Hon Giz Watson asks about the cause and extent of damage to jarrah and marri trees along the Albany and Brookton Highways, and how the Department of Environment and Conservation accounts for frost damage in growth rate estimates. The Minister acknowledges some damage possibly due to frost, but the extent hasn't been determined.

AnsweredQoN 690Legislative Council
Asked
19 September 2012
Portfolio
Environment

QuestionView source ↗

NATIVE FORESTS — FROST DAMAGE
690. Hon GIZ WATSON to the minister representing the
Minister for Environment:
I refer to the recent severe damage to jarrah and marri trees
visible along the Albany and Brookton Highways.
(1) Has the
severe damage been caused by frost?
(2) If yes to
(1), what is the area of jarrah and jarrah–marri forest impacted by
frost so far this winter?
(3) If no to
(1), what is the cause of the damage and what is the area of jarrah and jarrah–marri
forest impacted by this cause?
(4) How does
the Department of Environment and Conservation take into account past, current
and future frost damage in its estimates of the growth rates of jarrah, karri
and marri trees?

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the honourable member for some notice of this
question.
(1) There has
been some damage to trees across the jarrah forest within the area of the Albany
and Brookton Highways that may be as a result of frost.
(2) The extent
of the area impacted by frost in the jarrah forest has not been determined by
the Department of Environment and Conservation.
(3) Not
applicable.
(4) The
effects of frost and other types of damage on tree growth rates are taken into
account through measurements of trees in inventory plots so that any impacts
are accounted for in the recorded growth rates, which are then used as the
basis to estimate future growth rates.

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