Australia is the only nation in the developed world to make the World Wildlife Fund's (WWF) global list of deforestation hotspots. *This report is part of a journalistic collaboration . Under commercial forestry activities, trees are regrown after harvesting. This map shows the distribution of forests in northern Australia, by forest type: PNG [1.4 MB], PDF [0.9 MB]. On 11/02/22 the government officially listed the koala as Endangered in Queensland, NSW and the ACT. Australia's most-read trade publication for wealth management professionals. If we want to protect Australia's remarkable biodiversity, including its most iconic animals, we must protect habitat. Tens of millions of native animals are killed annually by this scale of clearing. The system used to estimate tree cover/loss for the NGA defines woody vegetation as of a "height or potential height greater than 2 metres, crown cover greater than 20 per cent and a minimum patch size of 0.2 hectares". The main driver of clearing in New South Wales is agriculture. In Australia, the destruction of vegetation for cattle pasture is the most significant driver of forest loss and degradation, but the continued logging of native forests in a number of eastern states is named as an important secondary cause. This map shows the distribution of the Eucalypt native forest type across Australia: PNG [3.2 MB], PDF [0.7 MB]. But the Liberal state government came to power in 2014 on a promise to revive the Tasmanian forestry industry, and soon after their election, reclassified around 400,000 hectares of forest designated as "future reserve land" to "future potential production forest". Getting a fix on this figure is tough. From policymakers to companies to consumers, urgent action is needed to halt forest loss. In Eastern Australia, nearly half of the original forested area has been lost. This map shows the extent and distribution of Australia's forests by tenure: PNG [0.9 MB], PDF [3.6 MB]. Dr Taylor said claims that forest area has actually expanded in Australia were misleading. Knee-high saplings are not a forest and do not balance out the ongoing destruction of older forests decades or centuries old, he said. by David Tarazona, Julin Parra De Moya 27 April 2023. With clearing on this scale, no wonder they were recently declared endangered in Queensland, NSW and the ACT. Deforestationthe reduction or complete removal of native forest and bushlandhas escalated over the recent years to reach globally significant levels. We do business with you using online platforms. To contact us directly phone us or submit an online inquiry, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Deforestation is the purposeful clearing of forested land. 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 . An important secondary cause was logging, which the report says remains significant in some places in eastern Australia. . If we want to protect our climate, and the ecosystems that make our lives possible, theres no role for deforestation in Australias future. This threatens a tourism industry worth $6 billion to Australia. Despite Queensland restoring some restrictions in 2018, eastern Australia remains a deforestation front. Other questions have also been raised about the NGA land clearing data. Forests are generally confined to regions where average rainfall exceeds 500 millimetres per year. 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 . , Only 50% of Australia's forests and bushlands remain intact compared to pre-European arrival. The data on this page will also be updated at that time. But critics say this does not represent what is happening in our forests from a wildlife conservation or carbon storage perspective. These include recognising Indigenous groups, creating voluntary certification for products built from sustainable sources and creating supply chains that don't rely on old-growth forests. , Australia has lost 27% of its rainforest, 19% of open forest, 11% of woodland forest, and 28% of mallee forest since 1750., Australia holds the record for the highest number of mammal extinctions globally. The most recent land-clearing data from Queensland for 2019-20 reveals a dire state of affairs in this state alone with: 418,656 hectares of forest and bushland was bulldozed between 2019/20; 85% of the deforestation and land clearing in Queensland was to make space for pasture; More than 180,000 ha was destroyed in Great Barrier Reef catchments, placing further serious stress on the natural wonder. "Nearly a million hectares of forest has been cleared just in Queensland and New South Wales and just in the hotspot areas," Dr Martin Taylor, Senior Scientist with WWF Australia, told Hack. The pact put the spotlight on an issue that combines carbon emissions and threatened species. Australia's Commercial plantations are a major source of commercial wood products. Over 43 million hectares, an area roughly the size of Morocco, was lost in these 'deforestation fronts' between 2004 and 2017. Australia has about 3% of the world's forest area, and globally is the country with the seventh largest forest area. Registered Charity Number: ACN 001 594 074 | NSW License Number: CFN 13143. Deforestation has to stop. In 2021, it lost 231kha of natural forest, equivalent to 90.8Mt of CO emissions. "It's ridiculous to say there is more forest [now than 10 years ago]," he said. Australian's have a huge appetite for shopping. Educating Australians on the benefits of intact ecosystems. In 2010, Australia had 38.0Mha of natural forest, extending over 5.1% of its land area. Leasehold forest is forest on Crown land (land that belongs to a national, state or territory government) that is typically privately managed. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. 