Framing ecological forestry: applying principles for the restoration of post-production forests

作者：Grant Wardell‐Johnson, Beth E. Schultz, Todd P. Robinson · 发表于：Pacific Conservation Biology · 年份：2024 · DOI：10.1071/pc24033 · 被引用次数：3 · 研究领域：Conservation, Biodiversity, and Resource Management、Forest Management and Policy、French Urban and Social Studies

Decades of industrial-scale logging have damaged the structure, function, and composition of Australia’s forests; increased the threat from severe fires; and generated social distrust – all in a disrupted climate regime. As state agencies withdraw from logging, restoration of forest resilience becomes paramount. We critique two recent proposals for ‘commercial timber operations’ in two Australian states that have recently ‘ceased logging native forests’: (1) wind-throw removal via ‘community forestry’ in Victoria; and (2) ‘ecological thinning’ in Western Australia. Analysis suggests that ecological restoration will require: (1) scientifically valid and reliable projects; (2) integration across knowledge systems; (3) full cost-benefit accounting; (4) repair of forest legacy damage; (5) restoration of environmental resilience; (6) control of environmental weeds, pests and pathogens; (7) enhanced capacity for early detection of, and rapid response to disturbance; (8) generation of trust to enable a social licence; (9) fostering integrity in media and public relations; and (10) appropriate categorisation in land use. Neither case study demonstrate the application of these forest restoration principles nor provides a way to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposals. These case studies continue the resource-led exploitation of post-production forests, exacerbating damage through the continued depletion of the natural assets essential to generating resilience. Moving beyond resour...