GERARD CASTLES
Dear David. I’m writing to you in your capacity as the Minister responsible for Forestry issues. 
In April this year I sent an email to Forestry Tasmania complaining about smoke from a burn that was happening somewhere to the North West of our property on North Bruny Island and probably somewhere in the Southern Forests. The smoke, smell and visual impact was appalling. (I have included the original email below). The burn and smoke became highly visible in the mid to late afternoon. (Photos are attached below)
After a month Forestry got back to me (Katrina is cced above) saying I had to redirect the complaint to the FPA which I have done. The reference number given to me by the FPA is #41.
The process seems overly complicated and I would like to make a suggestion. I think during the burns season The Forest Practices Authority should place large ads in the daily papers encouraging feedback from people about the burns as part of their strategic planning and monitoring of public concerns. Furthermore I would like to see Forestry Tasmania have a prominent link on their website directing members of the public to the FPA complaints site.
Furthermore, I would like to see some answers to the questions raised in the email and subsequently. Specifically:
1. What coupe/s was actually burned that day?
2. How many tonnes of wood were burned from that coupe and what species?
3. How many tonnes of greenhouse gasses were released by that burn and by all burns carried out last year?
4. How that is accounted for in our State and Australian greenhouse targets?
5. What is the assessed impact on the Tasmanian Brand of these burns?
I’m sure this information is available given the detailed scientific research that has been carried out over the years.
I look forward to hearing from you and would be pleased to talk to you in more detail if needed.
TEXT OF ORIGINAL EMAIL SENT ON APRIL 13, 2009
I would like to make an official complaint regarding the smoke that
enveloped us this afternoon. The whole sky has been blacked in a smoke
haze.
I’m apalled at the health, environmental and climate costs of this
archaic practice. I am assuming it is from one of your burns. I looked
on your website but found no clearly marked complaints
section. I would like to see you actively encourage people log their
concerns. Also do you publish how many tonnes of greenhouse gasses are
released by each burn and how that is accounted for in our State
greenhouse targets?
