Nick McKim: Forest and Reserve management response

The Tasmanian Greens today agreed to support proposed legislation to restructure Forestry Tasmania and establish a statutory parks and reserves authority to manage Tasmania’s National Parks and other reserves, including those currently managed by FT.

Greens Leader Nick McKim MP said that, while the Minster’s proposal for restructuring Forestry Tasmania was not the Greens’ preferred option, the Greens would support the legislation in order to maximise the chances of over 500,000 hectares of high conservation value forest being protected, and to deliver on a new parks and reserves authority.

“The Greens still believe that the best outcome would be for Forestry Tasmania to be solely a commercial forest harvester, and that the production forests should be managed by a government agency,” Mr McKim said.

“However, given that all the forest Signatories, including the ENGOs, agree that Forestry Tasmania should manage the production forests, we do not believe there is any chance of getting our preferred scenario through the Legislative Council.”

“Significantly, we will also see legislation to create a statutory authority to manage Tasmania’s world class reserve system, which is something the Greens have long advocated.”

“All of the Signatories have been very clear that unless the entirety of their agreement is delivered, there is no chance of securing a durable outcome.”

“Half a million hectares protected from logging along with a robust statutory authority to manage Tasmania’s Reserves would be a stunning conservation outcome.”

Nick McKim MP Greens Leader Monday, 18 March 2013