Tallaganda

Tallaganda is a mountainous range lying along the crest of the Great Divide. Its rugged environment has meant that little human intrusion has disturbed it. For this reason old-growth forest covers almost half of Tallaganda.

Tallaganda is the northern end of Tallaganda State Forest, west of Braidwood. It covers 18,847 ha, including 18,791 ha of state forest and 56 ha of vacant crown land.

Some of the conservation values of Tallaganda are listed below:

Tallaganda contains huge areas of old growth-forest, which under the NSW Labor Government's forests policy must be protected. According to the Interim Assessment Process it contains a staggering 46% of its area as old-growth forest ­ over 8,000 hectares of diverse old-growth forest.

Tallaganda reserves an isolated whole ecosystem, lying on the crest of the Great Dividing Range at the northern end of the 50km long, thin corridor of Tallaganda State Forest. Such an isolated ecosystem, largely separated from the rest of the forest estate, and with a forest ecosystem unique in its high altitudes not represented anywhere else in the South Coast reserve system, is important for conserving the full range of biodiversity in the South Coast.

Tallaganda must be protected to achieve JANIS scientific targets - largely meeting an exceptional 24 JANIS targets required for a Comprehensive, Adequate and Representative forest reserve system. Nine forest ecosystem and six old-growth targets are fully met in Tallaganda, whilst a further three forest ecosystem and four old-growth targets reach over 90% of target. Tallaganda also meets the entire target of the uncommon Barking Owl and 47% of the target for the threatened Powerful Owl.

Tallaganda was almost entirely deferred in recognition of its exceptional conservation values during the Interim Assessment Process ­ it contains over 17,000 hectares of forest identified as likely to be required for the Comprehensive, Adequate and Representative forest reserve system for South Coast region.