Andrew Denman: Special Timbers Sector supports access to TFA reserves for selective harvesting

The Tasmanian Special Timbers Alliance welcomes the recent Tasmanian Government announcement to allow sustainable, selective, specialty timber harvesting in areas previously earmarked under the TFA for future reservation.

Although the TFA Act already allowed for such harvesting, the previous Tasmanian government had circumvented the legislation by entering into a private agreement with ENGO TFA signatories and Green groups not to allow such harvesting to occur.

Andrew Denman from the Tasmanian Special Timbers Alliance said;

“This move by the government will go a long way to removing the doubt surrounding specialty timber supply under the TFA. It is widely acknowledged that agreed TFA special timber supply targets could not be met sustainably within areas set aside for harvesting under the agreement. This new opportunity allows for sustainable harvesting on a tread widely/tread lightly basis which will ensure a sustainable supply of our iconic specialty timbers for generations to come.”

“Whilst there is some consternation by the Greens and ENGO’s about the Government’s plan, the forest policy the Greens took to the last State election allowed for special timber harvesting with full FSC certification within the same areas the government is looking to excise, as well as in many areas in the 2013 TWWHA extension.

This same policy was also strongly endorsed by the Wilderness Societies’ Vica Bayley on its release. The question should not be why is the government doing this, the question should be why have the Greens and ENGO’s walked away from their policy positions.”

The specialty timber sector was one of many business and community groups that were affected by the TFA but denied an opportunity to be involved in the process.

“TSTA is looking forward to working constructively with the Government and the new resources minister Paul Harriss to secure a long term future for one of our flagship industry sectors.”

Hyperlinks:

Link 1 – private agreement with ENGOs

http://www.forestsagreement.tas.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Signatory-Implementation-Assistance-29th-April-I.pdf

link 2 – Greens Forest Policy

http://archive.mps.tas.greens.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/FTS-More-Jobs-Less-Logs-final.pdf

Link 3 – TWS endorsement of the policy

https://www.wilderness.org.au/greens%e2%80%99-forest-policy-welcome-step-towards-full-forest-solution
Andrew Denman, Tasmanian Special Timbers Alliance