Rainforests and Cool Temperate Forests of Victoria

Extracts

Rainforests and Cool Temperate Forests of Victoria, Flora and Fauna Program. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, 1999, Bill Peel, Page 47-48.

Otway Cool Temperate Rainforest

Depletion

This community has been depleted by land clearance for agriculture and subsequent forestry plantation development.

Threatening Processes

This community is currently undergoing severe structural decline as the result of death of mature Myrtle Beech Nothofagus cunninghamii infected by Myrtle Wilt. Any land management activity such as logging, recreation facility or road development and maintenance that causes damage to trees, increases the incidence of Myrtle Wilt infection (Packham et al 1992). Where timber harvesting has occurred in the ecotones and on the margins of stands of this community fuel dynamics may have been altered and this may increase the risk of catastrophic wildfire entering and severely damaging such stands (Barker 1992, Cameron 1992b)

References

Packham, J.M. Elliot, H.J. and Kile, G.A. (1992). Myrtle Wilt in Tasmania rainforests. In Victoria rainforests: Perspectives on definitions, classification and management. Ed P. Gell and D, Mercer. Monash University.

Barker P.C.J. (1992). Fire and the stability of a Victorian Cool Temperate Rainforest. In Victorian rainforests: Perspective's, definitions and Management. Peter Gell and David Mercer Eds. Monash Publications in Geography.

Cameron D.G. (1992). A portrait of Victorian rainforests: distribution, diversity and definition. In Victorian rainforests: Perspective's, definitions and Management. Peter Gell and David Mercer Eds. Monash Publications in Geography.

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