Conservation of forest fauna in Victoria

Abstract

Victorian forest fauna is threatened by clearing, fragmentation and degradation of habitat. Within the last decade, the Victorian Government has reappraised policies in an attempt to develop a sustainable forest industry. A policy framework (State Conservation Strategy) and a strategic approach (Timber Industry Strategy) have been developed to provide for conservation of forest fauna. The Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act also provides for the conservation of Victorian fauna and flora. Nonetheless, economic considerations continue to constrain wildlife conservation. The conservation and management of the endangered Leadbeater's Possum is regarded as a test case for integrated conservation of wildlife and timber production in the state. This chapter examines the strengths and weaknesses of these approaches to the conservation of forest fauna. Research on forest fauna is in its infancy, and information is urgently required on wildlife corridors, retained habitat, old-growth forests and habitat modelling. Research needs to be at the appropriate scale and many aspects require long-term investigation. This chapter concludes that recent conservation measures are not adequate to protect Victoria's forest fauna.

Poor historical data drive conservation complacency: The case of mammal decline in south-eastern Australian forests

“…The extent of mammal declines has varied throughout Australia, with forested ecosystems of mainland south-eastern Australia faring comparatively well compared with adjacent semi-arid regions (Burbidge et al 2008), experiencing only one global extinction (the white-footed rabbit rat Conilurus albipes) and four mainland extinctions (eastern quoll Dasyurus viverrinus, red-bellied pademelon Thylogale billardierii, eastern bettong Bettongia gaimardi and long-tailed mouse Pseudomys higginsi only persist on off-shore islands, notably Tasmania) (Breed & Ford 2007;Menkhorst & Knight 2011). However, we have a poor understanding of how extant species have responded since European settlement, especially small, cryptic and inconspicuous species, which is primarily due to limited detailed historical information (Wilson 1991;Menkhorst 1995;Bilney et al 2010).…”

“…These issues are particularly relevant to forested ecosystems of south-eastern Australia where most detailed ecological knowledge, especially of fauna, derives from short-term studies conducted since the 1960s and long after major ecological changes (European settlement was 1788) (Wilson 1991). In addition to this lack of detailed historical knowledge, the extent of forested area remains vast, there are numerous conservation reserves supporting high biodiversity and relatively few exotic species, while few extinctions have occurred (Recher 1996;DSE 2009a).…”

Managing the Environment: Rhetoric, Policy and Reality

“…First, recalling the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988, the seeming advances via recent species protection legislation in other states and the commonwealth has been judged by commentators to be somewhat empty, with weak process, loopholes and diluting clauses in abundance (Wilson 1991;McDonald & Buckley 1993;Bradsen 1994;Dixon 1994;Kelly 1994;Meyers & Temby 1994;Farrier 1995;Wilson & Clark 1995). Beyond this, there are severe and intrinsic limitations to endangered species approaches, mainly revolving around their crisis management and reactive style, and the need for preventive and precautious approaches and a greater focus on the ecosystem scale (explicitly accepted in, for example, the NSCABD; see also Common & Norton 1992;Wilson 1992;Young et al 1996).…”

A vertebrate person in an invertebrate court

“…Furthermore, there is no evidence to show that present prescriptions will mitigate the impacts of logging on Leadbeater's Possum, particularly as the existing management zones create only deferred timber harvesting areas (see Lindenmayer and Norton 1993). Finally, there is no indication that the Government of Victoria is willing to either: (1) continue to appropriately fund studies of alternative logging practices under the Silvicultural Systems Project (Wilson 1991;Barnett 1993), and/or (2) implement key findings from such studies and employ modified timber harvesting techniques; probably as a result of a legislated over-commitment to produce timber and pulpwood (Barnett 1993).…”