Victoria’s forests have been subject to extensive deforestation and forest degradation over the past 150 years. This has resulted from land clearing, logging, repeated fire, and the interaction of these drivers. Biodiversity is declining, key components of stand structure have been subject to widespread loss, large areas of forest have failed to regenerate, and much of the forest estate is now in a highly flammable state. At the same time, the native forest logging industry has been highly uneconomic for several decades, with large debts and major declines in employment. A new trajectory for Victoria’s forests is clearly needed. This talk presents a western-science-based vision for the future underpinned by 40 years of detailed empirical studies. The vision includes an expanded and co-managed park system, and investments in forest regeneration, feral animal control, and targeted fire management.

About the speaker:

Professor David Lindenmayer is a world-leading expert in forest ecology and resource management, conservation science, and biodiversity conservation. Based ‪@AustralianNationalUniversity‬'s Fenner School of Science and Society, he currently runs 5 large-scale, long-term research programs in south-eastern Australia, primarily associated with developing ways to conserve biodiversity in farmland, wood production forests, plantations, and reserves. He has maintained some of the largest, long-term research programs in Australia, with some exceeding 39 years in duration.

Produced by the Royal Society of Victoria for "The Future of Victoria's Native Forests: A Public Symposium" with the support of the Alluvium Foundation. The symposium was delivered in partnership with the Alluvium Foundation, Friends of the Earth Melbourne and the Victorian National Parks Association.