Sustainable timber harvesting: simulation studies in the tropical rainforests of north Queensland

Although logging ceased in the tropical rainforests of north Queensland following their World Heritage Listing in 1988, they provide a good basis for simulation studies on sustainability of timber harvesting as reliable logging records, inventory and growth data are available. A growth model for these forests has been developed and published. The growth model is dynamic, responding to changes in stand density, composition and management history. A harvesting simulator predicts the trees removed by selection logging, and predicts changes on the residual stand. Simulation studies employ cutting cycle analysis and yield scheduling to demonstrate the sustainability of harvesting. These studies indicate that selection harvesting could sustain a viable timber harvest of about 60 000 m3 year−1. These results are indicative rather than definitive, as the model has not yet been formally validated with independent data.