Bare Ground — Benchmark Detail - Nature Index

Benchmark Value

10 %

Range: 0 to 10 %

Thresholds: Lower: —, Upper: 30

Optimal Range: 0 to 10

Direction: Lower is desirable ↓

Form: MaximumOnly

Scoring Curve

This curve shows how a field measurement for this indicator would score across all available benchmark forms in this context. The scoring engine uses 8 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 7 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

OptimalRange Primary MaximumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard MaximumOnly Guard Point Guard MaximumOnly Guard MinimumOnly Guard Point Guard

Evidence & Context

A value of <10% bare ground, averaged across the managed estate over time, represents this state. This value signifies a landscape where the forest floor is overwhelmingly intact and protected by litter and living vegetation.

Metric Definition:

Bare Ground (%) is defined as the percentage of the soil surface that is exposed mineral soil, lacking any protective cover.

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents the maximum acceptable percentage of bare ground in production forestry within the Tropical & Subtropical Maritime Islands biome, indicating a healthy forest floor with minimal soil erosion risk.

Justification:

This benchmark is derived by synthesis from foundational principles, analogous systems, and case-study analysis due to the absence of direct field data in the specific biome and land use.

Sources (3)

Preview of Australia's State of the Forests Report 2018 - Montreal Process

Australia's State of the Forests Report 2018 - Montreal Process Government

Australia's State of the Forests Report 2018 - Montreal Process, accessed August 1, 2025,

Preview of Estimating ground cover percentage - DCCEEW, accessed July 12, 2025,

Estimating ground cover percentage - DCCEEW, accessed July 12, 2025, Government

Biodiversity Conservation Trust Livestock grazing guidelines, accessed April 29, 2025,

Preview of TROPICAL SOILS | Terrain NRM, accessed July 16, 2025,

TROPICAL SOILS | Terrain NRM, accessed July 16, 2025, Journal

Water Retention - Oz Soils 4 - UNE, accessed May 11, 2025,

Supporting Sources (30)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of 7 technical bases of management plans - Tropical forest management techniques: a review of the sustainability of forest management practices in tropical countries, accessed August 1, 2025,

7 technical bases of management plans - Tropical forest management techniques: a review of the sustainability of forest management practices in tropical countries, accessed August 1, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

(PDF) THE QUEENSLAND GROUND COVER MONITORING PROGRAM - ResearchGate, accessed August 1, 2025,

Preview of Australia – Sub-tropical – temperate - Earthdive, accessed July 25, 2025,

Australia – Sub-tropical – temperate - Earthdive, accessed July 25, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Australia – Sub-tropical – temperate - Earthdive, accessed August 1, 2025,

Preview of Benefits of Leaf Litter for Forest Regeneration - Tunley Environmental

Benefits of Leaf Litter for Forest Regeneration - Tunley Environmental

Contextual Support Journal

Stubble Retention in Cropping Systems in Southern Australia ..., accessed August 13, 2025,

Preview of Certification | Department of Primary Industries, Queensland, accessed August 1, 2025,

Certification | Department of Primary Industries, Queensland, accessed August 1, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Code of practice for native forest timber production on Queensland's State Forest estate 2020

Preview of Chapter 6: Tree-compatible ground covers for reforestation and erosion control, accessed August 1, 2025,

Chapter 6: Tree-compatible ground covers for reforestation and erosion control, accessed August 1, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Chapter 6: Tree-compatible ground covers for reforestation and erosion control, accessed August 1, 2025,

Preview of Climate & Seasons | Australian Wildlife Journeys, accessed July 30, 2025,

Climate & Seasons | Australian Wildlife Journeys, accessed July 30, 2025,

Contextual Support

Soil erosion as a resilience drain in disturbed tropical forests, accessed August 1, 2025,

Preview of Describing Indicators of Rangeland Health, Technical Reference 1734-9 - Bureau of Land Management, accessed August 1, 2025,

Describing Indicators of Rangeland Health, Technical Reference 1734-9 - Bureau of Land Management, accessed August 1, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Describing Indicators of Rangeland Health, Technical Reference 1734-9 - Bureau of Land Management, accessed August 1, 2025,

Preview of Further-Assessment-of-Matters-Report-2019-Intro.docx - Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, accessed August 1, 2025,

Further-Assessment-of-Matters-Report-2019-Intro.docx - Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, accessed August 1, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Environmental values (DOCX, 1.8 MB) - Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, accessed August 1, 2025,

Preview of Growing the Norfolk Island Pine — Reforestation, Nurseries and Genetics Resources, accessed August 1, 2025,

Growing the Norfolk Island Pine — Reforestation, Nurseries and Genetics Resources, accessed August 1, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Growing the Norfolk Island Pine — Reforestation, Nurseries and Genetics Resources, accessed August 1, 2025,

Preview of How Effective is Plant Cover for Soil Erosion Control? - CID Bio-Science, accessed August 1, 2025,

How Effective is Plant Cover for Soil Erosion Control? - CID Bio-Science, accessed August 1, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

How Effective is Plant Cover for Soil Erosion Control? - CID Bio-Science, accessed August 1, 2025,

Preview of HQPlantations, accessed August 1, 2025,

HQPlantations, accessed August 1, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

HQPlantations, accessed August 1, 2025,

Preview of Lord Howe Island - Wikipedia, accessed July 30, 2025,

Lord Howe Island - Wikipedia, accessed July 30, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Lord Howe Island - Wikipedia, accessed August 1, 2025,

Preview of Lord Howe Island Group - UNESCO World Heritage Centre, accessed August 3, 2025,

