The countries with high rates of deforestation include Brazil, Bolivia, Madagascar and Borneo. In Eastern Australia, nearly half of the original forested area has been lost. . The inaccuracies and lack of context in this article as originally published unduly focused on the role of native forestry in land-clearing. Of that, around 73,825 ha, or 80%, was bulldozed for beef production. The main driver of clearing in New South Wales is agriculture. Site terms Photos and graphics WWF or used with permission. The series of billboards across Brisbane drew attention to the devastating effects that deforestation and land clearing have on wildlife across Queensland. The data for the 2018-19 reporting periods, particularly from Queensland and New South Wales, will determine whether that has changed. First, let's look at the numbers state-by-state from lowest to highest. The pact put the spotlight on an issue that combines carbon emissions and threatened species. Even iconic native species, like the koala and the greater glider, are on the road to extinction.In the last 20 years, Queenslands koala population has declined by almost 50%. In some regions, forests extend from these wetter, coastal and sub-coastal areas into central, drier parts of the continent. The once abundant koala is rapidly vanishing from New South Wales and Queensland. Imagine a strip of land 1-kilometre wide, and 15-kilometres long that's equivalent to the 1500 hectares cleared in the ACT. But these renowned forests, and unique species like the koala, are under enormous pressure from land clearing, logging and fire. Australia remains one of the worlds hotspots for deforestation according to a new report by WWF, which finds an area six times the size of Tasmania has been cleared globally since 2004. Monitoring satellite imagery and recording suspicious clearing. Koalas live in the forests of Australia and therefore are highly affected by deforestation. With the support of people like you, the Wilderness Society recently launched a billboard campaign highlighting deforestation rates across Queensland, and the harm this causes to wildlife. View interactive maps of Australia's key spatial forest datasets in ArcGIS Online map viewer: Boundary maps for the eleven Regional Forestry Hubsare hosted on the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry websitealong withinformation about the Regional Forestry Hubs. The TCFD framework - What is it and how can it be applied to investment analysis? Communities need a real voice in environmental decision-making to have an effective say on the future of NSW forests. Carbon once stored in trees and soil goes back into the atmosphere. While there is increasing community support for the protection of forests, NSW laws explicitly reduce the right of communities to have a say about what happens to the states forests. acacias). Beef farming in Australia is driving significant deforestation, including in the habitats of threatened species, according to a new satellite analysis. Land clearing in Australia: How does your state (or territory) compare? The forests of Australia are diverse and highly valued, and are among the country's most important natural resources. Forests are generally confined to regions where average rainfall exceeds 500 millimetres per year. We can't protect nature and wildlife, safeguard human . Of this total forest area, determined as at 2016, 132 million hectares (98%) are 'Native forests', 1.95 million hectares are 'Commercial plantations' and 0.47 million hectares are 'Other forest'. Over roughly the last 20 years, koalas numbers have declined by almost 50% across Queensland alone. This map shows the distribution of the Callitris native forest type across Australia: PNG [1.9 MB], PDF [0.5 MB]. Our analysis of the Queensland government's own land clearing data for 2018-19 reveals that approximately 92,718 ha of likely or known koala habitat was destroyed across Queensland in one year alone between 2018 and 2019. It is also sufficiently broad to encompass areas of trees that are sometimes described as woodlands. This map shows the distribution of burnt forest in Australia, by the number of times each hectare was burnt in the period 201112 to 201516: PNG [1.0 MB], PDF [2.1MB]. Deforestation is Australia's hidden emitterlike adding 10 million cars to our roads. (We will update these figures to reflect the new stats for 2019-20 as soon as possible.). With clearing on this scale, no wonder they were recently declared endangered in Queensland, NSW and the ACT. In addition to native forests, Australia's National Forest Inventory recognises two other categories of forest. We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. While the majority of landholders are eager to embrace new ways to look after their land, scattered rogue operators are holding us back. Check out 10 facts about deforestation in Australia. That's because of stronger laws coming into play in Queensland and New South Wales.". Almost two-thirds of NSW native forests burned during the Black Summer Bushfires, devastating huge swathes of threatened species habitat. Read the, Weighing ESG risks of nickel as a critical mineral: ISS ESG, Hybrid working can reduce carbon emissions by up to 90%, No role for monetary policy to address climate change, $500bn investment needed to decarbonise NEM, Turning PV waste into investment opportunity, 140 years to gender parity in finance: OMFIF, Government to fund sustainable finance taxonomy development, South Korea leads with ESG fund disclosure taskforce and anti-greenwash laws, Executive directors overwhelmingly male: AICD. A law passed by the European Parliament requires companies working in cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, rubber, soy and wood to demonstrate their products