Bare Ground

AUS-TSR-FOR-BAR General High confidence

Benchmark Value

24 %
Range: 0 to 24 %
Thresholds: Lower: —, Upper: 24
Optimal Range: 0 to 24
Direction: Lower is desirable ↓
Form: Point

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

It states that "the average overall mechanical ground disturbance in a normal harvesting operation is in the order of 24 percent".

Metric Definition:

Percentage of the soil surface that is exposed mineral soil, completely devoid of coverage from either living vegetation or the protective organic litter layer.

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents the percentage of bare ground, defined as exposed mineral soil without vegetation or organic litter, in tropical and subtropical rainforest production forestry in Australia. The value of 24% indicates the upper limit of acceptable mechanical ground disturbance during normal harvesting operations to minimize environmental impact.

Justification:

The benchmark is derived from the "average overall mechanical ground disturbance" documented for the historical polycyclic selection logging system in North Queensland's tropical rainforests, a system widely regarded as a successful, long-term model of sustainable production forestry in this sensitive biome.

Sources (3)

Preview of Effects of Selection Logging on Rainforest Productivity - UQ eSpace, accessed July 20, 2025,
Effects of Selection Logging on Rainforest Productivity - UQ eSpace, accessed July 20, 2025, Journal

A review of forest practice codes in Australia, accessed July 20, 2025

View Source
Preview of Polycyclic Selection System for the Tropical Rainforests of Northern Australia1 - USDA Forest Service
Polycyclic Selection System for the Tropical Rainforests of Northern Australia1 - USDA Forest Service Journal

Selective logging impacts on soil microbial communities and functioning in Bornean tropical forest - Frontiers, accessed July 21, 2025

View Source
Preview of TROPICAL RAINFOREST LOGGING IN NORTH ... - CiteSeerX
TROPICAL RAINFOREST LOGGING IN NORTH ... - CiteSeerX

TROPICAL RAINFOREST LOGGING IN NORTH ... - CiteSeerX, accessed July 20, 2025

View Source

Supporting Sources (13)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of Best practice farming in Great Barrier Reef catchments | Business ..., accessed July 25, 2025,
Best practice farming in Great Barrier Reef catchments | Business ..., accessed July 25, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Best practice farming in Great Barrier Reef catchments | Business Queensland, accessed July 20, 2025

View Source
Preview of Certification | Department of Primary Industries, Queensland, accessed August 1, 2025,
Certification | Department of Primary Industries, Queensland, accessed August 1, 2025,
Regulatory Framework Journal

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

View Source
Preview of Environment Monitoring Systems & Data for Ecosystem Studies ..., accessed July 30, 2025,
Environment Monitoring Systems & Data for Ecosystem Studies ..., accessed July 30, 2025,
Methodology Source GreyLiterature

TERN Ecosystem Surveillance & Environmental Monitoring Systems

View Source
Preview of Ground Cover Monitoring for Australia - DAFF, accessed May 11, 2025
Ground Cover Monitoring for Australia - DAFF, accessed May 11, 2025
Contextual Support Government

Grazing-management-for-soil-carbon-in-Australia-A-review.pdf - University of Tasmania, accessed April 29, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Maintaining groundcover to reduce erosion and sustain production - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed July 22, 2025,
Maintaining groundcover to reduce erosion and sustain production - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed July 22, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Lang, D. (1979). Groundcover for pastures. Journal of Soil Conservation NSW.

View Source
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

View Source
Preview of Predicting the impact of logging activities on soil erosion and water quality in steep, forested tropical islands - the UWA Profiles and Research Repository - The University of Western Australia, accessed July 20, 2025
Predicting the impact of logging activities on soil erosion and water quality in steep, forested tropical islands - the UWA Profiles and Research Repository - The University of Western Australia, accessed July 20, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Predicting the impact of logging activities on soil erosion and water quality in steep, forested tropical islands - the UWA Profiles and Research Repository - The University of Western Australia, accessed July 20, 2025

View Source
Preview of Preventing and managing erosion | Environment, land and water | Queensland Government, accessed July 20, 2025,
Preventing and managing erosion | Environment, land and water | Queensland Government, accessed July 20, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Erosion & Sediment Control Guide for Building Sites - Clearwater, accessed July 20, 2025

View Source
Preview of Queensland deforestation - Wilderness Society, accessed July 22, 2025,
Queensland deforestation - Wilderness Society, accessed July 22, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Queensland deforestation - Wilderness Society, accessed July 20, 2025

View Source
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

View Source
Preview of TROPICAL SOILS | Terrain NRM, accessed July 16, 2025,
TROPICAL SOILS | Terrain NRM, accessed July 16, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

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

View Source
Preview of Untitled - HESS, accessed July 20, 2025
Untitled - HESS, accessed July 20, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Untitled - HESS, accessed July 20, 2025

View Source
Preview of VI.† Evaluation of the RUSLE and MUSLE models to assess the impact of clearing brigalow (Acacia harpophylla) on sediment yield - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Soil Research, accessed July 20, 2025
VI.† Evaluation of the RUSLE and MUSLE models to assess the impact of clearing brigalow (Acacia harpophylla) on sediment yield - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Soil Research, accessed July 20, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Soil Research - CSIRO PUBLISHING, accessed July 12, 2025

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Tropical & Subtropical Rainforests
  • Land Use Production Forestry
  • Assessment Pristine Reference
  • Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

  • Status Active
  • Version 1
  • Effective From 22 Mar 2026

Notes

Functional Range Analysis: For this indicator, lower is always better. A Lower Critical Threshold is not applicable, as 0% bare ground represents the ideal, undisturbed state. The Optimal Range is 0–24%, where the management goal is to minimize bare ground as much as operationally feasible. The benchmark value of 24% functions as the Upper Detrimental Threshold for a well-managed system; exceeding this level indicates practices that fall short of documented best practice and lead to accelerated erosion, nutrient loss, and water quality degradation.