The Regional Forest Agreement process for Gippsland released its map for its proposed CAR reserve system in late '99 or early 2000 in conjunction with its "Consultation Papers". The image below is a small section of the "draft land use" map downloaded from the Gippsland RFA website.
The poor Strzeleckis once again missed out. The maps carries on from previous RFA maps, wrongly labelling virtually all of the Strzelecki State Forest as plantation (purple). The purple areas actually signify the areas of public land leased to either Hancocks or Amcor.
Won Wron and Mullundung State Forests (to the right) and Alberton West State Forest and Gellion's Run (lower centre) showing significant increases in proposed reserved areas (dark red with number).
Existing reserves are pink. Yellow areas with stripes (parts of the "Proposed Mirboo regional Park" and part of Alberton West) are proposed "special management zones" which are still available for logging or firewood collecting, which is no greater protection than these areas already had.
The few tiny specs of land in the Strzeleckis coloured in dark red (proposed CAR reserves) are at Jack River (near Yarram), and at the Little Franklin river (locals were under the impression that both these areas were already reserves), some bits adjacent to Tarra-Bulga and a few skerricks near Churchill and Mirboo North.
Green signifies state forest which is not leased or earmarked to be part of the CAR reserve system. The small proportion of Green in this picture makes this area unusual, with the bulk of the public land either leased or reserved, or earmarked for reserving.
CAR (Comprehensive, Adequate and Representative)reserves are part of an international
agreement signed by Australia some years ageo to set aside 15% of the pre- settlement
extent of each vegetation type in each RFA region, 60% of remaining rare
vegetation types, and, where possible 100% of remaining endangered or vulnerable
vegetation types.The proposed CAR reserve additions on the whole do appear to
make a serious attempt to reach minimum CAR targets where possible, with a few
exceptions:
Shrubby Foothill Forest CAR reserve target: 15% of pre settlement extent
72.5% lost, 4.7% reserved, 7.8% additions = 12.5%, while 11.2% is within GMZ areas
To reach minimum, additional 3348 ha. needed
Wet Forest CAR reserve target: 15% of pre settlement extent
39.4% lost, 7.2% reserved, 5.2% additions = 12.4%, while 11.3% is within GMZ areas
A further 33% (36,660 ha. - more than half of what remains) is said to be on "private land". Some 30,000 of this is leased Strzelecki State Forest
To reach minimum, additional 2888 ha. needed
Riparian Forest CAR reserve target: as much as possible
7% lost, 36.1% reserved , 28.7% additions = 54.8%, while 8.1% is in GMZ areas
All riparian forest in GMZ areas should be protected by management prescription.
Room to protect an additional 784 ha.
Plains Grassy Forest CAR reserve target: as much as possible
77.5% lost, 1.6% reserved, 9.1% additions = 10.7%, while 5.7% is within GMZ areas
Room to protect an additional 5016 ha.
Cool Temperate Rainforest CAR reserve target: as much as possible
59.5% lost, 15.3% reserved, 8.1% additions = 23.4%
The remaining 17% is said to be on private land. This is leased Strzelecki State Forest
Room to protect an additional 374 ha.
Cool temperate rainforest and Wet Forest reserve targets have not been met simply because in this region half of these extant EVC's lie in the leased portions of the Strzelecki State Forest, and as such are inappropriately considered 'private land' exempt from reserve status.