may be logging related canopy gaps and uneven less in areas of poorer soil fertility and crown heights) even though many large lower rainfall). old trees are present. There will also be signs of subcanopy disturbance (e.g. Old growth forests in very productive sites stumps, snig tracks, weeds). There may (moist forests) usually contain very tall also be > 5 dead standing trees per trees (40 metres or more), are dominated hectare due to previous ringbarking or by trees with a large girth (i.e. > 100 cm other disturbance such as dieback. Figure 1: Growth Stages

Characteristics associated with different growth stages for eucalypt forests in high quality environ- ments (moist forests).

Mature forest References and Further Reading Mature forests are generally dominated by • Commonwealth of Australia (1992), National mature trees with fewer very old trees and Forest Policy Statement: A New Focus for some areas of regrowth. Australia’s Forests, AGPS, Canberra. • JANIS (1997), Nationally Agreed Criteria for Signs of disturbance will be more evident the Establishment of a Comprehensive, as some logging and clearing may have Adequate and Representative Reserve System for occurred. For these forests a number of Forests in Australia. A Report by the Joint disturbances may be observable under the ANZECC/MCFFA National Forest Policy canopy confirming a previous logging Statement Implementation Sub-Committee. history. • Resource and Conservation Assessment Council (1996), Joint Old Growth Forests Disturbed mature forest Project – Summary Report, Sydney. Disturbed mature forests contain more • Lamb D, Loyn R, Smith A, and Wilkinson G obvious disturbance to the upper canopy (1998). Managing Habitat Trees in Queensland and the lower layers as evidenced (over Forests, Queensland Department of Natural the majority of the area) by signs of recent Resources. and / or old logging such that there are • Love A, Cavanagh J and Willet D (1992), visible logging related canopy gaps and Old-growth Forest Attributes in North East NSW, NPWS Occasional Paper 15. uneven crown heights. There may also be • Resource and Conservation Division (1999), localised areas where the understorey is Old Growth Forest Related Projects UNE/LNE dominated by native regrowth and / or CRA Regions. NSW Comprehensive Regional lantana and other weeds. Assessments, Department of the Prime Young forest Minister and Cabinet, Canberra

Young forests are dominated by greater John Turbill than 30 % regrowth and there is evidence of intensive past disturbance such as logging gaps. While there may be older senescing trees these forests are primarily comprised of even-aged regrowth. A range of disturbances in addition to the growth stage will be visible on site.

Spotted Tailed Quoll - a hollow dependent species found in old growth forests. NORTH EAST NEW SOUTH WALES

Table 1: Species dependent on tree hollows and other key resources found in old growth forests

Mammals/tree dwelling Bats Birds

Feathertail Gldider Greater Long-eare Batt Australian King-Parro

Sdugar Glider Chocolate Wattle Batt Red-winged Parro

Sdquirrel Glider Hoary Wattle Baat Crimson Rosell

Ydellow-bellied Glider Gould’s Wattle Baat Pale-headed Rosell

Gereater Glider Etastern False Pipistrell Turquoise Parro

Common brushtail Potssum Glreater Broad-nosed Ba Powerful Ow

Mountain brushtail Potssum Ekastern Broad-nosed Ba Southern Booboo

Common ringtail Potssum Llittle Broad-nosed Ba Barking Ow

Eastern pygmy Potssum Nlorthern Broad-nosed Ba Sooty Ow

Btrush-tailed Phascogale Llarge Forest Ba Masked Ow

Ground/partly tree dwelling Eastern Forest Balt Barn Ow

Spotted-tailed Qutoll Southern Fores Bart Australian Owlet-nightja

Ytellow-footed Antechinus Little Fores Baat Laughing Kookaburr

Bsrown Antechinus Lrarge-footed Myoti Sacred Kingfishe

Dusky Antechinus Birds Forest Kingfisher

Bush Rant Nlankee Kdestre Dollarbir

Bats Pderegrine Falcon Australian Groun Thrush

Yoellow-bellied Sheathtail Bat Rned-tailed Black Cockato Scarlet Robi

White-striped Freetail Baot Gnlossy Black-Cockato Flame Robi

Yellow-tailed Black Beccari’s Freetail Bat Tree Martin Cockatoo

Eastern Freetail Baot Srulphur-crested Cockato White-throated Treecreepe

Southern Freetail Baht Grala Red-browed Treecreepe

Little Northern Freetail-Batt Drouble-eyed Fig-Parro Brown Treecreepe

Northern Freetail-Batt Reainbow Lorikee Striated Pardalot

Etastern Long-eared Bat Secaly-breasted Lorikee Spotted Pardalot

Lesser Long-eared Batt Mlusk Lorikee Buff-rumped Thornbil

Gould’s Long-eared Batt Lwittle Lorikee Dusky Woodswallo

Old Growth Forests are considered Further Information rare across the landscape. Their Environment Protection and Regulation Division protection is very important to the North East Branch maintenance of biodiversity. Department of Environment and Conservation 24 Moonee Street DEC website: COFFS HARBOUR NSW 2450 www.environment.nsw.gov.au Phone: 6651 5946 August 2004