Abstract
Hollow-bearing trees in native forests and woodlands are significant habitat resources for many Australian fauna but habitat removal, commercial timber harvesting and urban development continue to threaten these ecosystems. Protection for these habitats and their species is purportedly provided for in legislation, policy, and strategic management plans. However, public debate and disagreement surrounding forest management has resulted in the disintegration of national plans as interpreted by states and territories as well as individual stakeholders, resulting in gaps in policy implementation. This paper presents a hierarchical review of the current legislation and policy mechanisms underpinning forest conservation in Australia, with specific attention paid to important habitat features such as hollow-bearing trees. Apart from federal and state legislation acknowledging the importance of hollow-bearing trees to biodiversity, sufficient mechanisms to halt the ongoing loss of this resource from Australian landscapes at the local level appear to be lacking. Hollow-bearing tree conservation strategies from 46 local councils in Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania, and Queensland were reviewed. Very few (<5%) respondents from local councils across all states indicated that they have specific plans for the conservation and management of hollow-bearing trees, highlighting policy implementation gaps at the local level. Furthermore, apparent environmental management strategies and actions rank relatively low on local council priorities. Therefore, a stronger focus on conservation actions towards management of critical habitat features across the landscape supported by robust local, national, and international policy is needed.
Highlights
Sound environmental policy is the cornerstone of global conservation efforts, directing action at local, regional, national, and international levels (Thomas 2007)
The national attention given to forestry and forest management within Australia (McAlpine et al 2007) underpins the conservation of these natural resources, large hollow-bearing trees
Information was accessed at the local council level by contacting 86 randomly selected local council areas throughout eastern Australia (Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland)
Summary
Sound environmental policy is the cornerstone of global conservation efforts, directing action at local, regional, national, and international levels (Thomas 2007). National plans as interpreted by states and territories as well as individual stakeholders have collapsed, resulting in far reaching gaps in policy implementation, for forest management (Musselwhite and Herath 2007). The national attention given to forestry and forest management within Australia (McAlpine et al 2007) underpins the conservation of these natural resources, large hollow-bearing trees. This in turn provides a useful platform for the analysis of the potential consequences of policy implementation gaps at the local level
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