Ground Cover - Tree Canopy

AUS-TSR-LVG-TCC General Low confidence

Benchmark Value

50 %

Direction: Higher is desirable ↑

Form: MaximumOnly

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 19 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 18 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

OptimalRange Primary MinimumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard MinimumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard MinimumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard MinimumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard MinimumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard MaximumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard MinimumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard Point Guard MinimumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard

Evidence & Context

A TCC above 50% is considered detrimental to the health of a sustainable grazing system.

Metric Definition:

Tree Canopy Cover (TCC) is defined as the area of ground covered by the vertical projection of the outermost perimeter of tree crowns.

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents the maximum Tree Canopy Cover above which pasture productivity and grazing system health decline due to woody encroachment in tropical and subtropical rainforest grazing lands.

Justification:

Supported by modeling and empirical studies showing severe pasture suppression and reduced carrying capacity above 50% TCC.

Sources (1)

Preview of Silvopastoral systems as a strategy for drought resilience: A short international review - Silva Balcanica, accessed July 19, 2025,

Silvopastoral systems as a strategy for drought resilience: A short international review - Silva Balcanica, accessed July 19, 2025,

Deforestation for Pasture Development – Has It Been Worth It? - UKnowledge

Supporting Sources (24)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of A Revegetation Guide for Sub-Tropical Forest - Greening Australia, accessed July 16, 2025,

A Revegetation Guide for Sub-Tropical Forest - Greening Australia, accessed July 16, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

World Heritage places - Gondwana Rainforests of Australia - DCCEEW, accessed July 21, 2025,

Preview of Agroforestry and silvopastoral systems - Timber Queensland, accessed July 19, 2025,

Agroforestry and silvopastoral systems - Timber Queensland, accessed July 19, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Agroforestry and silvopastoral systems - Timber Queensland, accessed July 19, 2025,

Preview of An online system for calculating and delivering long-term carrying capacity information for Queensland grazing properties. Part 2: modelling and outputs - CSIRO Publishing

An online system for calculating and delivering long-term carrying capacity information for Queensland grazing properties. Part 2: modelling and outputs - CSIRO Publishing

Contextual Support Journal

An online system for calculating and delivering long-term carrying capacity information for Queensland grazing properties. Part 2: modelling and outputs - CSIRO Publishing

Preview of Australia's forests – overview - DAFF, accessed on May 25, 2025,

Australia's forests – overview - DAFF, accessed on May 25, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Resistance and resilience of the forest soil microbiome to logging-associated compaction

Preview of Case studies | Environment, land and water | Queensland Government, accessed July 19, 2025,

Case studies | Environment, land and water | Queensland Government, accessed July 19, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Case studies | Environment, land and water | Queensland Government, accessed July 19, 2025,

Preview of Do we really need to burn the bushes? 29 years of the Kidman Springs Fire Experiment, NT, accessed July 19, 2025,

Do we really need to burn the bushes? 29 years of the Kidman Springs Fire Experiment, NT, accessed July 19, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

B.ERM.0108 - Wambiana: Grazing strategies and tools to improve profitability and land condition | Meat & Livestock Australia - MLA

Preview of Experience and science a winning combo in arid-lands monitoring | TERN Australia, accessed May 13, 2025,

Experience and science a winning combo in arid-lands monitoring | TERN Australia, accessed May 13, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

ARID LANDS OF AUSTRALIA - Open Research Repository

Preview of Forest canopy cover and canopy closure: Comparison of assessment techniques, accessed July 19, 2025,

Forest canopy cover and canopy closure: Comparison of assessment techniques, accessed July 19, 2025,

Contextual Support

Forest canopy cover and canopy closure: Comparison of assessment techniques, accessed July 19, 2025,

Preview of Grazing management of Australian native woody regeneration as an effective nature-based climate-change solution - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 10, 2025,

Grazing management of Australian native woody regeneration as an effective nature-based climate-change solution - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 10, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Do regenerative grazing management practices improve vegetation and soil health in grazed rangelands? Preliminary insights from a space for time study in the Great Barrier Reef catchments - CSIRO Research Publications Repository, accessed July 23, 2025

Preview of Grazing Management Principles No.3 - Local Land Services, accessed July 31, 2025

Grazing Management Principles No.3 - Local Land Services, accessed July 31, 2025

Contextual Support Government

Private Native Forestry Code of Practice for Cypress and Western Hardwood Forests - Local Land Services

Preview of Ground cover monitoring methods - Reef Water Quality Report Card 2020, accessed July 19, 2025,

Ground cover monitoring methods - Reef Water Quality Report Card 2020, accessed July 19, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Ecological consequences of land clearing and policy reform in Queensland - ResearchGate, accessed July 19, 2025,

