The Forest Management Plan 2014-2023 is a regional plan that applies within the geographic area of the Department’s Swan, South West and Warren regions, and the lands collectively referred to as ‘Redmond’ forest block within the South Coast Region other than marine waters. These land categories cover a total area of more than 2.5 million hectares. The overall goal in formulating this plan is for biodiversity to be conserved; the health, vitality and productive capacity of ecosystems to be sustained; soil and water resources to be protected; and the contribution to global carbon cycles to be sustained. Further, the social, cultural and economic benefits valued by the community are to be produced in a manner taking account of the principles of ecologically sustainable forest management. Management plans for land also have the objective of protecting and conserving the value of the land to the culture and heritage of Aboriginal persons. Key aspects of this plan are: biological diversity, ecosystem health and vitality, soil and water, climate change and carbon cycle, productive capacity, heritage, socio-economic benefits, and plan implementation and management. The document promotes sustainable development in an environmentally sustainable manner by: - Protecting biological diversity through increasing the area of existing reserves, review of travel routes, a range of complementary measures, including where practicable, recovery planning for threatened species and ecological communities. New sources of fauna will be provided to help recolonise disturbed areas after timber harvesting. - Maintaining Ecosystem health and vitality by proposing a renewed focus to prioritise the management of pests and diseases to complement the approach that has been adopted for weeds. The approach will consider the range of Phytophthora species and other diseases impacting ecosystems. It is intended that the Western Shield program, which reduces predation pressure on threatened and priority species of fauna, be continued. Management activities will be continued to use and respond to fire in a manner that mitigates the risk of adverse impacts of bushfire. Appropriate fire regimes will also benefit biodiversity and therefore promote ecosystem health and vitality, in turn promoting resilience to climate change. Cleared areas such as mine sites and basic raw material pits will continue to be rehabilitated. - Soil and water. The approach developed in the previous plans to protect soil and water quality will be continued. The plan provides for silvicultural treatment to address threats to ecosystem health and vitality (referred to as ‘silviculture for ecosystem health’). An example of this approach is to increase the water available to identified areas, such as ecosystems that depend on surface water. The plan also provides for ‘silviculture for water production’, which involves silvicultural treatment to maintain or enhance water supply, with ancillary benefits for ecosystem health and vitality. ‘Silviculture for water production’ will be subject to approval of catchment management plans. The plan also seeks to enable more inclusive forestry systems. Existing frameworks provide a statutory framework for joint management and enable Aboriginal people to undertake customary activities, such as preparing and consuming food, preparing or using medicine, and engaging in artistic, ceremonial or other customary activities. it is intended that the Department will assess areas within the plan area for their importance for Noongar culture and heritage, as required, in consultation with relevant stakeholders and agencies. The plan will also seek to protect and conserve other Australian heritage values. With regard to increasing the resilience of livelihoods to disasters, the plan follows a precautionary approach. Given current knowledge and uncertainties of the likely magnitude and result of changes to climate from increases in atmospheric levels of greenhouse gases, management activities included throughout this plan encompass broad precautionary measures. Further, planning for climate change has been considered in developing the range of proposed operations outlined in the ‘Biological diversity’, ‘Ecosystem health and vitality’, ‘Soil and water’ and ‘Productive capacity’ chapters. Some socio-economic benefits may also be affected. Adjustments for the potential impact of climate change on the growth rates of jarrah and karri trees and stands have been applied when projecting future sustained yields. The guidelines for silviculture and fire management will also be reviewed with a view to incorporating techniques that recognise the contribution of the areas covered by the plan to global carbon cycles, consistent with other mitigation and adaptation strategies and achievement of other silvicultural objectives and goals for forest management. Regarding governance, included throughout this plan are various goals, proposed operations (management activities), and key performance indicators, including associated targets and reporting arrangements. In addition, there is a range of risk assessment, planning and approvals processes used, and operational controls that apply to environmental aspects of disturbance operations down to the local scale, that seek to protect identified values and minimise identified threats, and directly support the achievement of these goals.
澳大利亚 · 2013-12-01