aren't sourced to deforested land or . We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians, whose land we work upon and we pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. The definition of forest used by Australia's National Forest Inventory is: An area, incorporating all living and non-living components, that is dominated by trees having usually a single stem and a mature or potentially mature stand height exceeding 2 metres and with existing or potential crown cover of overstorey strata about equal to or greater than 20 per cent. The NGA method is based on satellite imagery where 20 per cent canopy cover or greater is classified as forest. Organising a grassroots national movement for lasting change. Again, the lion's share of that regrowth 2.7 million hectares has reportedly happened in Queensland, and to a lesser extent in New South Wales. Australia is the only country in the developed world to appear on the list, with eastern Australia named alongside Colombia, Peru, Laos and Mozambique as locations with medium rates of deforestation. These trees are not only the koalas' primary habitat but are also their main source of . Statistics - including rates of forest change and forest extent - can be . 'Commercial plantations' are plantations grown on a commercial scale for wood production, while 'Other forest' includes small areas of mostly non-industrial plantations and planted forests of various types including sandalwood plantations, small farm forestry and agroforestry plantations, plantations within the reserve system, and plantations regarded as non-commercial. It expands on a 2015 report by WWF which named 11 hotspots, with eastern Australia also appearing on that list. Why so low? We have also seen isolated cases of high-value Australian timber being illegally logged. Consequently, a total of 88.2 million hectares (67%) of Australias native forest is under some form of private management. In the 13 years from 2004 to 2017, an area of forest six times the size of Tasmania, more than 43 million hectares, was lost in the 24 deforestation fronts. Only 50% of Australia's forests and bushlands remain intact compared to pre-European arrival. The once vast brigalow and grassy box forests of inland eastern . If we want to protect Australia's remarkable biodiversity, including its most iconic animals, we must protect habitat. Eastern Australia is one of the top 24 global deforestation front, making Australia the only developed nation on a list from the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). statistics, Australia's Indigenous land and forest estate, Forestry regional profiles - data visualisation, Australia's native forest types - data visualisation, Australias State of the Forests Report 2018, an analysis by the CRC for Developing Northern Australia, Boundary maps for the eleven Regional Forestry Hubs, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry website. Despite Queensland restoring some restrictions in 2018, eastern Australia remains a deforestation front. That will not change until we see rates of destruction go down.. Australia's most-read trade publication for wealth management professionals. These stats show Australia's in the midst of a deforestation crisis that's affecting our wildlife, climate and future. But Dr Taylor from the WWF disputes that. Actual ESG: growth investing in change | Baillie Gifford, A year in wealth management - what it means for 2023, Nicki Hutley: Policy, the budget and risks for investors. We aren't able to respond to your individual comments or questions. "People do see their local favourite patch of bush being bulldozed for a housing or industrial estate, or a road That turns out to be a small percentage of the total destruction in Eastern Australia. This gives you a picture of how much land has been cleared, right across Australia, from 2010 until the most recently available data in 2018. Taylor said the analysis focused on so-called hotspot parts of the eastern states where land-clearing rates were highest. This map shows the extent and distribution of Australia's forests by tenure: PNG [0.9 MB], PDF [3.6 MB]. If we want to protect our climate, and the ecosystems that make our lives possible, theres no role for deforestation in Australias future. Below are the key maps from Australias State of the Forests Report 2018. WWF's new report Deforestation fronts: Drivers and responses in a changing world , names 24 locations across Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia and Oceania. As the only developed country with a deforestation front, it's no surprise Australias mammal extinction rates are the highest in the world. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn, and work. In that case, the data would show no net loss in forest cover, despite a significant deficit of habitat occurring. In NSW, the Berejiklian government weakened land-clearing rules in 2017 and habitat destruction has since increased. Click here to access all of the maps from Australia's State of the Forests Report 2018. Forest policy in Australia is developed and implemented at the national, state and territory levels. Mangroves on the move. He estimated that in Queensland and NSW alone 970,349ha were cleared in the years 2004 to 2017. In a country of diverse landscapes, lutruwita / Tasmania stands a world apart. But how much land are we clearing? This map shows the distribution of burnt forest in areas of northern and southern Australia, by the number of times each hectare was burnt in the period 201112 to 201516: PNG [1.3 MB], PDF [1.3MB]. , A 2019 analysis found that 73% of deforestation and land clearing in Queensland is linked to beef production. Dr Taylor said eastern Australias forests have been declared a global biodiversity hotspot. Regional