Basal Area — Benchmark Detail

Benchmark Value

19 m²/ha

Direction: Higher 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 15 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 14 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

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

Evidence & Context

The value of 19.0 m²/ha, derived from the maximum stocking index (P95 BA) of the Corymbia citriodora forest type in the Lewis et al. (2021) study, is proposed as the primary reference benchmark.

Metric Definition:

Basal area is the total cross-sectional area of all tree stems in a stand, measured at breast height (1.3 meters above the ground), expressed as area per unit of land area.

Benchmark Definition:

Basal area represents the total cross-sectional area of tree stems per hectare in production forestry on tropical and subtropical maritime islands in Australia.

Justification:

The benchmark is based on the 95th percentile of basal area observed in well-managed, selectively harvested Corymbia citriodora dominated subtropical forests in Queensland, serving as the best available analogue for the target biome.

Sources (1)

Preview of Native Forests Show Resilience to Selective Timber Harvesting in Southeast Queensland, Australia

Native Forests Show Resilience to Selective Timber Harvesting in Southeast Queensland, Australia Journal

Resilience of selectively harvested forests to timber harvesting in subtropical Australia

View Source

Context

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

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 7 Jun 2026

Notes

Represents a fully stocked, high-functioning production forest where ecological functions and productive capacity are co-optimized. The forestry industry on the Tiwi Islands is transitioning, lacking long-term data for emerging systems. No upper detrimental threshold — higher values are always better up to natural saturation. AssessmentContext defaulted to 'Not Stated' because the source document did not state one.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-TMI-FOR-BAS family.