A preliminary survey of severe dieback in the coastal, mixed eucalypt forests of East Gippsland.  B. K. Ward and R. J. McKimm.  September 1980.  22 pp. (unpubl.)

SUMMARY

Aerial and ground surveys were conducted in the coastal eucalypt forests of east Gippsland during 1973-74 in order to determine the area and locations of forest affected by severe dieback. Over an area of approximately 253 000 ha about 300 patches of affected forest were found, varying in size from 0.5 to over 300 ha each, and totalling about 6000 ha.

The greatest area of severe dieback was recorded in the 800-900 mm rainfall zone on sites in the Wooyoot and Waygara land systems, and was generally associated with stands on poorly drained soils and flat direct terrain derived from Tertiary-Pliocene deposits, where Eucalyptus sieberi and E. globoidea were the dominant species. Some dieback-affected sites were found to be infected with Phytophthora cinnamomi, whereas the pathogen was infrequently found on sites unaffected by severe dieback.

It is likely that additional, extensive areas carried stands affected by moderate or light dieback which were not identified in this survey.

Also published:

Ward, B.K. and McKimm, R.J. (1982)  A preliminary survey of severe dieback in the coastal, mixed eucalypt forests of East Gippsland.  For. Comm. Vic., For. Tech. Pap. 29: 41-56.