Bare Ground

AUS-TSR-FOR-BAR General High confidence

Benchmark Value

24 %
Direction: Lower is desirable ↓
Form: MaximumOnly

Scoring Curve

Scoring curve unavailable

The scoring engine could not generate a curve for this benchmark context. The primary form is CompositeFramework, but the benchmark data may be missing required fields (e.g., optimal range bounds for an OptimalRange benchmark). This is typically a data quality issue in the benchmark pipeline.

Contributing Benchmarks

CompositeFramework Primary MaximumOnly Guard MinimumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard MaximumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard

Evidence & Context

The 24% figure for "average overall mechanical ground disturbance" is therefore a powerful, outcome-based metric.

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 maximum acceptable percentage of bare ground in tropical and subtropical rainforest production forestry in Australia, indicating sustainable management practices that minimize soil exposure and disturbance.

Justification:

Derived from documented historical practice of polycyclic selection logging in North Queensland's tropical rainforests, recognized as a successful sustainable forestry model.

Sources (1)

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

Supporting Sources (15)

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 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,
Direct Evidence Journal

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

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 Government

(PDF) Evaluation of genetic markers for the metabarcoding of ...

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

Guide to Erosion and Sediment Control in Urban Areas - NRCS Irrigation ToolBox Home Page

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 Government

D11 Control of Erosion and Sedimentation (Design) - Wingecarribee Shire Council

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

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

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

A Revegetation Guide for Sub-Tropical Forest - Greening Australia, accessed July 20, 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

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Tropical & Subtropical Rainforests
  • Land Use Production Forestry
  • Assessment Not Stated
  • Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

  • Status Active
  • Version 1
  • Effective From 7 Jun 2026

Notes

Lower Critical Threshold is not applicable as 0% bare ground represents the ideal undisturbed state. The optimal range is 0–24%, with 24% as the upper detrimental threshold beyond which soil erosion and degradation risks increase. AssessmentContext defaulted to 'Not Stated' because the source document did not state one.