Forester accuses Institute of Foresters of skewing forests report

A member of the Institute of Foresters of Australia (IFA) has criticised the organisation for misrepresenting his work in its critique of the final reports of the Independent Verification Group chaired by Professor Jonathan West.

In a letter to Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Dr Christopher Dean, distanced himself from a 25-page critique of the IVG report prepared by the IFA which the organisation released in late May along with an accompanying letter. A copy of Dean’s letter to Gillard was leaked to Tasmanian Times.

Dean, who is a specialist in carbon accounting of forests and rangelands, is a Visiting Fellow at the University of New south Wales and Senior Visiting Fellow at Curtin University. He is currently studying forest carbon issues for a doctorate at the School of Geography & Environmental Studies at the University of Tasmania.

In a letter to Gillard, Dean stated that “large sections” of the IFA’s critique were based on his submission made as a member to the IFA. “However,” he wrote, “key phrases or sections had been removed or altered by the IFA in such a way that my findings were misrepresented – yielding contrary or void conclusions and occluding useful aspects of the IVG reports.”

In its critique the IFA complained that what it saw as inadequate consultation in the preparation of the IVG reports “has prompted our members to undertake an analysis of the IVG’s work to ensure its reports are factual, science-based, and draw justifiable conclusions.”

While conceding that the IFA is entitled to produce its own statement on the IVG reports, Dean stated that “such strongly altered meanings belie the IFA’s claim that their submission is a professional summary contributed by its members.”

The IFA, which has over 1300 members engaged in forestry, lists as one of its primary objects as being to “advance and protect the cause of forestry.”

In his 4-page letter Dean detailed seven specific instances where his comments had been edited to retain elements that were critical of the IVG but omit or alter those which were supportive of other aspects of its reports.

Dean wrote that while his assessment of the report on ‘defining and managing old growth forests’ was “critical overall”, he notes on “its positive sections and comparison to related current forest management were removed by the IFA”. His supportive comments, he wrote, “were replaced with unfounded suppositions regarding current management.”

Another of his comments on the reservation of forest types by age, he wrote, was edited in such a way that not only rendered it “devoid of meaning” but seemed that “the only apparent purpose of the edit is to increase the tally of negative comments made about the IVG reports.”

In his original submission on the IVG report on the “Giant eucalypt forests”, Dean states that he was “critical overall”. However, he states that “my comment on how it could be improved was replaced by the IFA with an impractical diversion and promotion of current forest management and industry’s classifications”.

He also complains that his assessment of the report authored by the Forest Practices Authority was “entirely omitted” from the IFA’s critique and replaced with statements supporting the current syste,. “The replacement detracts from the positive improvements suggested by the Forest Practices Authority … and instead gives the contrary view that the current management is adequate.”

In his original submission to the IFA Dean had praised the report on the carbon value of the forests under consideration. While noting a few limitations, Dean was of the view that the report had undervalued reservation. His comments, he writes in his letter to Gillard, “was entirely omitted” and “replaced with unsubstantiated promotion of carbon contained in wood-products, which when derived from primary forests (such as are the majority of HCV forests proposed for reservation) have been shown to not counterbalance emissions from logging”.

Dean was also scathing about the IFA’s replacement wording, which he described as merely the re-iteration of “industry promotional material” which was “mostly applicable to plantations on long-cleared land in a business as usual scenario.” The IFA, he wrote, had not provided any “quantification of industry impacts on Tasmanian primary forest carbon through emissions.” Nor, he wrote, had they “provided any suggestions for industry innovation.”

In his letter to Gillard, Dean stressed that he remained of the view that the report on forest carbon was valuable and that the IFA’s “omission of such an appraisal is a major defect.”

The IFA’s critique of the IVG reports was prominently covered by the ABC. While Dean sent a copy of his letter to Gillard to the ABC, as far as he knows, it has not be reported on.

The IVG reports have attracted criticism from Forestry Tasmania (also here) and the Tasmanian LiberalsTasmanian Liberals.

Despite the criticism from sections of the industry and its supporters, Dean told Tasmanian Times that in his opinion the reports are “quite good given the time available”. However, he stated that the reports should have been integrated rather than presented as stand alone reports. While he believes the quality of the reports varies, the report on forest carbon — one of his areas of expertise – is “particularly good”.

