Trashing of the Tarkine forest primarily for woodchips has been going on for decades, and now Forestry Tas is claiming that some harvesting coupes are dedicated specifically for the extraction of Specialty Timbers.
In a recent investigation of past and proposed forest coupes around the Pieman /Wilson River area, it was obvious that harvesting zones of these coupes are almost exclusively located on well-drained higher ground, and appear to be focused around the presence of old growth eucalypts not minor species.
Although the region is notably rainforest with many clusters of eucalypt emergents, it appears very little specialty timber has been removed. In fact the forest within the coupes was significantly disturbed through the process of timber extraction leaving a high percentage of the timber felled, (including rainforest species), to be left rotting the ground (see the photo above)
The first photo also depicts the extraction zone completely felled for very few mature eucalypts. The trees were too big for peeler logs, and seemingly unlikely to be Cat 1 sawlogs suggests that the harvesting was aimed at woodchip supply.
The second photo shows excessive wastage with logs piled up and not even burnt. So much for the woodchip industry removing the residue sawlog material. The harvesting probably only removed the larger Category 2 and 3 logs to destinations and usage unknown.
To access most of these scattered and relatively small coupes, FT has constructed several kilometres of hardened road at a great expense in relation to the volumes of timber extracted from the region.
Without question the extensive road costs far outweigh the timber value extracted. In some cases quality celery-top pines remained at the edge of the felling zones which would have been the greatest value per M2 of the forest coupe.
Aimed with the intention of extracting hardwood from forest areas, Forestry Tas has always defined a coupe as eucalypt forest if it contains 5% or more of eucalypt emergents.
This deceitful and hardline definition has allowed the clearfelling of an area if it has 95% or less of rainforest. Such poor forest harvesting practices over the past few decades has seen mega millions of tonnes of specialty timbers being crushed and burnt as a result of this unacceptable and irresponsible ethic.
This previously unlogged forest near the Pieman which is approximately 150+ years of age indicates nothing has changed within the well-greased wheels of forestry in Tasmania as they continue to push roads into remote areas at an economical loss for the iniquitous and insatiably-driven woodchip industry.
These Tarkine coupes are a classic representation of gross forest mismanagement and are indicative why Forestry Tas will fail in their quest to obtain FSC.
*Ted Mead migrated from Victoria in 1980. Since then he has been a committed conservationist, activist and an ardent photographer. Ted has travelled and explore extensively through Tasmania, Australia and overseas. He is convinced that this Island state is one of the best places to live in the world and continues to work through his photographic passion and activism to present what we many here fail to appreciate.
• Janet Rice: Coalition quashes debate on the future of our forests
• Eric Woehler: BirdLife Tasmania calls for immediate cessation of logging of Swift Parrot habitat
