WHILE many Tasmanians wish for a profitable forest industry they are appalled by the clearfelling of State owned Old Growth Forest and its conversion to even age monoculture.
It is true that this State has very large areas in reserves but it is the way the production areas of Old Growth are managed that has so many upset.
Successful trials have demonstrated that there could be an immediate change, without job losses, to low impact selective harvesting (and that does not include ‘aggregated retention’ which seems to mean 80% clearfelled, much of the rest scorched).
The time lines for the implementation of the Community Forest Agreement’s end to clearfelling seem to coincide with the end of the economically accessible Old Growth in normal production areas. This will leave a grossly inadequate forest area to cater for future generations needs for high quality unique timber for local value adding.
The recent clearfelling of coupe ‘Dennison 10’ where rare and vulnerable King Billy Pine was knowingly felled even though there is no management plan for sustainable management of this and many other unique Special Species Timbers is a further example of Forestry Tasmania catering to the woodchip lobby instead of future generations of Tasmanians.
Addendum, May 5: I have been participating with Forestry Tasmania for 6 years on Selective Harvesting trials in the Warra area.
They have progressed to the point where Warra 8G Download PDF: Warra8G-final.pdf is regarded by many as safe, economic and far better for the enviroment than the clearfell and burn currently practised.
All it needs is the stroke of a minister’s pen to adopt 8G style harvesting in all production old growth as a MINIMUM acceptable standard and it would reduce much of the public angst about FT.
Dennison 10 is the coupe closest to the Lake Skinner walking track (in fact they moved the start of the track to accomodate the coupe).
Many regard the amount of good timber left after the harvesters moved out as one of the worst examples of wastage in recent years. (I dont think it was burnt this year, too wet).
Picture: (by Matt Newton) Protest tripod at road into the Dennison forests
First published, May 4, republished today.