• Bob Gordon: Forestry Tasmania retains AFS and PEFC certification

Dear XXXXXX

I am pleased to report that Forestry Tasmania has retained its PEFC certification under the Australian Forestry Standard. Read Government media release ( http://www.forestrytas.com.au/uploads/File/pdf/pdf2012/ft_recertification_media_green.pdf ).

The recertification follows a comprehensive audit of Forestry Tasmania’s forest management systems by the JAS-ANZ accredited certifying body NCSI.

After completing the scheduled three year audit last month, NCSI praised Forestry Tasmania’s professionalism:

“The auditors noted the high level of professionalism and commitment from staff involved in the audit process. It is clear that staff take pride in their work and endeavour to deliver the highest possible standards in all aspects of forest management. Where opportunities for improvement were identified, staff responded positively and constructively.”

A simultaneous investigation requested by PEFC International into assertions by the chair of the Independent Verification Group Professor Jonathon West, has cleared Forestry Tasmania of over-harvesting.

NCSI determined that “FT has applied best-practice in the determination of its sustainable yield.”

Australia’s foremost expert in forest sustainability, Professor Emeritus of Forest Science (University of Melbourne) and Professor Ian Ferguson (AM), led the investigation.

“In terms of the Australian Forestry Standard, I am unable to determine a rational basis in the Independent Verification Group reports, or related documentation, for the West (2012) assertions about the unsustainability of Forestry Tasmania sustainable yield calculations or practices. They do not appear to be founded on the facts pertaining to the Australian Forestry Standard and the evaluations of the Forestry Tasmania process of calculating the sustainable yield and regulating the annual harvest. From an Australian Forestry Standard viewpoint, they reflect an unfortunate confusion in the use of the term ‘sustainable yield’.” – Professor Ferguson.

As a Branchline reader, you will be aware PEFC International triggered the investigation into our sustainable yield calculations following Professor West’s assertions that Forestry Tasmania had been harvesting state forest at unsustainable levels.

We believed his comments had been based on a misunderstanding of our sustainable yield calculations. Professor West only took native forest into account, whereas Forestry Tasmania also accounts for the plantation resource that will come on-stream as plantings mature into the future. This approach has been endorsed by Federal and State Governments in three RFA reviews, and recognised in Professor Burgman’s Independent Verification Group report.

Professor Ferguson also concurred with this approach. The investigation has cleared Forestry Tasmania of any allegation of over-cutting, and in fact, has found our sustainable yield calculations fully comply with the Australian Forestry Standard, which is internationally endorsed by PEFC. Download Ferguson Report PDF ( http://www.forestrytas.com.au/uploads/File/pdf/pdf2012/appendix_a_ferguson_report.pdf ).

We commend PEFC for following due process in ensuring Professor West’s assertions were thoroughly investigated. Not to do so would have compromised its legitimacy as a credible certification program. Read PEFC published findings ( http://pefc.org/index.php/news-a-media/general-sfm-news/news-detail/item/975-pefc-publishes-findings-of-complaint-concerning-claim-of-%E2%80%98unsustainable-harvesting%E2%80%99 ).

Unlike the investigation, however, our recertification came as part of a more routine audit of our operations. Under the Australian Forestry Standard, all certified businesses are required to undergo a process of recertification every three years. The recertification audit was an exhaustive review of our business, and the result is an outstanding endorsement of our forest management practices. Download NCSI FT recertification summary PDF ( http://www.forestrytas.com.au/uploads/File/pdf/pdf2012/appendix_b_pefc_summary_report.pdf ).

This news of the audit and investigation results is a great boost for our staff, whose expertise and professionalism are so often overlooked by our critics. In fact, NCSI commended our team for continually striving to meet the highest standards.

A Queen’s Birthday Gong

In other good news I was pleased to learn that former FT staff member, Alan Goodwin, was awarded an Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM) as part of the 2012 Queen’s Birthday Honours List. Originally from Victoria, Alan joined FT in 1998 in our former Eastern Tiers District in the area of forest engineering.

He quickly developed an interest in fire fighting and incident management which led him to participate in the first international deployment of FT fire fighters to the US in 2000. He returned with a newfound passion that saw him volunteering across the 2001 fire season and increasing his incident management skills to such a level that in 2003 he was offered a position back in Victoria with the Department of Sustainability’s Fire Management Branch as Assistant Chief Officer (Operations).

