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Rainforest in Victoria facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Victoria, a state in Australia, has about 32,000 hectares of special forests called temperate rainforests. This is a small part of the state, only about 0.14% of its total area. You can find these rainforests in different places across Victoria. Some of these areas include East Gippsland, the Strzelecki Ranges, Wilsons Promontory, the Central Highlands, and the Otway Ranges. These rainforests are not all the same; they can be cool temperate, warm temperate, or a mix of cool temperate types.

Protecting Victoria's Rainforests

Rainforests in Victoria are very important. There are special rules to protect them, especially in areas where trees are harvested. These rules are part of something called the Code of Practice for Timber Production.

What the Rules Say

The rules state that rainforests in Victoria must not be cut down. They also say that rainforests need to be protected from any harm caused by tree harvesting. This means creating special buffer zones around them. These zones help keep the rainforests safe. They protect the unique climate inside the forest. They also help prevent diseases or other problems from spreading.

Challenges in Protection

Even with these rules, some parts of the mixed cool temperate rainforests have not been fully mapped. This makes it harder to protect them properly. There are also no checks done before logging to find these specific forest types.

Old-Growth Forests

Very old forests, known as Old-growth forests, are also meant to be protected. These forests have trees that started growing before the 1900s. They are home to many different plants and animals.

National Parks Keep Forests Safe

Many of Victoria's rainforests are located inside national parks. When a rainforest is in a national park, it is protected from logging. This helps keep these special areas safe for the future.

Why Logging Harms Rainforests

A type of logging called clearfell, or coupe logging, is used in Victoria. This method cuts down all the trees in an area. Rainforests cannot grow back after this type of logging. This is why protecting them is so important.

Unique Plants of the Rainforest

Victoria's rainforests are home to many different plant species. These plants make the rainforests special and different from other nearby forests. Here is a list of some of the unique plants you can find in these amazing places.

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Rainforest in Victoria Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.