The four maps appearing below are:
1. 1999 RFA's EVC (ecological vegetation class) maps
2. 1982 Land Conservation Council map
3. 1995 RFA's Deferred Forest Area map
4. 1999 RFA's map showing proposed CAR reserves (with links to the March 2000 version)
........All of which depict the Strzelecki ranges......
Map 1. EVCs attempt to break down the natural landscape into a number of vegetation types and the EVC map colour codes these vegetation types. The bright green depicts the WET FOREST vegetation type in the Strzeleckis.
Hardwood Reforestation is also wet forest, and DNRE's EVC maps show it as such. However, the RFA version shown here has foolishly lumped the HW reforestation into the same vegetation class as Softwood plantation and both are shown as grey. All areas of bush which have been logged and regenerated have been denied WET FOREST status and are depicted here as no different to pine plantations. This is crook. Had DNRE's EVC maps been reproduced truthfully, the bright green area would appear more cohesive and would resemble the area coloured brown in map 2 more closely.
Map 2. In this LCC map, all coloured areas are public land. Comparisons with map 1 show that most of the WET FOREST in the Strzeleckis is on public land. It depicts the Strzelecki hardwood zone as brown and the pine plantations (and proposed future pine plantations, some of which never eventuated) as grey. The extent of WET FOREST on public land can be judged by looking at the brown areas. The brown/grey diagonally striped area is the area of State forest leased to Amcor. This area is also mostly WET FOREST with a small proportion of pines to the north. Had the DNRE's EVC maps been reproduced faithfully, virtually all the brown areas appearing here would appear bright green on map 1.
Map 3. This 1995 map issued by the RFA shows the Strzelecki Deferred Forest Area. It closely mimics the LCC's hardwood zone boundaries (map 2), minus the area of State Forest leased to Amcor which had already been placed into a "psuedo-private" category. This DFA was supposed to give the area coloured green temporary reserve status until the Gippsland RFA was complete. DFA's were also eligible for consideration for inclusion into a permanent reserve system. The Strzelecki DFA however was cancelled due to tinkering with the Strzelecki State Forest's land status and tenure.
Map 4. RFA's "draft land use" map - late 1999 showing the proposed CAR reserves for the area
The above image is from a late 1999 map. The March 2000 version of this map
is available from http://www.rfa.gov.au/rfa/vic/gipps/index.html
as a .GIF or .PDF file. To view this section of the March 2000 version of the
map, enlarged by 2 to make it easier to see all the detail in the published
file, please use one of these two links to a 358 k byte file:
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 (in some cases,less) 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 try to reach minimum CAR targets , 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 (see map 1)
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.