Basal Area — Benchmark Detail

Benchmark Value

11 m²/ha

Thresholds: Lower: 11, Upper: —

Direction: Higher is desirable ↑

Form: LowerThreshold

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 12 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 11 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

OptimalRange Primary MinimumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard Point Guard LowerThreshold Guard UpperThreshold Guard OptimalRange Guard OptimalRange Guard MinimumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard Point Guard MinimumOnly Guard

Evidence & Context

Similarly, the broader "Guidelines for sustainable forestry on private lands in NSW" establish a minimum post-harvest basal area of 11 m²/ha for the lowest productivity forest class (Productivity Class 1).

Metric Definition:

Basal Area (BA) is the total cross-sectional area of all tree stems in a given stand, measured at 1.3 meters above the ground (DBH), expressed as square meters per hectare (m²/ha).

Benchmark Definition:

The minimum basal area threshold of 11 m²/ha represents the regulatory lower limit for sustainable forest structure in low productivity sites.

Justification:

This threshold represents the regulatory minimum for lower-quality sites and the minimum structural and productive capital required for system viability.