The Tasmanian beekeepers’ lobby group Saveyourleatherwood Honey Association – on behalf of the Southern Beekeepers and members in the north of the state have resolved to express its support to the agreement and the enabling legislation.
This is after being substantially involved in the agreement process through Professor Jonathan West’s investigation group, reviewing the West Report in detail and examining the final draft agreement and the relevant mapping.
If the legislation is passed it will secure at least one half of leatherwood rich forest in the south and west of the present state forest areas. This will give a large degree of security to the beekeeping and pollination industries in the south of the state on which our horticultural industries rely.
When this is coupled with an undertaking in writing given by the Tasmanian Government that access to the reserved areas will be guaranteed to the beekeeping industry and that this access will be maintained as part of the proposed reserves management regime, this has the potential to be a win-win result for all Tasmanians.
The pollination services which guarantee 60-70 percent of our home-grown food chain in Tasmania and which have for the past 20-plus years been threatened with the continued disappearance of leaytherwood in state forest (as a result of clearfell and burn harvesting), rely extensively on the ability of beekeepers to access leatherwood in state forest.
This has been confirmed by seveeral government initiated inquiries and both state and federal governments recognise and accept this position.
This legislation and resulting reserve system goes a long way towards guaranteeing viable beekeeping and horticultural industries in Tasmania.