Alan has gone on to contribute to the improved efficiency, effectiveness and safety of fire management in Victoria and has recently returned to the field with his appointment as DSE’s Regional Director, North West Region. You can view the full recipient list and more detailed information on Alan’s contribution here. AFSM recipient summary PDF ( http://www.forestrytas.com.au/uploads/File/pdf/pdf2012/afsm_2012_list.pdf ).

We care for people

At FT we take our values very seriously, none more so than Tahune AirWalk staff member, John Collins, who has taken the value ‘we care for people’ all the way to an orphanage in China.
On a recent tour to China, John visited the Blue Sky Healing Home where he donated stationary sets, colouring-in packs, hats and toys to the children on behalf of Adventure Forests.
You can read more about John’s incredible story here ( http://www.forestrytas.com.au/news/2012/06/airwalk-staffer-takes-care-for-people-to-heart ).

Becoming fire safe

Bringing our value of caring for people and their environment a little closer to home, FT staff are quietly celebrating a successful fuel reduction burn south of St Helens, on the East Coast of Tasmania. The 400 hectare burn at Dianas Basin was part of the combined efforts to protect St Helens and other East Coast communities from potential wildfires.

The burn had special significance for two staff who, with more than 70 years service looking after State forests between them, remember the last controlled fire at the site after it was harvested 22 years ago. For a good read on a job well done, head to our website ( http://www.forestrytas.com.au/news/2012/06/burn-reduces-fire-risk-on-east-coast ).

And one for the robust . . .

For the diary, it’s time to start getting in a bit of training for the upcoming Forestry Tasmania Ben Lomond Descent that will be held on Sunday 5 August. You can register for the 36km multi sport event here – click to register.

Until next time,

Bob Gordon

Managing Director
Forestry Tasmania

• Greenwash, says Booth

FORESTRY TASMANIA GETS ANOTHER COAT OF GREENWASH

Kim Booth MP
Greens Forestry Spokesperson
Wednesday, 4 July 2012

The Tasmanian Greens today said that the decision by PEFC International to extend Forestry Tasmania’s accreditation was always a foregone conclusion, because the system was set up by the industry as an environmental rubber stamp.

Greens Forestry spokesperson Kim Booth MP said that PEFC accreditation had not saved Forestry Tasmania’s reputation or its bottom line in the past and it would not help them in the future.

“This is nothing more than a fresh coat of green wash for Forestry Tasmania,” Mr Booth said.

“PEFC accreditation is meaningless and it won’t do anything to change Forestry Tasmania’s reputation as a rogue agency that’s hell bent on wrecking high conservation value forests regardless of the cost.”

“Retailers that truly value their reputation are buying Forest Stewardship Council accredited products, because it’s considered the gold standard and is not driven by the forestry industry.”

“The PEFC accreditation system is commonly regarded as industry green wash for bad forestry practices, and in that regard it suits Forestry Tasmania perfectly.”

“If PEFC has any credibility, it will withdraw support for Forestry Tasmania’s operations or risk irreparable harm to its own reputation,” Mr Booth said.

First published: 2012-07-04 07:15 AM

• Activists receive penalty in court over timber vessel protest

Two activists appeared in Hobart Magistrates Court facing charges of trespass from a protest at the Hobart wharf, where they were protesting about the loading of world heritage value forests being loaded on to a vessel for Malaysian logging giant Ta Ann.

One of the activists, Rosie Phillips received 35 hours community service and the other activist, Rhiannon Curtis received a fine and a conviction recorded.

“Peaceful forest activists will continue to bear the responsibilities of standing up for the protection of Tasmania’s environment. The results of today’s court appearances are evident that there are already penalties that people receive who are protesting for the protection of Tasmania’s forests. And the federal Liberal Party are trying to increase the penalties for protesters. The recent federal Liberal Party motion targeting protests that was passed at their federal council is an attempt to curtail civil rights, undermine the basic principles of democracy and attempt to prevent dissent against logging of native forests in an age when these practices of environmental destruction are an injustice,” Huon Valley Environment Centre’s Jenny Weber said.

“High conservation value forests, forests with world heritage values, are being loaded today at Hobart’s wharf to a vessel to export for Ta Ann, who misleadingly claim they are a environmentally friendly timber company. And protesters are facing the courts and receiving the penalties, for standing up for the protection of these forests,” Jenny Weber said.

Jenny Weber
Huon Valley Environment Centre
www.huon.org
www.nativeforest.net