Spirit of Bruny’s efforts to persuade Forestry Tasmania not to harvest coupes within a future reserve, established by the Tasmanian Forests Agreement Act, appear successful.
Forestry Tasmania has announced that it has changed its immediate intentions on logging operations in the South Bruny State Forest, which were to log three coupes in the future reserve land of the South Bruny National Park extension, beginning in the first week of June. It has postponed all logging operations on Bruny Island for 2-3 months, while it develops a Forest Practices Plan for an island coupe in state forest outside the future reserve. This coupe is expected to yield a similar volume to the three coupes inside the reserve.
Dr Louise Crossley, Chairperson of Spirit of Bruny said “Spirit of Bruny welcomes this positive response. It is an encouraging indication that Forestry Tasmania is prepared to fulfil its obligation not to log coupes in future reserve lands where an alternative can be found.”
Forestry Tasmania’s announcement saves these three coupes from immediate logging, and protects their biodiversity values and habitat for threatened species such as the Swift Parrot. However, Dr Crossley added, “We realize that, technically, these coupes could be logged at a later time, unless they are removed from the list of transitional coupes contained within Schedule D of the Tasmanian Forests Agreement Act 2013”
Under the act the future reserve land on South Bruny cannot become a permanent reserve until October 2014, by which time Forestry Tasmania must also have achieved Forest Stewardship Council certification. Both conditions imply considerable uncertainty about the eventual gazettal of the South Bruny National Park extension.
The public response to Spirit of Bruny’s efforts to protect the conservation values of the future reserve has been extraordinary since it launched its campaign on 10 May 2013. Over 91,000 people read Spirit of Bruny’s facebook page, and signatures to an online petition have been forwarded to Forestry Tasmania and the Tasmanian State Government. The campaign also generated significant media attention.
Allegra Biggs Dale, founder of Spirit of Bruny and long term Bruny Island resident said, “Spirit of Bruny would like to thank all those organizations and individuals who have contributed to our campaign so far. We look forward to working with them to achieve our ultimate goal – the incorporation of this precious future reserve land into the South Bruny National Park.”