Forestry Hubs boundaries (2022) is the spatial dataset of the boundaries for the Regional Forestry Hubs. This map shows the distribution of Australia's native forests by crown cover class (i.e. This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions. We do business with you using online platforms. They have an ancient historylet's make sure they have a living future. Australian's have a huge appetite for shopping. Opinion. The data on this page will also be updated at that time. There is no official data on how widespread this may be, however Dr Taylor said he had found numerous instances by trawling through satellite imagery several of which he showed to the ABC. Deforestationthe reduction or complete removal of native forest and bushlandhas escalated over the recent years to reach globally significant levels. In Asia, this includes orangutans, tigers, rhinos and elephants, some of which are on the brink of extinction.Moreover, the direct impacts of clearing are compounded by the fact that it brings such species into closer and more frequent contact with humans, which can lead to poaching . Land clearing rates rocketed after the axing of restrictions in Queensland and NSW placing eastern Australia alongside the most infamous places in the world for forest destruction, said WWF-Australia conservation scientist Dr Martin Taylor. Our biosecurity system helps protects us. Podcast: Who Wins the Fist Bump Board Award? The biennial Living Planet Report, published this week, puts . Australia is a global deforestation front, alongside Borneo, the Amazon and the Congo. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the *This report is part of a journalistic collaboration . Over roughly the last 20 years, koalas numbers have declined by almost 50% across Queensland alone. The analysis is done via satellite imagery and cannot pick up subtle differences happening at ground level, according to WWF forestry expert Martin Taylor. Just over 49% of alerts have been in areas classified as high or very high risk. Its In May of this year, a federal court ruled that VicForests had breached environmental laws by logging the habitat of threatened species. "Deforestation in Australia took a marked downturn from 2004 to 2009. Bulldozers destroy over 740,000 ha of forest and bush every year. Australia is a world leader in chopping down trees and wiping out animals: two questionable accomplishments that are tightly connected. The related common names do not have capitalised initial letters (e.g. Its primarily driven by agriculture (mostly for beef production), mining and urban development. In the climate crisis, theres economic opportunity for landholders. by Basten Gokkon on 21 April 2023. Building a case for rehabilitation funding as a climate solution. In 2015, WWFs Saving Forests at Risk analysis identified 11 global deforestation fronts including eastern Australia. Global infrastructure consulting firm AECOM has announced the creation of a specialized team dedicated to delivering nature-based client solutions in Australia and New Zealand. In WWFs new report Deforestation fronts: Drivers and responses in a changing world, published today, the deforestation fronts have been expanded to 24 with eastern Australia remaining on the list. (Supplied: Steven Nowakowski Panoscapes)Mr Davies heads up Rainforest 4: one of several conservation groups raising money to try . Australia remains one of the world's hotspots for deforestation according to a new report by WWF, which finds an area six times the size of Tasmania has been cleared globally since 2004. A DES spokesperson told the ABC that "SLATs applies a highly rigorous methodology". Read our WA native vegetation report detailing 7 ways to protect WA's most valuable natural asset. This wood isnt used for anythingits burned or left to rot. Because this data comes from the Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) estimates of clearing (called primary conversion and reclearing) it includes both native forestry and plantation forestry figures. The total area of land cleared in Queensland was 2,446,600 hectares. Australia is the only developed nation on the list of the world's deforestation hotspots, according to a new report by WWF, previously known as the World Wildlife Fund. So despite our reputation for untamed wilderness and charismatic wildlife, it's perhaps no surprise that Australia has one of the highest rates of animal extinction in the world. But the National Greenhouse Accounts (NGA) figures for Queensland show only 304,000 and 254,400 hectares were cleared for the 2017 and 2018 periods almost 190,000 hectares less. The ownership of a forest, especially native forest, has a major bearing on its management intent. Regional Forestry Hubs map graphic only PDF [0.6 MB], We aren't able to respond to your individual comments or questions. Subscribe to gain unlimited access to news, research and analysis of ESG factors for ASX listed companies and investors. News, research and analysis of ESG integration factors for ASX listed companies and investors, * Mandatory fields. For species like the koala, we know the biggest problem is the destruction of their forest homes. Our 1km wide strip of cleared land would stretch for a whopping 24,466 kilometres roughly all the way around Australia twice (minus Tassie). Leasehold forest is forest on Crown land (land that belongs to a national, state or territory government) that is typically privately managed. The next biggest contributor to the data was "grazing modified pastures" at around 125,000 hectares. Subscribe to our channel. When comparing the data for land clearing in Queensland from the SLATs method and the NGA method, there are vast discrepancies between the two discrepancies which cast further doubt on the idea