This data layer shows the distribution of Candidate Old Growth forest and other Successional Stages on Crown Land in Upper North East New South Wales as required by the Regional Forest Agreements (RFA). An expert panel convened by the NSW Environmental Heritage and Technical Committee (EHTC) in 1997 developed a process for the identification and derivation of the following Successional Stages:;
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Candidate Old Growth ;
Disturbed Old Growth ;
Mature Forest;
Disturbed Mature Forest;
Young Forest;
Recently Disturbed Forest;
Rainforest.;
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This data layer is an update of the original Successional Stages layer produced during the U/LNE Comprehensive Regional Assessment (CRA) process in 1998. The Comprehensive Regional Assessment Aerial Photographic Interpretation (CRAFTI) data were crucial for Successional Stage derivation, however they were not completed in time for derivation on freehold land in Upper North East (floristics) and all tenures in Lower North East (structure and floristics). The U/LNE Forest Agreements stipulate that data on freehold land will be updated when CRAFTI data become available. With the finalisation of the digital CRAFTI layer in September 2000, Successional Stages could be derived across freehold lands. ;
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The same methodology for deriving the original Successional Stages layer during the CRA (RACD 1999a) was used for this process. Distribution of Candidate Old Growth forest and other Successional Stages were derived by integrating structural maturity classes from 1:25,000 scale Aerial Photographic Interpretation (API), interpretability classes derived from vegetation mapping units, and disturbance history from CRAFTI and State Forests New South Wales (SFNSW) records. The rainforest component is an amalgamation of mapped data from SFNSW Forest Typing (Forestry Commission of NSW 1989) and CRAFTI taken from the Forest Ecosystems layer (RACD 1999b).;
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RFA projects dependent on the completion of the Successional Stages layer include fauna and flora habitat remodelling and derivation of old growth forest ecosystems on freehold land. The data will also be of use to the Department of Land and Water Conservation and Regional Vegetation Committees in land management decisions.;
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VIS ID 3891
