However, that figure comes with some very big caveats because during that same period, more than 82,000 hectares were granted approval for clearing under pastoral land clearing applications in the NT. New drone footage has exposed shocking clearing of likely koala habitat in Far North Queensland, as our latest report, Whats at steak?, reveals more than one million hectares of forest was cleared for beef from 2014-2019. The UN Global Compact Network Australia (UNGCNA) has hired a new executive director, recruiting from the Victorian government. Deforestation in Australia & its Impact on Koalas Despite a range of reports recommending the urgent protection of unburnt patches to limit species decline, the NSW government continues to allow industrial logging at a rate of around 14,000 hectares per yeareven in extreme risk areas! Explore interactive charts and maps that summarize key statistics about forests in {area}. "People do see their local favourite patch of bush being bulldozed for a housing or industrial estate, or a road That turns out to be a small percentage of the total destruction in Eastern Australia. The 24 global deforestation . National Forest Industries Plan:The Australian Governments National Forest Industries Plan. About 2,000 years ago, 80 percent of Western Europe was forested; today the figure is 34 percent. For instance, using the SLATs method the Queensland state government reported 356,000 and 392,000 hectares were cleared in Queensland in the periods 2016-17 (winter-to-winter) and 2017-18 respectively. If this happened, the whole industry would need to clean up its act. State and territory governments have primary responsibility for forest management. Dr Taylor said claims that forest area has actually expanded in Australia were misleading. The most recent land-clearing data from Queensland for 2019-20 reveals a dire state of affairs in this state alone with: 418,656 hectares of forest and bushland was bulldozed between 2019/20; 85% of the deforestation and land clearing in Queensland was to make space for pasture; More than 180,000 ha was destroyed in Great Barrier Reef catchments, placing further serious stress on the natural wonder. An important secondary cause was logging, which the report says remains significant in some places in eastern Australia. Australia has a well-established institutional framework to support the conservation and sustainable management of forests. Advocating for new laws that support the life our lives depend on. Why deforestation is a matter of concern for everyone? , Over 92,718 hectares of koala habitat were cleared in Queensland in just one year (2018-2019), with 80% of that area destroyed for beef production. It will take more than a century for central banks and other financial institutions to reach gender balance in leadership, according to the Gender Balance Index 2023. Historical clearing has caused local climates to increase by up to 2 degrees . Deforestationthe reduction or complete removal of native forest and bushlandhas escalated over the recent years to reach globally significant levels. For species like the koala, we know the biggest problem is the destruction of their forest homes. Of this total forest area, determined as at 2016, 132 million hectares (98%) are 'Native forests', 1.95 million hectares are 'Commercial plantations' and 0.47 million hectares are 'Other forest'. (modern). Almost two-thirds of NSW native forests burned during the Black Summer Bushfires, devastating huge swathes of threatened species habitat. There is no official data on how widespread this may be, however Dr Taylor said he had found numerous instances by trawling through satellite imagery several of which he showed to the ABC. Historically, deforestation was considered best practice. This service may include material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced. The WWF report lists a variety of ways in which governments around the world have tried to limit deforestation. Regional Forestry Hubs map graphic only PDF [0.6 MB], We aren't able to respond to your individual comments or questions. The NGA method is based on satellite imagery where 20 per cent canopy cover or greater is classified as forest. EU parliament passes historic law forcing companies to track deforestation This was rooted in some flawed ideas about the biology of soils and the resilience of our landscapes. The total area of land cleared in Queensland was 2,446,600 hectares. Australia the only developed nation on world list of deforestation How Australia became one of the worst deforesters in the world Check out 10 facts about deforestation in Australia. More than 100 nations including Australia this month signed up to stop or reverse deforestation by 2030. This map shows the location of Australia's Indigenous forest estate, by land ownership and management categories. How you can save the fate of our Australian forests with one signature Queensland has the largest area of Australias forest (51.8 million hectares39% of Australias forest), with the Northern Territory (23.7 million hectares18%), Western Australia (21.0 million hectares16%), and New South Wales (20.4 million hectares15%), making up much of the balance. The 202223 October Portfolio Budget Statements were released on 25 October 2022. This map shows the distribution of Australia's native forests by crown cover class (i.e. This includes Australias diverse native forests and plantations, regardless of age. To stop extinction Australia needs to step up our efforts to protect critical forest habitats for Australian wildlife, particularly unburned low fire-risk refuges, and let those that have been cleared regenerate. Except where otherwise explicitly authorised, any material on this website which may be construed as electoral material or an electoral matter under any State or Commonwealth Law is authorised by M. Brennan on behalf of The Wilderness Society Ltd, 132 