… Three Capes Track forests off limits to logging – why not Derby and the Blue Tier, Wielangta, takayna/Tarkine, Douglas-Apsley and the Lobster Forests?
A Government statement detailing the content and timing of legislation to undo oldgrowth and rainforest reserves that are part of the Tasmanian Reserve Estate and counted as protected in Forestry Tasmania’s new FSC certification bid highlights the politics driving current forest policy and the absence of any genuine economic, environmental, community or certification logic for the legislation.
Last week, Forestry Tasmania released its latest report in a new FSC certification attempt and acknowledged that the work would need to be ‘reviewed and revised’ if changes to the Reserve Estate, like Minister Barnett’s reserve reversals, went ahead. (see attached brief)
“This legislation and the policy that underpins it is clearly more about an early election and stoking a tired old culture war than anything based on sound environmental, community or economic analysis” said Vica Bayley, spokesperson for the Wilderness Society.
“This legislation will escalate the conflict the Hodgman Government re-ignited on rejecting the Tasmanian Forest Agreement. There has been no support for this policy from credible players in the timber industry and major markets for Tasmanian timber have flatly rejected sourcing wood from these forests.
The Wilderness Society noted the commitment from Minister Barnett that logging would not happen in the forest blocks adjacent to the Three Capes Track.
“The reserves Minister Barnett is proposing to log contain tourism and conservation icons that rival the Three Capes Track and the question must be asked … what tourism opportunities will the Government sacrifice?
“Will the Hodgman Government reverse the reserves in which it help build the Blue Derby mountain bike tracks? Will it log the forests recommended protection by the Federal Government’s draft recovery plan for the Giant Freshwater Lobster?
Other iconic areas included in Minister Barnett’s reserve reversal legislation include Wielangta (new tourist bridge and road investment announced last week), Bruny Island (even Paul Harris declared a moratorium on logging here for the benefit of the swift parrot), and the takayna/Tarkine (NW Tasmania’s key nature-based tourism destination).
“This legislation looks as problematic for the prospects of regional tourism as it does for nature conservation and the logging industry and is founded in poisonous politics as opposed to sound forest policy.”
Download …
Briefing_Paper_-_FT_HCV_Assessment_Feb_17.pdf
BriefingPaperProposedLoggingofPriorityLobsterProtectionAreas.pdf
Vica Bayley, Tasmanian Campaign Manager, The Wilderness Society (Tasmania) Inc.
