A Tasmanian wildlife tour operator says she fears her business will be destroyed if a planned logging operation goes ahead next to her Bruny Island property. Source: ABC News
Forestry Tasmania is preparing to log a coupe next door to the conservation area, which is home to threatened species and orphaned animals.
Tonia Cochran has run a wildlife tourism operation there for more than 20 years, attracting bird watchers from all over the world.
Nearly 100 species of birds have been found on her property.
She said she feared the logging would not only affect her business visually, but also the wildlife, which underpins her attraction.
“I would say there would be a very good representation of species on that block,” she said. “For example the grey goshawks, I am almost certain they are breeding either on that coupe or right next to it.”
A map of the coupe shows a shooting and a burning zone around it, and Ms Cochran has questions about what it could mean for the orphaned animals she rears and releases.
Her business employs seven Bruny Island residents.
“We operate on a year-round basis so I can employ them all year round,” she said. “If we don’t have anybody coming because there is nothing to see anymore, then all of us are out of jobs.”
Forestry Tasmania said it would be working with locals to address concerns, while also allowing it to meet its wood supply obligations.
The Forest Practices Code will be used to assess whether special provisions are needed to protect environmental values.
Resources Minister Paul Harriss said the Forestry Practices Code was world class, and a recent review found no major changes to the code were needed.
He said in the case of coupes identified in the Environment Tasmania report, protection was provided at the landscape level for the swift parrot.
