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{{Short description|Bioregion in
{{For|the ecosystem|Jarrah forest}}
{{Use Australian English|date=July 2017}}
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|border1 = [[Jarrah-Karri forest and shrublands]] ([[Warren (biogeographic region)|Warren]] bioregion)
|border2 = [[Southwest Australia savanna]] ([[Avon Wheatbelt]] bioregion),
|border3 = [[Swan Coastal Plain Shrublands and Woodlands]]
|border4 = [[Banksia Woodlands of the Swan Coastal Plain]]
|area = 46,150
|country = [[Australia]]
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|region_type = [[States of Australia|state]]
|elevation =
|coordinates = {{coord|-33.491|117.028|type:forest_globe:earth_region:AU|display=ti}}
|geology =
|seas =
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== Flora ==
[[File:Eucalyptus marginata 2.jpg|thumb|Eucalyptus marginata]]
Jarrah Forest is unique in that it
The eastern forest is largely wandoo woodland, dominated by the canopy species wandoo (''[[Eucalyptus wandoo]]''), and, on breakaways, powderbark (also known as powderbark wandoo) (''[[Eucalyptus accedens]]'').<ref name = anra/><ref name=JF2>{{cite web|last=Hearn |first=Roger |last2=Williams |first2=Kim |last3=Comer |first3=Sarah |author4=Brett Beecham |title=Jarrah Forest 2 (JF2 – Southern Jarrah Forest subregion) |work=A Biodiversity Audit of Western Australia’s 53 Biogeographical Subregions in 2002 |publisher=The Department of Conservation and Land Management |date=January 2002 |url=https://www.dpaw.wa.gov.au/images/documents/about/science/projects/waaudit/jarrah_forest02_p382-405.pdf |access-date=8 May 2012}}</ref> Other eucalypts in these eastern areas include York gum (''[[Eucalyptus loxophleba]]'').<ref name = anra/> The upland areas are particularly rich in plant life, while the drier inland plateau is less so. The wetter valleys with fertile soils contain flooded gum (''[[Eucalyptus rudis]]''), bullich (''[[Eucalyptus megacarpa]]'') and blackbutt (''[[Eucalyptus patens]]'').<ref name=anra>{{cite web
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[[File:W.-Australia(1892) p053 JARRAH FOREST, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.jpg|thumbnail|Portion of a jarrah forest in 1890]]
The first evidence of human habitation of the region was 50,000 years ago at [[Devil's Lair]] by ancestors of today's Aboriginal people.<ref name = fire>"Hassell, Cleve W., and Dodson, John R. (2003). "The fire history of south-west Western Australia prior to European
The [[Noongar]] are the Aboriginal inhabitants of the bioregion. The Noongar comprised 14 groups, which spoke distinct but mutually-intelligible languages. Aboriginal populations were generally denser on the coastal plain and along the coastal forest edge, and in the interior woodlands and shrublands, particularly near permanent streams and river estuaries. Population was sparse in the forested areas of the south.<ref name = fire/>
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Settlement of the region by Europeans began in the 19th century. Forests were logged for timber, and areas cleared for agriculture and pasture. The Noongar were dispossessed from much of the land, and the fire regime changed from one of deliberately-set low-intensity fires to one of general fire suppression, with accidental or lightning-set fires which are less frequent but often more intense.