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. It is estimated that up to 10%, or approximately $900 million, of our timber imports could come from high-risk sources every year. We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians, whose land we work upon and we pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. Podcast: Who Wins the Fist Bump Board Award? Building stronger and more sustainable agriculture, fisheries, forestry and land care. Around 418,656 hectares of Queenslands forest and bushland was impacted by clearing in 2019-20 alone. Like Tasmania, native forest logging in Victoria has been responsible for clearing a relatively small area compared to agriculture. National Forest Industries Plan:The Australian Governments National Forest Industries Plan. 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. Without a liveable climate, the vulnerable ecosystems that sustain us, wont. In 2015, WWF's Saving Forests at Risk analysis identified 11 global deforestation fronts including eastern Australia. Below are the key maps from Australias State of the Forests Report 2018. The inaccuracies and lack of context in this article as originally published unduly focused on the role of native forestry in land-clearing. The sections below are key background information to reporting in Australia's State of the Forests Reportand related information on the Forests Australia website.SeeAustralia's State of the Forests Reportfor detailed information on Australia's forests. But in Eastern Australia, agriculture is by far the biggest driver of deforestation. 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). Here, there is a direct relationship between the growth of oil palm estates and deforestation. Australia's native forests provide a range of wood and non-wood products that are used by Australians in their everyday lives. Carbon capture - real deal or "Hail Mary pass" technology? As important catchment zones are stripped bare, the Great Barrier Reef is exposed to a deadly cocktail of silt, animal faeces and industrial fertilisers. If we go back to our 1-kilometre-wide strip of land, South Australia's total clearing stretches almost 1,100km from Newcastle to Melbourne. View an interactive version of this map in ArcGIS Online map viewer. Consequently, a total of 88.2 million hectares (67%) of Australias native forest is under some form of private management. WWF wants this to be the last time Australia winds up on this infamous list of deforestation fronts. Whats a tree worth? This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions. The following selection of maps is from the Australian forest profiles 2019: This map shows the distribution of the Acacia native forest type across Australia: PNG [2.2 MB], PDF [0.5 MB]. reports, Plantation 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. Across the wide range of rainfall and soil conditions that support forest, most of Australia's 'Native forest' category of forest is dominated by eucalypts (77%) and acacias (8%). Most of it is out bush, far from the public gaze, and most people don't know it's going on," he explained. The 202223 October Portfolio Budget Statements were released on 25 October 2022. 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, WWF-Australia conservation scientist Martin Taylor said. 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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. Meanwhile, Australia continues to be compared with some of the worst offending countries in the world when it comes to land clearing. Australia has a total of 134 million hectares of forest, which is equivalent to 17% of Australia's land area. The 24 global deforestation . Australia has a well-established institutional framework to support the conservation and sustainable management of forests. For instance, using the SLATs method the Queensland state government reported 356,000 and 392,000 hectares were cleared in Queensland in the periods 2016-17 (winter-to-winter) and 2017-18 respectively. Deforestation in Australia is a major environmental concern, leading to the loss of millions of native animals, including endangered species, and destruction of forests and woodlands. 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. But Dr Taylor said ultimately stronger laws are what drive down land clearing. Click here to access all of the maps from Australia's State of the Forests Report 2018. Here, I describe the deforestation trends, drivers and policy responses in Australia over the last four decades. 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. "We know that the general public is outraged by this whenever they hear about it. Thanks! Nearly 50% of our forest cover has been cleared in the last two centuries, making Australia one of the worst developed countries for deforestation. 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. Logging is considered a threat to species such as the critically endangered Leadbeater's possum and vulnerable greater glider. Historically, deforestation was considered best practice. 