Ground Cover - Tree Canopy

AUS-TSR-FOR-TCC General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

40 %
Thresholds: Lower: 40, 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 9 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 8 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

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

Evidence & Context

The data clearly indicates a threshold below which forest health and long-term productivity are significantly compromised. The "Intensive logging" scenarios, which involve removing 65-80% of the basal area, result in a post-harvest canopy cover inferred to be below 40%.

Metric Definition:

Post-harvest Tree Canopy Cover threshold below which forest health and long-term productivity are compromised

Benchmark Definition:

Lower critical threshold for Tree Canopy Cover below which ecosystem function is impaired in Australia's Tropical and Subtropical Rainforests production forestry.

Justification:

Canopy cover below approximately 40% is associated with intensive logging that compromises long-term ecological integrity and productivity.

Sources (1)

Preview of Modelling growth, recruitments and mortality to describe and simulate dynamics of subtropical rainforests following different levels of disturbance
Modelling growth, recruitments and mortality to describe and simulate dynamics of subtropical rainforests following different levels of disturbance
View Source

Supporting Sources (10)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of Australia's State of the Forests Report - 2013 - DAFF, accessed July 20, 2025
Australia's State of the Forests Report - 2013 - DAFF, accessed July 20, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Australia's State of the Forests Report - 2013 - DAFF, accessed July 20, 2025

View Source
Preview of AUSTRALIA'S STATE OF THE FORESTS REPORT - DAFF, accessed July 12, 2025,
AUSTRALIA'S STATE OF THE FORESTS REPORT - DAFF, accessed July 12, 2025,
Regulatory Framework Journal

The Influence of Compaction and Soil Strength on the Establishment of Four Australian Landscape Trees | Arboriculture & Urban Forestry, accessed May 15, 2025

View Source
Preview of AUSTRALIA'S STATE OF THE FORESTS REPORT - DAFF, accessed July 20, 2025
AUSTRALIA'S STATE OF THE FORESTS REPORT - DAFF, accessed July 20, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

(PDF) Modelling growth, recruitments and mortality to describe and simulate dynamics of subtropical rainforests following different levels of disturbance - ResearchGate, accessed July 20, 2025

View Source
Preview of ecosystem services in a forest landscape facing significant changes Eleanor Rosemary Tew - CORE, accessed July 20, 2025
ecosystem services in a forest landscape facing significant changes Eleanor Rosemary Tew - CORE, accessed July 20, 2025
Contextual Support

ecosystem services in a forest landscape facing significant changes Eleanor Rosemary Tew - CORE, accessed July 20, 2025

View Source
Preview of Full article: Estimating the extent of selective timber harvesting in private native eucalypt forests with multi-temporal lidar - Taylor and Francis, accessed July 20, 2025
Full article: Estimating the extent of selective timber harvesting in private native eucalypt forests with multi-temporal lidar - Taylor and Francis, accessed July 20, 2025
Methodology Source Journal

sustainable native forest management - Queensland Government publications, accessed July 20, 2025

View Source
Preview of Indicators of Rainforest Recovery from Disturbance - Preprints.org, accessed July 20, 2025
Indicators of Rainforest Recovery from Disturbance - Preprints.org, accessed July 20, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Australia's native forests and wood production - DAFF

View Source
Preview of Land | State of the Environment Report 2011, accessed August 10, 2025,
Land | State of the Environment Report 2011, accessed August 10, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Regenerative Land Management | HEALTHY SOILS AUSTRALIA, accessed May 11, 2025

View Source
Preview of Land | State of the Environment Report 2011, accessed July 20, 2025
Land | State of the Environment Report 2011, accessed July 20, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Land | State of the Environment Report 2011, accessed July 20, 2025

View Source
Preview of Regeneration changes in tree species abundance diversity and structure in logged and unlogged subtropical rainforest over a 36-y - CiteSeerX, accessed July 20, 2025
Regeneration changes in tree species abundance diversity and structure in logged and unlogged subtropical rainforest over a 36-y - CiteSeerX, accessed July 20, 2025
Contextual Support

Earth Observation: Data, Processing and Applications Volume 2C, accessed July 20, 2025

View Source
Preview of The Long-Term Survival and Growth of Enrichment Plantings in ..., accessed July 17, 2025,
The Long-Term Survival and Growth of Enrichment Plantings in ..., accessed July 17, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Reforestation in the Tropics and Subtropics of Australia, accessed July 20, 2025

View Source

Context

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

Lifecycle

  • Status Active
  • Version 1
  • Effective From 24 Mar 2026

Notes

This threshold corresponds to intensive logging practices that lead to degraded ecosystem states and unsustainable recovery times of 180-220 years.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-TSR-FOR-TCC family.

— % Moderate
Production Forestry · Pristine Reference
OptimalRange Active v1
80 % Moderate
Production Forestry · Pristine Reference
UpperThreshold Active v1