Armidale State Forest rehabilitation project
Background
Armidale State Forest has a unique, varied past. Some of the exotic pine trees were planted as far back as 1908 and a large majority of the forest was planted prior to the second world war.
The 2019-2020 drought has severely impacted the health of trees across the forest but has most severely impacted the oldest stands of trees.
Dead and dying trees present a safety hazard as large limbs, branches and the trees themselves will begin to fall. See more in the video below.
What will happen?
Forestry Corporation staff and contractors will be selectively removing dead and dying trees over the next 12 months.
The intention is to try and keep as many mature trees as possible. The space created by removing some trees should be taken up by the remaining trees and some naturally regrown trees that have already begun to grow.
There will also be some slashing of areas for fire and weed suppression as well as mulching of certain areas to remove shrubs and woody weeds. The work will take place in stages, as outlined below.
Stage 1:
- Dead Tree Removal – MTB Entrance towards NEMAS
- Mechanical Weed Control – Section 1
Stage 2:
- Dead Tree Removal western side
- Mechanical Weed control – MTB Entrance towards NEMAS
Stage 3
- Monitor regrowth of pinus species
- Mechanical weed control in remaining areas
Stage 4:
- Supplementary planting if required
- Ongoing weed control
Latest updates (July 2024)
Road maintenance was carried out through out much of the forest in late January and February with many of the roads throughout the forest receiving a maintenance grade and roll.
Around the same time, Forestry Corporation was assisted by the RFS State Mitigation crews to do some fuel hazard reduction works and cleanup dead trees west of Tilbuster Ponds Creek around the picnic area, which was much appreciated.
The Eastern side of the forest is proving more difficult to manage, and although the original intention was maintain as many mature trees as possible after the original harvesting operation many of the retained trees have been blown during wind events.
This situation has continued to deteriorate over the recent weeks with more wet and windy weather triggering more drought damaged trees to fall and pose a risk to the general public.
As such it has been a difficult but necessary decision to close off that part of part of the forest until conditions improve in order to complete the harvesting operation in this section of the forest, unfortunately this area will remain closed to the general public until that time.
The below photos show examples of fallen trees in the forest and cleaned area.
The future
Forestry Corporation is currently reviewing the plan of management for this forest with key stakeholders.
As a general principle we are not seeking to change the overall species makeup of the forest. We will be working to maintain what is now in the forest as much as possible.