that Australia's tree budget is "in the black". reports, Plantation View an interactive version of this map in ArcGIS Online map viewer. At WWF, we work in Australia and in our Asia-Pacific backyard to protect endangered species and habitats, meet the challenge of climate change, and build a world where people live in harmony with nature. Except where otherwise explicitly authorised, any material on this website which may be construed as electoral material or an electoral matter under any State or Commonwealth Law is authorised by M. Brennan on behalf of The Wilderness Society Ltd, 132 Davey Street, Hobart Tasmania 7000. This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions. Thats why WWF-Australia has launched Regenerate Australia, the largest wildlife and nature regeneration program in the nations history. This threatens a tourism industry worth $6 billion to Australia. Such claims are based on classifying young regrowth, often only knee-high, from previous clearing, as forest. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. In 2019, Premier Dan Andrews committed to ending native forest logging in the state by 2030, and in the wake of last season's devastating bushfires there have been calls to bring that end forward. ('Primary' refers to forests 30 years and older. Unlike other states and territories, Queensland also has its own statewide annual land clearing monitoring program based on a method called Statewide Landcover and Trees Study (SLATs). It stuffs our soil and water, suffocates the Reef, kills wildlife, drains our carbon budgetand leaves our towns and suburbs hotter and less liveable. "The LULUCF activity tables are very primitive," Dr Taylor said. They are designed to provide certainty for forest-based industries, forest-dependent communities and achieve conservation outcomes. Australia has about 3% of the world's forest area, and globally is the country with the seventh largest forest area. Sediments and chemicals run off cleared areas into waterways that flow out to the Great Barrier Reefsmothering this already struggling icon. We acknowledge sovereignty was never ceded.Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are advised that this website may contain images, names and voices of people who are deceased. This continued destruction is devastating for the environment and wildlife. Annual subscription for $129.95 for 1 year. Like Tasmania, native forest logging in Victoria has been responsible for clearing a relatively small area compared to agriculture. Neither Queensland's Department of Environment and Science (DES) nor the Federal Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources responded directly to questions from the ABC about the differences in their methodologies, but both said they were confident in their systems. We need to make this an issue they cant ignore, so that Queensland's spectacular forests and bushland, home to some of the most iconic animals in the world, remain intact and healthy. That will not change until we see rates of destruction go down, he said. Mining and building of town infrastructure like roads or commercial buildings are other drivers. Despite a range of reports recommending the urgent protection of unburnt patches to limit species decline, the NSW government continues to allow industrial logging at a rate of around 14,000 hectares per yeareven in extreme risk areas! A leaked report from the Natural Resources Commission last year suggested that land clearing may have surged by as much as 13 times. Of that cleared land, 370,900 hectares were forests over 30 years old. 'Reclearing' refers to any forest younger than that.). But Dr Taylor said ultimately stronger laws are what drive down land clearing. "As soon as the Newman Government came [into office in Queensland] and weakened the laws, in fact, in their own words they 'took the axe' to the vegetation laws, we saw a five-fold increase to just the mature forest being cleared in a five year period," he said. The categories are: Indigenous owned and managed; Indigenous managed; Indigenous co-managed; having Other special rights (Note: Indigenous is used here to refer to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people): PNG [0.8 MB], PDF [2.3 MB]. The Regional Forestry Hubs were created under the National Forest Industries Plan [PDF 3.1 MB . WWF-Australia 2018, All rights reserved. That will not happen until state safeguards axed in the past decade are restored and until the national environment law starts to be fully enforced, he said. Australia's Commercial plantations are a major source of commercial wood products. It can't be done, forestry industry says. Educating Australians on the benefits of intact ecosystems. In total that roughly equals a 1-kilometre-wide piece of land 2,884 kilometres long or from Darwin to Adelaide with change. "It's ridiculous to say there is more forest [now than 10 years ago]," he said. But currently, none of the big supermarkets and fast food chains can guarantee that the beef they source and sell is free of deforestation. Globally, commercial agriculture and tree plantations were identified as the biggest drivers of deforestation. Australia is the only developed nation on the list of the world's deforestation hotspots, according to a new report by WWF, previously known as the World Wildlife Fund. And its not good news for nature. This map shows the distribution of the Eucalypt native forest type across Australia: PNG [3.2 MB], PDF [0.7 MB]. Everything you need to know about the deforestation crisis taking place across Australia. The rampant deforestation for monoculture plantation and logging in western Indonesian Borneo has exacerbated the extinction risks of three plant species endemic .
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