Tasmanien - das Waldparadies Australiens

Tasmania - the Australian Forest Paradise

2000

14 Lit. Ang.

Unselbständiges Werk

4354

200067009

This paper deals with the history and landscape of Tasmania. Table 1 shows an overview of Tasmania forest types according to land classification. Nearly 50 % of Tasmania is forested. Only 39 % of the total land area in Tasmania is privately owned. 96 % of the total forest area is native forest and only 4 % is plantation. 39 % of Tasmania's land area, that is 63 % of the state's land area, is protected in World Heritage Areas, national parks and other reserves, and is not harvested. Forestry Tasmania the state's forest administration, manage 1,3 million hectares as multiple-use forests. These forests are available for sustainable wood production. There are another 1 million hectares of private forest. Forestry Tasmania has the objective of optimizing the economic returns from wood production activities, while maximizing the benefits of non-wood functions. These functions include recreation, nature conservation, reserves, flora and fauna protection and water quality. Tasmania has been estabishing forest plantations since the 1920s and now (1998) there are 62,000 ha hardwood plantation (mostly eucalyptus) and 72,000 ha softwood plantations (mostly Pinus radiata). Within the next few years a rapid increase of plantations, especially Eucalyptus is planned. Plantations can produce a high volume and valueable wood (see Tables 2 and 3). However, intensive cultivation and weed-control methods make it a high-cost and high-input form of forestry. Lastly, forest damage such as dieback in eucalyptus and wildfire are discussed.