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. Everything you need to know about the deforestation crisis taking place across Australia. Boundary maps for the eleven Regional Forestry Hubs are hosted on the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry website along with information about the Regional Forestry Hubs.. The data for the 2018-19 reporting periods, particularly from Queensland and New South Wales, will determine whether that has changed. ACT is tiny, and since 2011 its forestry industry figures are reported as part of New South Wales. Site terms Photos and graphics WWF or used with permission. Dr Taylor said eastern Australias forests have been declared a global biodiversity hotspot. Australia has a total of 134 million hectares of forest, which is equivalent to 17% of Australia's land area. One of the best parts of my job is working with experts in other organisations who share our passion for ending deforestation and transitioning to large-scale reforestation. Although Operation Artemis cost Colombia more than 3.4 billion Colombian Pesos (about $765,000), deforestation did not slow down, going from 158,894 ha (about 392,636 acres) lost to deforestation . We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. Rethinking ethics and code of conduct training, Key sustainability factors impacting business in 2022, From the courtroom to the boardroom: climate change risks and remedies, Why sustainability matters in real estate, Measuring sustainability performance: comparing an SDG score with ESG ratings, Deep impact: the next step in sustainable investing, We must approach public equities with an 'impact' mindset. It stuffs our soil and water, suffocates the Reef, kills wildlife, drains our carbon budgetand leaves our towns and suburbs hotter and less liveable. ABARES is in the process of updating indicators for SOFR with data up to or as at 2021, with the intention of publishing the updated indicators from mid to late 2023. 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]. 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. To give life a chance, we need strong, sensible deforestation laws. Once native forest logging emissions are included, this is equivalent to at least half the carbon pollution of all Australian coal-fired power stations., Increasing demand for deforestation-free commodity supply chains is putting pressure on Australia's soft commodity sectors to adopt sustainable practices. Major retailers could, and as good corporate citizens should, chose to only buy deforestation-free beef. More than 88,000 hectares of primary forest was cleared in New South Wales. Historical clearing has caused local climates to increase by up to 2 degrees . Subscribe to FS Sustainability to get the latest ESG news and research. AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time), abc.net.au/news/deforestation-land-clearing-australia-state-by-state/12535438, Your information is being handled in accordance with the, Help keep family & friends informed by sharing this article, Jock Zonfrillo remembered as an 'incredible chef' and icon of Australia's culinary landscape, Jock Zonfrillo, celebrated chef and judge on MasterChef Australia, dies aged 46, Donald Trump denied mistrial in rape accuser Carroll's civil case, 34 injured and houses destroyed after Russia launches early morning strikes on Ukraine, Russian freight train derails after being hit by explosive device, governor says, Major route into the Kokoda track appears to have been blockaded amid tour operator feud, Tony Abbott mounts attack on Voice after a spat with parliamentary committee, Female teacher admits sexual offences against teen student, fights 10 other charges, Sudan humanitarian crisis turning into a 'full blown catastrophe', says UN, are the biggest drivers of animal extinction, Australia has one of the highest rates of animal extinction, reclassified around 400,000 hectares of forest designated as "future reserve land" to "future potential production forest", the critically endangered Leadbeater's possum, RFAs include their own environmental protections, critics say RFAs allow logging operations to bypass federal environment laws, Western Australia's forests are under threat from climate change, historical deforestation resulting in decreased rainfall, The environmental impact of Australia's bushfires has been exacerbated by decades of environmental mismanagement, A billion trees planted by 2030? Agriculture was the reason for most of the clearing, with "grazing native vegetation" accounting for more than 1.8 million hectares of clearing. , To date, 55 wildlife species and 37 plant species have gone extinct in Australia., Habitat loss is the biggest threat to koalas in Queensland and New South Wales. In a country of diverse landscapes, lutruwita / Tasmania stands a world apart. On the Koala Coast, numbers are down by 80%. If we want to protect Australia's remarkable biodiversity, including its most iconic animals, we must protect habitat. Additional context has been added to note that Regional Forest Agreements include environmental protections; and a video claiming to show illegal logging has been removed. 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. Where is the worst deforestation happening in Australia? Australias Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act was reviewed last year and the government must release the final report, led by the former competition watchdog head Graeme Samuel, in February. Mining and building of town infrastructure like roads or commercial buildings are other drivers. Building a case for rehabilitation funding as a climate solution. As well as land clearing, Western Australia's forests are under threat from climate change. Acacia forest). Koalas live in gum trees, also commonly known as eucalyptus trees. The threats manifest themselves in the form of deforestation and forest degradation. Because the analysis only covered up to the year 2017, it excludes the effects of the catastrophic 2019-20 bushfire season, with WWF saying the accelerating effects of climate change made the need for Australian governments to increase protections for wildlife and habitat more urgent. 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". Rounding out the bottom of the top, as it were, are Ecuador, Liberia, and Haiti, all of which have witnessed 22% declines in forest cover since 1990. 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.
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