Climatic suitability of Australia's production forests for myrtle rust

Myrtle rust disease has caused defoliation and death of trees of rainforest species in New South Wales and Queensland, and has also been responsible for significant damage to eucalypt plantations in South America. This report combines climatic suitability modelling for myrtle rust across Australia with spatial data on Australia's production forests and forecast wood availability. The results show that 9.1 per cent of Australia's forecast available volume of plantation eucalypt logs, and 22 per cent of Australia's forecast available volume of public native forest eucalypt logs, derive from areas predicted to be highly suitable climatically for myrtle rust. The report also discusses the differences between an area being highly suitable climatically for myrtle rust, and a potential impact on wood production.