Davey Street, Hobart Tasmania 7000. The NGA data also fails to pick up forest thinning, according to Dr Taylor. , Australia has lost 27% of its rainforest, 19% of open forest, 11% of woodland forest, and 28% of mallee forest since 1750., Australia holds the record for the highest number of mammal extinctions globally. "This streamlines regulatory processes for the timber industry," according to the Department. With your support, the Wilderness Society recently launched a billboard campaign highlighting deforestation rates across Queensland, and the harm this causes to wildlife. With clearing on this scale, no wonder they were recently declared endangered in Queensland, NSW and the ACT. View an interactive version of this map in ArcGIS Online map viewer. Because this data comes from the Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) estimates of clearing (called primary conversion and reclearing) it includes both native forestry and plantation forestry figures. Using satellite imagery of forest cover and deforestation events across Australia . We need to make this an issue they cant ignore, so that Queensland's spectacular forests and bushland, home to some of the most iconic animals in the world, remain intact and healthy. Subscribe to gain unlimited access to news, research and analysis of ESG factors for ASX listed companies and investors. And the state leading this destructive charge is Queensland. Australia's native forests provide a range of wood and non-wood products that are used by Australians in their everyday lives. Over Christmas 2022, it tried to sneak out its land clearing data, the Statewide Landcover and Trees Study (SLATS), for 2019-2020. Over roughly the last 20 years, koalas numbers have declined by almost 50% across Queensland alone. Land clearing in Australia: How does your state (or territory - ABC This map shows Australia's forests in the National Reserve System, by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) protected area category: PNG [0.8 MB], PDF [2.5 MB]. The 24 global deforestation fronts identified in the report accounted for 80 per cent of the world's clearing. Thats why WWF-Australia has launched Regenerate Australia, the largest wildlife and nature regeneration program in the nations history. WWF's new report Deforestation fronts: Drivers and responses in a changing world , names 24 locations across Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia and Oceania. The primary issue I have found is that deforestation leads to mass habitat and food loss for koalas. 'Reclearing' refers to any forest younger than that.). Your feedback has been submitted. Below are the key maps from Australias State of the Forests Report 2018. Annual subscription for $129.95 for 1 year. Of all its deforestation alerts, 85% have been within 4km of the predicted location. We acknowledge sovereignty was never ceded.Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are advised that this website may contain images, names and voices of people who are deceased. Bulldozers destroy over 740,000 ha of forest and bush every year. Learn more about deforestation in Queensland. Everything you need to know about the deforestation crisis taking place across Australia. WWF is Australias most trusted conservation organisation. We can't protect nature and wildlife, safeguard human . With the support of people like you, the Wilderness Society recently launched a billboard campaign highlighting deforestation rates across Queensland, and the harm this causes to wildlife. Decades-old conflict to develop Daintree still flaring up in - ABC Koalas live in gum trees, also commonly known as eucalyptus trees. Podcast: Who Wins the Fist Bump Board Award? But how much land are we clearing? The report warns that nearly half of the standing forests in the 24 deforestation fronts have suffered some type of fragmentation and trends suggest clearing will persist unless countries act to protect them. ESG forms an integral part of our process when looking at resource companies within our investment universe. The series of billboards across Brisbane drew attention to the devastating effects that deforestation and land clearing have on wildlife across Queensland. Land clearing in Australia describes the removal of native vegetation and deforestation in Australia.Land clearing involves the removal of native vegetation and habitats, including the bulldozing of native bushlands, forests, savannah, woodlands and native grasslands and the draining of natural wetlands for replacement with agriculture, urban and other land uses. According to the report, expansion of commercial agriculture and tree plantations are the biggest drivers of deforestation around the world. This map shows the location of Australia's commercial hardwood and softwood plantations and the boundaries of National Plantation Inventory (NPI) regions: PNG [0.7 MB], PDF [1.4 MB]. To contact us directly phone us or submit an online inquiry, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Over 43 million hectares, an area roughly the size of Morocco, was lost in these 'deforestation fronts' between 2004 and 2017. State of the forests Except where otherwise explicitly authorised, any material on this website which may be construed as electoral material or an electoral matter under any State or Commonwealth Law is authorised by M. Brennan on behalf of The Wilderness Society Ltd, 132 Davey Street, Hobart Tasmania 7000. So despite our reputation for untamed wilderness and charismatic wildlife, it's perhaps no surprise that Australia has one of the highest rates of animal extinction in the world. To give life a chance, we need strong, sensible deforestation laws. The data for the 2018-19 reporting periods, particularly from Queensland and New South Wales, will determine whether that has changed. On 11/02/22 the government officially listed the koala as Endangered in Queensland, NSW and the ACT.