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Native Forest Regrowth

In the early part of the twentieth century most of the Strzeleckis was cleared for farming by settlers, or underwent selective logging.

The higher hills proved to be unsuitable for grazing and almost all of the settlers had left these areas by the 1960s. Most of the land was bought back by the Government and converted to plantation, but numerous pockets of regenerated native vegetation of mature age remained.

Over the last 30 to 40 years, selective logging has been replaced by clear felling and the rotation time for plantations has been reduced from 70 years to 25 years. At the same time most of the regenerated native vegetation has been cleared and replaced by young plantation. This process is continuing and removing all diversity of flora in both species and age.

The loss of age and species diversity is endangering the remaining native fauna in the Strzeleckis through fragmentation of habitat and reduction in populations to levels that may well be below future viability.

Please note that Victorian Plantations Corporation and possibly Hancock were selling Flora & Fauna Guarantee Act Tree ferns that had regenerated inside pine plantations during the 1990's. See here.