Preview of Kidman Springs fire experiment (Shruburn) - FutureBeef, accessed July 19, 2025,

Kidman Springs fire experiment (Shruburn) - FutureBeef, accessed July 19, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Kidman Springs fire experiment (Shruburn) - FutureBeef, accessed July 19, 2025,

Preview of Landscape-level thresholds of habitat cover for woodland-dependent birds

Landscape-level thresholds of habitat cover for woodland-dependent birds

Direct Evidence

Landscape-level thresholds of habitat cover for woodland-dependent birds

Preview of Little left to lose: deforestation and forest degradation in Australia since European colonization | Journal of Plant Ecology | Oxford Academic, accessed July 12, 2025,

Little left to lose: deforestation and forest degradation in Australia since European colonization | Journal of Plant Ecology | Oxford Academic, accessed July 12, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Little left to lose: deforestation and forest degradation in Australia since European colonization | Journal of Plant Ecology | Oxford Academic

Preview of Scattered trees are keystone structures – Implications for conservation, accessed July 19, 2025,

Scattered trees are keystone structures – Implications for conservation, accessed July 19, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

How to Increase Soil Fertility with Mixed-Species Planting - SONIC Natural Farming

Preview of Shade alters savanna grass layer structure and function along a gradient of canopy cover | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed July 19, 2025,

Shade alters savanna grass layer structure and function along a gradient of canopy cover | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed July 19, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Shade alters savanna grass layer structure and function along a gradient of canopy cover | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed July 19, 2025,

Preview of Shelterbelts | MP Landcare, accessed August 12, 2025

Shelterbelts | MP Landcare, accessed August 12, 2025

Contextual Support

Shelterbelts | MP Landcare, accessed August 12, 2025

Preview of Silvopastoral trials of commercial pine systems in North Queensland ..., accessed July 19, 2025,

Silvopastoral trials of commercial pine systems in North Queensland ..., accessed July 19, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Silvopastoral trials of commercial pine systems in North Queensland ..., accessed July 19, 2025,

Preview of Silvopasture - A sustainable land management practice for healthier, wealthier farms, accessed July 19, 2025,

Silvopasture - A sustainable land management practice for healthier, wealthier farms, accessed July 19, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Silvopasture - A sustainable land management practice for healthier, wealthier farms, accessed July 19, 2025,

Preview of Standing volume yield, canopy structure and allometric relationships of dominant urban trees in Melbourne, Australia - Treenet, accessed July 19, 2025,

Standing volume yield, canopy structure and allometric relationships of dominant urban trees in Melbourne, Australia - Treenet, accessed July 19, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Poplar box woodlands of Eastern Australia: an assessment of a threatened ecological community within the IVC framework - Vegetation Classification and Survey, accessed July 19, 2025,

Preview of Statewide Landcover and Trees Study - Methodology overview v1.2 - Queensland Government, accessed July 19, 2025,

Statewide Landcover and Trees Study - Methodology overview v1.2 - Queensland Government, accessed July 19, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Statewide Landcover and Trees Study - Methodology overview v1.2 - Queensland Government

Preview of The contribution of trees and grasses to productivity of an Australian tropical savanna - BG, accessed July 19, 2025,

The contribution of trees and grasses to productivity of an Australian tropical savanna - BG, accessed July 19, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

The contribution of trees and grasses to productivity of an Australian tropical savanna - BG, accessed July 19, 2025,

Preview of Understanding the spatiotemporal dynamics of understorey biomass in semi-arid woodlands of south-eastern Australia - CSIRO PUBLISHING | The Rangeland Journal, accessed July 15, 2025

Understanding the spatiotemporal dynamics of understorey biomass in semi-arid woodlands of south-eastern Australia - CSIRO PUBLISHING | The Rangeland Journal, accessed July 15, 2025

Contextual Support

Responses of grass productivity traits to bush clearing in semi-arid rangelands in North-West Province of South Africa - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 10, 2025

Preview of Urban Tree Database and Allometric Equations - Forest Service, accessed July 19, 2025,

Urban Tree Database and Allometric Equations - Forest Service, accessed July 19, 2025,

Methodology Source Journal

Comparison of Canopy Volume Measurements of Scattered Eucalypt Farm Trees Derived from High Spatial Resolution Imagery and LiDAR - MDPI, accessed July 19, 2025,

Context

Region Australia
Biome Tropical & Subtropical Rainforests
Land Use Livestock Grazing & Pasture
Assessment Not Stated
Evidence Type DegradationThreshold

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 9 Jun 2026

Notes

Exceeding 50% TCC leads to competition for light, water, and nutrients, causing significant decline in pasture productivity. AssessmentContext defaulted to 'Not Stated' because the source document did not state one.

Related Benchmarks

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