Joint Ministerial investigation needed into toxic tree plantations

The Wilderness Society today called on the Federal and State forest ministers to investigate this week’s revelations of water quality problems associated with Eucalyptus nitens plantations in Tasmania. Federal Minister Tony Burke and Tasmanian Minister David Llewellyn should commission a full and rigorous investigation into the safety of the E.nitens plantation estate in Tasmania.

The investigation must look into the cause and scale of the problem, ascertain the areas where more work needs to be done and recommend remedial action to restore water quality. Full release of all relevant industry-held information regarding plantation establishment in water catchments should be released, in the public interest, and the ministers must take immediate steps to ensure environmental and public health is protected.

“For decades, the Wilderness Society has, along with many other community voices, strongly opposed the conversion of native forests to plantations,” said Vica Bayley, spokesperson for the Wilderness Society.

The problem with toxic tree plantations in the catchment of the Georges River in the North East Tasmania, aired this week on ABC’s Australian Story, compounds the opposition to plantation establishment in water catchments and the negative impacts it has on biodiversity, climate change and other natural and social values.

“Existing areas of plantations in key areas may need to be restored to native forests, undoing some of the damage that has been done in forested water catchments.

“While properly managed plantations represent the future of the timber industry, they are not a panacea and we must respond to new information and science when it becomes available.The ministers have a responsibility to the Tasmanian public to ensure that a full investigation is initiated, said Mr Bayley.
Vica Bayley Tasmanian Campaign Director The Wilderness Society (Tasmania) Inc www.wilderness.org.au