Jarrah (''[[Eucalyptus marginata]]'') is considered one of the best general purpose hardwoods in the world. The British started logging the jarrah forest in the 1840s to produce timber for use in construction, transport and power, and to protect water supplies.<ref name="Abbott et al 2003">Abbott, I., Mellican, A., Craig, M. D., Williams, M., Liddelow, G., & Wheeler, I. (2003). Short-term logging and burning impacts on species richness, abundance and community structure of birds in open eucalypt forest in Western Australia. Wildlife Research, 30(4), 321-329.</ref> Logging was largely unregulated until the release of the Forests Act of 1918.<ref name="McCaw et al 2011" /> The following 50 years saw forest management expand to include water quality and yield, [[soil management]], rehabilitation of mined forest, recreation and nature conservation.<ref name="McCaw et al 2011" />
== Environmental threats ==
Most of Jarrah Forest has been cleared for agriculture, timber and mining, leading to the consequent degradation of flora and fauna species and ecosystems.<ref name="Nichols and Grant 2007" /> The areas managed for forest production have been logged two to three times such that this forest bears no resemblance to the original forest. This is further threatened by broad scale [[bauxite mining]] and the replacement of native vegetation with exotic grasses and weeds, introduced grazing species and predators such as the fox (''[[Vulpes vulpes]]'').<ref name="Nichols and Grant 2007" /><ref name="Burrows and Christensen 2002">Burrows, N. D., & Christensen, P. E. S. (2002). Long-term trends in native mammal capture rates in a jarrah forest in south-western Australia. Australian Forestry, 65(4), 211-219.</ref> Native flora also suffers from disease and exploitation of water sources for agriculture. Less anthropological threats include periodic wildfire, pathogens, variable climate and outbreaks of defoliating insects.<ref name="Farr et al 2011">Farr, J. D., Wills, A. J., Van Heurck, P. F., Mellican, A. E., & Williams, M. R. (2011). Forestcheck: the response of macro-invertebrates to silviculture in jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) forest. Australian Forestry, 74(4), 315-327.</ref>
=== Introduced species ===
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The loss of forest for agriculture and timber has resulted in diminishing population numbers of many fauna species.<ref name="Whitford 2002" /><ref name="Nichols and Grant 2007" /> Nine mammal and seventeen bird species are obligate users of tree hollows.<ref name="Whitford and Williams" /> Species that use large hollows usually have a relatively small home range and depend on their hollows for breeding.<ref name="Abbott and Whitford 2002" /> These species are most likely to be negatively impacted by logging.<ref name="Abbott and Whitford 2002" /> Roost sites (hollows) are critical for the persistence of insectivorous bats living in Jarrah Forest.<ref name="Whitford and Williams" /><ref name="Webala et al 2010">Webala, P. W., Craig, M. D., Law, B. S., Wayne, A. F., & Bradley, J. S. (2010). Roost site selection by southern forest bat Vespadelus regulus and Gould's long-eared bat Nyctophilus gouldi in logged jarrah forests; south-western Australia. Forest Ecology and Management, 260(10), 1780-1790.</ref> Spending a large portion of their lives in roosts, they are used as diurnal shelters, shelter during maternity, and shelter for bachelors, migrating and hibernation sites.<ref name="Webala et al 2010" /> Facilitating complex social interactions including information transfer, roost sites also act as breeding sites, they provide protection from bad weather and predators, they minimise parasite load and promote energy conservation.<ref name="Webala et al 2010" />
==== Mining ====
Mining in the Jarrah Forest has caused further habitat loss and fragmentation to the local environment, as well as being the source of several controversies. In November 2023, 154 Australian scientists part of the Leeuwin Group of Scientists condemned continued mining in the northern area, particularly by Alcoa, and accused the American company of not completely rehabilitating bauxite mines.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dee |first=Mel |date=2023-11-30 |title=Scientists take on mining giant |url=https://www.yourlocalexaminer.com.au/scientists-take-on-mining-giant/ |access-date=2024-01-07 |website=Your Local Examiner |language=en-US}}</ref> Alcoa had handed back areas of its original bauxite mine in Jarrahdale in 2005 and 2007.