Nationally Agreed Reserve Criteria
One of the key achievements of the regional forest agreements was the establishment of comprehensive, adequate and representative reserve systems, based on nationally agreed criteria, also known as the 'JANIS criteria'.
They are set out in the report: Nationally Agreed Criteria for the Establishment of a Comprehensive, Adequate and Representative Reserve System for Forests in Australia.
These criteria set out targets for the conservation of ecosystems:
- 15 per cent of the pre-1750 distribution of each forest type
- 60 per cent of the existing distribution of each forest type if vulnerable
- 60 per cent of the existing old-growth forest
- 90 per cent, or more, of high quality wilderness forests, and
- all remaining occurrences of rare and endangered forest ecosystems including rare old-growth.
This level of protection in RFA regions is very high by world standards.
The application of the reserve criteria takes into account a range of regional priorities, including social and economic considerations. The criteria are guidelines rather than mandatory targets, designed to deliver good conservation as well as acceptable social and economic outcomes.