Ground Cover - Tree Canopy

AUS-ASC-LVG-TCC General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

10 %

Direction: Higher is desirable ↑

Form: MinimumOnly

Scoring Curve

This curve shows how a field measurement for this indicator would score across all available benchmark forms in this context.

Evidence & Context

If ongoing grazing pressure causes TCC in a naturally wooded area to persistently fall below 10% to 20%, this could signify a critical shift indicating degradation.

Metric Definition:

Lower critical threshold of Tree Canopy Cover (TCC) below which essential ecological functions and woodland ecosystem structure are compromised.

Benchmark Definition:

Critical lower limit of TCC for maintaining woodland ecosystem functions.

Justification:

Structural definitions of woodland and forest indicate 10% to 20% TCC as the lower boundary; falling below this due to grazing pressure suggests significant degradation.

Sources (2)

Preview of Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable Forest Management in Victoria, accessed July 20, 2025,

Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable Forest Management in Victoria, accessed July 20, 2025, Government

Australia's State of the Forests Report - DAFF, accessed July 20, 2025

Preview of Grazing and fire in two subalpine peatlands - CSIRO Publishing, accessed on May 25, 2025,

Grazing and fire in two subalpine peatlands - CSIRO Publishing, accessed on May 25, 2025, Journal

Rehabilitation Field Guide | Australian Alps National Parks

Supporting Sources (22)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of 2024 State of the Environment Report - Tasmanian Planning Commission, accessed on May 25, 2025,

2024 State of the Environment Report - Tasmanian Planning Commission, accessed on May 25, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Biodiversity impacts of Chilean needle grass Nassella neesiana on Australia's indigenous grasslands - VU Research Repository

Preview of 6219-referral-brief.docx, accessed on May 25, 2025,

6219-referral-brief.docx, accessed on May 25, 2025,

Contextual Support

6219-referral-brief.docx, accessed on May 25, 2025,

Preview of Alpine Grazing Taskforce. (2005). Report of the Alpine Grazing Taskforce. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Victoria.

Alpine Grazing Taskforce. (2005). Report of the Alpine Grazing Taskforce. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Victoria.

Contextual Support Journal

Effects of grazing on alpine grassland soil available nutrients across the Tibetan Plateau

Preview of An Assessment of the scientific adequacy of grazing studies in the Victorian High Country 1945 - 1998, with some recommendations for future research, accessed on May 25, 2025,

An Assessment of the scientific adequacy of grazing studies in the Victorian High Country 1945 - 1998, with some recommendations for future research, accessed on May 25, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

REPORT ON THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE FUTURE OF CATTLE GRAZING IN THE ALPINE NATIONAL PARK

Preview of Australia's forests – overview - DAFF, accessed on May 25, 2025,

Australia's forests – overview - DAFF, accessed on May 25, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Resistance and resilience of the forest soil microbiome to logging-associated compaction

Preview of Australia's State of the Forests Report 2018 - DAFF

Australia's State of the Forests Report 2018 - DAFF

Contextual Support Journal

Australia's State of the Forests Report 2018 - DAFF

Preview of Australian Heritage Database - DCCEEW, accessed on May 25, 2025,

Australian Heritage Database - DCCEEW, accessed on May 25, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Australian Heritage Database - DCCEEW

Preview of Ecosystem Health - Top of the South Scorecards Freshwater & Terrestrial Ecosystems - The Nature Conservancy, accessed on May 25, 2025,

Ecosystem Health - Top of the South Scorecards Freshwater & Terrestrial Ecosystems - The Nature Conservancy, accessed on May 25, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Ecosystem Health - Top of the South Scorecards Freshwater & Terrestrial Ecosystems - The Nature Conservancy, accessed March 28, 2026,

Preview of Environmental Protection Works Guideline on Rural Regulated Land Sustainable Grazing Allowable Activity, accessed July 10, 2025

Environmental Protection Works Guideline on Rural Regulated Land Sustainable Grazing Allowable Activity, accessed July 10, 2025

Regulatory Framework

Sustainable grazing Guideline. Native Vegetation. Allowable Activity.

