Science and management strategies sought for dying tuarts, wandoos

9/11/06
The chronic decline in tuart and wandoo forests and woodlands in the South-West will be discussed at a symposium in Mandurah today.
Opening the Woodland Decline Symposium, Environment Minister Mark McGowan said it was unknown why many of the trees were sick and dying.
The symposium would see more than 300 researchers, community members and representatives from industry, State and local government meet to discuss the management implications of research conducted to date.
Mr McGowan said tuart woodlands between Mandurah and Preston Beach and wandoo woodlands from the Darling Scarp through to the Wheatbelt were affected by the decline.
"The underlying reasons for this decline are not clear but may be caused by fungal diseases, lack of water or nutrients, a change in fire management or changes in the ecological balance of native insects and their predators," he said.
"A significant amount of research has been conducted into the causes of this problem but there is still a long way to go.
"In the meantime though, it is important that we adapt our management techniques to use the knowledge we have gained to date to minimise any further decline."
The Minister said more than $1.5million had been allocated to research programs over the past three years through collaborative arrangements between the Commonwealth and State Governments, local authorities and industry.
"Research into the tuart decline is continuing and will expand investigations by using geographic information systems to map the extent and spread of tuart decline and look at the impact other factors have on tuart health," he said.
"We need to know more about the physiology of tuarts and whether injections of phosphite, nutrient supplements and insecticides can halt or slow the rate of decline."
Mr McGowan said there had been advances in the conservation and management of tuart and wandoo woodlands through the development of the Atlas of Tuart Woodlands on the Swan Coastal Plain, the preparation of a draft Tuart Conservation and Management Strategy - due for Government approval in 2006 - and through the implementation of the Wandoo Recovery Research Strategy.
The Minister said interest in native tree decline was also occurring at a national level, following an agreement by the Bushfire Co-operative Research Centre (CRC) to undertake a project to investigate Eucalypt Decline in the Absence of Fire.
"A three States assessment was recently completed by the CRC and research is now under way in Western Australia, in collaboration with Murdoch University's Tuart Health Research Group," he said.
"Murdoch University has also recently submitted a proposal for the creation of a Western Australian Centre of Excellence for Tree Decline Science and Management.
"This has been strongly supported by a range of State Government agencies because it will see all the organisations conducting research into woodland decline come together to form an integrated body.
"It will also allow the centre to form a stronger front when accessing funding."
Mr McGowan said the symposium represented an important milestone in understanding woodland decline and how it could be addressed.
"It also highlights a renewed emphasis on the health, conservation, protection and management of forests and woodlands in the South-West," he said.
Minister's office: 9222 9111