Biodiversity
The conservation of biological diversity has been identified as one of the key criteria for sustainable forest management in Australia. The objective of biodiversity conservation is the survival of species, and the preservation of genetic variability within those species. This demands an understanding of the dynamic nature of forest ecosystems and the cycles of disturbance and renewal that underpin their ecological processes.
Forests in Australia are managed with the conservation of biodiversity as a priority. Everyday, forest managers make land use and natural resource management decisions based on biodiversity considerations. This includes, creating protected areas, managing the sustainable harvesting of wood and non-wood products, preventing the invasion of exotic pests and diseases, and protecting wildlife habitat.
Spider in web
Photo: istock
Case study – Biodiversity Corridors
Photo: SAForestry
Biodiversity corridors are areas of vegetation that allow animals to travel from one patch of native forest to another.
A corridor provides shelter, food and protection from predators by imitating the structure and diversity of native vegetation.
Birds, reptiles, amphibians, mammals and insects that would otherwise be isolated in one native forest patch, can utilise corridors to move between patches with relative ease and safety.
ForestrySA is implementing biodiversity corridor programs to link areas of isolated native forest with strips of revegetation. Researching and planting of seven corridors on ForestrySA land is well underway and another twelve will be established over the next twenty-five years.
For more information about the development of these biodiversity corridors visit the Forestry SA website.
