Ground Cover - Tree Canopy

AUS-TSR-FOR-TCC General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

No specific value — see range

Range: 60 to 70 %

Optimal Range: 60 to 70

Direction: Higher is desirable ↑

Form: OptimalRange

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 4 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 3 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

OptimalRange Primary OptimalRange Guard MinimumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard

Evidence & Context

This derived range is proposed as the reference benchmark for a production rainforest in a state of high environmental health immediately following a sustainable harvesting event.

Metric Definition:

Percentage of Tree Canopy Cover remaining post-harvest in production forestry systems within Australia's Tropical and Subtropical Rainforests biome.

Benchmark Definition:

A post-harvest Tree Canopy Cover range representing a sustainable management target balancing ecological health and timber production in tropical and subtropical rainforest production forestry.

Justification:

The benchmark is founded upon a robust, long-term empirical study linking basal area retention to ecological integrity, translated scientifically to canopy cover with moderate confidence due to modeling uncertainty.

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 Journal

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

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Supporting Sources (10)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

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

View Source

AUSTRALIA'S STATE OF THE FORESTS REPORT - DAFF, accessed July 12, 2025,

Regulatory Framework Journal

Final report Advice on finalising Draft Private Native Forestry Codes of Practice March 2022

View Source

AUSTRALIA'S STATE OF THE FORESTS REPORT - DAFF, accessed July 20, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

AUSTRALIA'S STATE OF THE FORESTS REPORT - DAFF

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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

Full article: Estimating the extent of selective timber harvesting in private native eucalypt forests with multi-temporal lidar - Taylor and Francis

View Source

Indicators of Rainforest Recovery from Disturbance - Preprints.org, accessed July 20, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

Australia's native forests and wood production - DAFF

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Land | State of the Environment Report 2011, accessed August 10, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Reef Trust Phase IVGully and Stream Bank Toolbox ... - DCCEEW

View Source

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

Contextual Support Journal

Land | State of the Environment Report 2011

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

Regeneration changes in tree species abundance diversity and structure in logged and unlogged subtropical rainforest over a 36-y - CiteSeerX

View Source

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

View Source

Context

Region Australia
Biome Tropical & Subtropical Rainforests
Land Use Production Forestry
Assessment Conservation Target
Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 9 Jun 2026

Notes

The range reflects a 'best-on-offer' condition balancing ecological health and production viability in Australian subtropical rainforest production forestry.

Related Benchmarks

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