Lord Howe Island Group - UNESCO World Heritage Centre, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support

Lord Howe Island Group - UNESCO World Heritage Centre, accessed July 28, 2025,

Preview of Lord Howe Island Subtropical Forests | One Earth, accessed August 1, 2025,

Lord Howe Island Subtropical Forests | One Earth, accessed August 1, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Lord Howe Island Subtropical Forests | One Earth, accessed August 1, 2025,

Preview of Lord Howe Island Subtropical Forests | One Earth, accessed July 30, 2025,

Lord Howe Island Subtropical Forests | One Earth, accessed July 30, 2025,

Contextual Support

Safeguarding Lord Howe Island World Heritage Area - Local Land Services, accessed August 1, 2025,

Preview of Maintain ground cover to protect soils | Media releases - Agriculture Victoria, accessed August 1, 2025,

Maintain ground cover to protect soils | Media releases - Agriculture Victoria, accessed August 1, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Preventing creek erosion - Australian River Restoration Centre, accessed August 1, 2025,

Preview of Mapping ground cover management - DAFF, accessed May 11, 2025

Mapping ground cover management - DAFF, accessed May 11, 2025

Contextual Support Government

Ground Cover Monitoring for Australia - DAFF, accessed July 20, 2025

Preview of Mulch Options for Erosion Control on Construction Sites | NC State Extension Publications, accessed August 1, 2025,

Mulch Options for Erosion Control on Construction Sites | NC State Extension Publications, accessed August 1, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Mulch Options for Erosion Control on Construction Sites | NC State Extension Publications, accessed August 1, 2025,

Preview of Norfolk Island - Wikipedia, accessed July 30, 2025,

Norfolk Island - Wikipedia, accessed July 30, 2025,

Contextual Support

Norfolk Island Water Resource Assessment, accessed July 30, 2025,

Preview of Nutrient distribution and cycling in a subtropical rainforest in New South Wales

Nutrient distribution and cycling in a subtropical rainforest in New South Wales

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Climate & Seasons | Australian Wildlife Journeys, accessed August 1, 2025,

Preview of Preventing and managing erosion | Environment, land and water - Queensland Government, accessed August 1, 2025,

Preventing and managing erosion | Environment, land and water - Queensland Government, accessed August 1, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Our Standards | Sustainable Forest Management & Certification

Preview of Soil | Australia state of the environment 2021

Soil | Australia state of the environment 2021

Contextual Support Government

Linkages between forest soils and water quality and quantity, accessed August 1, 2025,

Preview of Soil | Australia state of the environment 2021, accessed August 1, 2025,

Soil | Australia state of the environment 2021, accessed August 1, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

(PDF) Afforestation on bare lands – example of Ibar Gorge, Serbia - ResearchGate, accessed August 1, 2025,

Preview of Soil | Australia state of the environment 2021, accessed August 3, 2025,

Soil | Australia state of the environment 2021, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support

The effects of clipping frequency and nitrogen fertilisation on greenhouse gas emissions and net ecosystem exchange in an Australian temperate grassland - CSIRO PUBLISHING | The Rangeland Journal

Preview of Soil erosion as a resilience drain in disturbed tropical forests, accessed July 22, 2025,

Soil erosion as a resilience drain in disturbed tropical forests, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

The impact of deforestation - The Tropical Rainforest, accessed August 1, 2025,

Preview of Soil health: the foundation of sustainable agriculture - 2001 workshop proceedings - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed August 1, 2025,

Soil health: the foundation of sustainable agriculture - 2001 workshop proceedings - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed August 1, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Soil health: the foundation of sustainable agriculture - 2001 workshop proceedings - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed August 1, 2025,

Preview of Soil management for sustainable agriculture : background papers from a workshop organized by the Research Review Committee of th, accessed July 7, 2025

Soil management for sustainable agriculture : background papers from a workshop organized by the Research Review Committee of th, accessed July 7, 2025

Contextual Support Government

Soil management guides - NSW Department of Primary Industries

Preview of The Effect of Leaf Litter Cover on Surface Runoff and Soil Erosion in Northern China - PMC, accessed August 1, 2025,

The Effect of Leaf Litter Cover on Surface Runoff and Soil Erosion in Northern China - PMC, accessed August 1, 2025,

Contextual Support

The Effect of Leaf Litter Cover on Surface Runoff and Soil Erosion in Northern China - PMC, accessed August 1, 2025,

Preview of The future role of the National Park Forestry Zone in a ... - DCCEEW, accessed July 30, 2025,

The future role of the National Park Forestry Zone in a ... - DCCEEW, accessed July 30, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Norfolk Island Native Plants, accessed August 1, 2025,

Preview of TREE-COMPATIBLE GROUND COVERS FOR REFORESTATION AND EROSION CONTROL - Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, accessed August 1, 2025,

TREE-COMPATIBLE GROUND COVERS FOR REFORESTATION AND EROSION CONTROL - Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, accessed August 1, 2025,

Contextual Support

TREE-COMPATIBLE GROUND COVERS FOR REFORESTATION AND EROSION CONTROL - Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, accessed August 1, 2025,

Context

Region Australia
Biome Tropical & Subtropical Maritime Islands
Land Use Production Forestry
Assessment Pristine Reference
Evidence Type TargetCondition

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 22 Mar 2026

Notes

The optimal range is <10% bare ground, reflecting a 'best-on-offer' condition with minimal soil erosion risk. Levels between 10-30% indicate increasing risk, and >30% is a detrimental threshold indicating significant ecosystem degradation. A 'critically low' threshold is not ecologically relevant as lower bare ground is always better.