Preview of Full article: Long-term alpine summit vegetation cover change: Divergent trajectories driven by climate warming and fire, accessed on May 25, 2025,

Full article: Long-term alpine summit vegetation cover change: Divergent trajectories driven by climate warming and fire, accessed on May 25, 2025,

Contextual Support

Assessing alpine vegetation dynamics using long-term ecological monitoring amidst rapid climate change

Preview of grazing and fire hazard, accessed on May 25, 2025,

grazing and fire hazard, accessed on May 25, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

grazing and fire hazard, accessed on May 25, 2025,

Preview of Long-term Vegetation Change in Relation to Cattle Grazing in Subalpine Grassland and Heathland on the Bogong High Plains - DCCEEW, accessed on May 25, 2025,

Long-term Vegetation Change in Relation to Cattle Grazing in Subalpine Grassland and Heathland on the Bogong High Plains - DCCEEW, accessed on May 25, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Wood, S. W., et al. (2015). The Ausplots Forest Monitoring Network: Tall eucalypt forests. PLOS ONE.

Preview of Melbourne Water stream network: user's manual - 7 Tree canopy cover, accessed on May 25, 2025,

Melbourne Water stream network: user's manual - 7 Tree canopy cover, accessed on May 25, 2025,

Methodology Source Government

Impacts of shrub encroachment on ecosystem structure and functioning: towards a global synthesis - PubMed Central, accessed May 19, 2025

Preview of Monaro REF Appendix 3 Biodiversity Assessment - Transport for NSW

Monaro REF Appendix 3 Biodiversity Assessment - Transport for NSW

Direct Evidence Journal

Jindabyne Education Campus - School Infrastructure NSW, accessed April 6, 2026

Preview of NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. (n.d.). The Australian Alps Bioregion.

NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. (n.d.). The Australian Alps Bioregion.

Contextual Support Journal

Australian Alps Montane Grasslands | One Earth, accessed May 11, 2026,

Preview of Pettit, C., & O'Reagain, P. (2014). Principles and guidelines for managing cattle grazing in the grazing lands of northern Australia: stocking rates, pasture resting, prescribed fire, paddock size and water points - a review. The Rangeland Journal, 36(4), 315-330.

Pettit, C., & O'Reagain, P. (2014). Principles and guidelines for managing cattle grazing in the grazing lands of northern Australia: stocking rates, pasture resting, prescribed fire, paddock size and water points - a review. The Rangeland Journal, 36(4), 315-330.

Contextual Support Journal

Environmental Protection Works Guideline on Rural Regulated Land Sustainable Grazing Allowable Activity, accessed on May 25, 2025,

Preview of Rehabilitation Field Guide | Australian Alps National Parks, accessed on May 25, 2025,

Rehabilitation Field Guide | Australian Alps National Parks, accessed on May 25, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

A strategy for dealing with invasive species in Australia

Preview of research-repository.griffith.edu.au, accessed on May 25, 2025,

research-repository.griffith.edu.au, accessed on May 25, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Assessing alpine vegetation dynamics using long-term ecological monitoring amidst rapid climate change - Griffith Research Online, accessed on May 25, 2025,

Preview of Sub-alpine environment - Camino de Kosciuszko, accessed on May 25, 2025,

Sub-alpine environment - Camino de Kosciuszko, accessed on May 25, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Sub-alpine environment - Camino de Kosciuszko, accessed on May 25, 2025,

Preview of The impact of climate change and wildfire on decadal alpine vegetation dynamics, accessed on May 25, 2025,

The impact of climate change and wildfire on decadal alpine vegetation dynamics, accessed on May 25, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Alpine Ash forests of mainland Australia - Victorian National Parks Association

Preview of Vic Ecology FF Long Report Template - Planning

Vic Ecology FF Long Report Template - Planning

Regulatory Framework Journal

Biosis and GHD. (2016). Flora and Fauna Assessment: Mount Buller Water Storage Project.

Preview of www.environment.nsw.gov.au, accessed on May 25, 2025,

www.environment.nsw.gov.au, accessed on May 25, 2025,

Contextual Support

The Australian Alps Bioregion - Environment and Heritage, accessed on May 27, 2025,

Context

Region Australia
Biome Alpine and Subalpine Complex
Land Use Livestock Grazing & Pasture
Assessment Not Stated
Vegetation Woodland
Evidence Type DegradationThreshold

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 1 Jun 2026

Notes

Persistent TCC below this threshold due to grazing likely leads to loss of woodland habitat and increased soil erosion risk. No upper detrimental threshold — higher values are always better up to natural saturation. AssessmentContext defaulted to 'Not Stated' because the source document did not state one.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-ASC-LVG-TCC family.