{
  "id": 28537,
  "title": "Abandoned Study of Australian Ash Trees Challenges Case for Clearcutting",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/07/31/abandoned-study-of-australian-ash-trees-challenges-case-for",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-07-31T13:04:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yale Environment 360",
    "slug": "yale-environment-360",
    "url": "https://e360.yale.edu/digest/mountain-ash-study"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A landmark study of towering ash trees in Victoria, Australia, launched in the 1980s, initially supported arguments for clearcutting the iconic trees. However, when scientists returned years later, they discovered a contrasting conclusion. Conservationists had long warned that clearcutting threatened koalas and other native wildlife. Foresters argued that mountain ash trees, which can reach heights of over 300 feet and live for more than 400 years, were adapted to catastrophic bushfires, leaving behind minimal remnants. They pointed to stands of uniform-aged ash trees as evidence of forest regeneration after clearcutting and suggested that by clearcutting ash and burning any debris, they could replicate the effects of intense fires. To settle the debate, scientists conducted a landmark experiment in Victoria’s Central Highlands in 1987, comparing large clearcuts, small clearcuts, and heavily thinned plots. By the early 2000s, it became evident that mountain ash regrew best in large clearcut areas, supporting the foresters' argument. The study was published and later abandoned. However, in 2014, scientists revisited the site and found surprising results: While ash trees flourished in both large and small clearcuts, thinned plots exhibited a rapid growth rate. Monitoring revealed that the largest trees in thinned plots were 20% larger in diameter than those in unharvested areas and stored at least as much carbon. The findings, published in Forest Science, suggest that bigger trees are more fire-resistant and provide crucial habitats for native species. The researchers argue that thinning offers a solution to balance timber production with conservation efforts, offering a \"win-win-win\" outcome that challenges the long-standing debate between conservation and production.",
  "summary": "A landmark study of the towering ash trees that grow in the mountains of Victoria, Australia, which was launched in the 1980s, boosted arguments for clearcutting the iconic trees. But when scientists returned to the site years later, they came to a much different conclusion. Read more on E360 →",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}