04/03/2011 – “Oh, what a season”, eucalypt forests repair.

Victorian eucalypt forests have experienced one of their best seasons of growth and establishment in over a decade. Rainfall totals of over 300% of long term averages have fallen across the Great Dividing Range, bringing perfect conditions for regrowth of young eucalypts - following both bushfire and timber harvesting. Forest Solutions has monitored the progress of two major forest rehabilitation operations since early 2010; the VicForests Connors salvage operation, and the operational regeneration of harvested coupes in East Gippsland. New germinations of eucalypt seed have continued throughout summer, "....a very unusual situation", reports Director Owen Bassett. Coupled with the skill and excellent management applied by VicForests' regeneration team, the successful regeneration of these salvage coupes is now virtually assured. Understorey species are also returning in diverse numbers, and at densities in-line with EVC benchmarks. The monitoring results indicate the powerful resilience of Victoria's native forests to such disturbances. "We do have the skills and knowledge to sustainably use and regenerate native forests, including the capacity to assist forest recovery following bushfires", Owen stated.