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Grant |first=Carl |last2=Koch |first2=John |date=2007 |title=Decommissioning Western Australia's First Bauxite Mine: Co‐evolving vegetation restoration techniques and targets |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1442-8903.2007.00346.x |journal=Ecological Management & Restoration |language=en |volume=8 |issue=2 |pages=92–105 |doi=10.1111/j.1442-8903.2007.00346.x |issn=1442-7001}}</ref> The group's claim that Alcoa was clearing {{Convert|8|km2|acre}} each year was denied by Alcoa, with Alcoa refuting the group's criticism.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-11-27 |title=Scientists urge Alcoa and WA government to avoid 'extinction catastrophe' and stop mining in jarrah forests |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-11-27/the-leeuwin-group-scientists-stop-alcoa-mining-wa-jarrah-forests/103155496 |access-date=2024-01-07 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU}}</ref> Along with concerns that Alcoa's operations could impact the drinking supply of [[Serpentine Dam (Western Australia)|Serpentine Dam]], WA's [[Environmental Protection Authority of Western Australia|Environmental Protection Authority]] (EPA) began looking into the company's operations and impacts.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ABC alcoa jarrah forest |url=https://www.bing.com/search?PC=U523&q=ABC+alcoa+jarrah+forest&FORM=ANAB01 |access-date=2024-01-07 |website= |language=en}}</ref> In December 2023, Premier Roger Cook began stricker control over Alcoa's mining operations ahead of the EPA's decision.<ref>{{Cite web |title=New framework to strengthen Alcoa's environmental approvals {{!}} Western Australian Government |url=https://www.wa.gov.au/government/media-statements/Cook%20Labor%20Government/New-framework-to-strengthen-Alcoa%27s-environmental-approvals-20231214 |access-date=2024-01-07 |website=www.wa.gov.au |language=en}}</ref>
=== Disease ===
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Protected areas include:<ref name = dopa/>
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* [[Avon Valley National Park]]
* [[Beelu National Park]]
* [[Blackwood River National Park]]
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* [[Wiltshire-Butler National Park]]
* [[Yelverton National Park]]
{{div col end}}
== Benefits of protection ==
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Studies of reptiles in Jarrah Forest show that the older a rehabilitated forest is, the greater the number of reptile species will be present.<ref name="Nichols and Nichols 2003" /> Species requiring particular habitats such as exfoliating bark (gecko ''[[Phyllodactylus marmoratus]]'') or deep leaf litter (blind snake ''[[Ramphotyphlops australis]]'') were not present in rehabilitated sites that were eight years old, but were present in those greater than twelve years old.<ref name="Nichols and Nichols 2003" /> Similarly, various rehabilitated sites were monitored and black cockatoos were found feeding only in rehabilitated forests established eight or more years ago, the time needed for food resources to become available.<ref name="Lee et al 2010">Lee, J., Finn, H., & Calver, M. C. (2010). Mine-site revegetation monitoring detects feeding by threatened black-cockatoos within 8 years. Ecological management & restoration, 11(2), 141-143.</ref> Birds rapidly colonise and 95% of species found in old growth Jarrah Forest are now in rehabilitated forests ten years or older.<ref name="Nichols and Grant 2007" /> The protection of old growth jarrah forest needs to continue, especially in the northern region and the best way to achieve this is to claw back some of the mining lease areas granted to Alcoa and Worsley and create substantial reserves with proper A Class status. Additionally jarrah forest needs to be rehabilitated to promote further growth, decrease fragmentation and to maintain and improve flora and fauna biodiversity, a process that may take decades.<ref name="Lee et al 2010" />
== References ==▼
{{Reflist|24em}}▼
== Further reading ==
* Dell, B., J.J. Havel, and N. Malajczuk (editors) (1989) ''The Jarrah Forest : a complex mediterranean ecosystem'' Dordrecht ; Boston : Kluwer Academic Publishers, {{ISBN|90-6193-658-6}}
* Thackway, R and I D Cresswell (1995) ''An interim biogeographic regionalisation for Australia : a framework for setting priorities in the National Reserves System Cooperative Program'' Version 4.0 Canberra : Australian Nature Conservation Agency, Reserve Systems Unit, 1995. {{ISBN|0-642-21371-2}}
▲== References ==
▲{{Reflist|24em}}
{{Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia (IBRA)|state=collapsed}}
{{Western Australia}}
[[Category:Jarrah Forest| ]]
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