The Tasmanian Forest Products Association wants all candidates in the upcoming March 23 State election to support the state’s forestry sector being included in next year’s fire control plan. Source: Timberbiz
Speaking at the launch of the second of its four key priorities for this election – Climate Change and the Fire Threat – TFPA Chief Executive Officer Nick Steel said forestry has a key role to play in keeping Tasmanians safe.
“It still too early to be sure, but we’re hoping we may have dodged a bullet in the 2024 fire season,” Mr Steel said.
“But moving forward it’s key that our private estate owners are included in the Tasmanian fire preparation.
“Our private estate owners control over 400,000 hectares of Tasmania’s forest estate. As such important landholders it’s vital that they are given the same technology and support that the public estate receives.
“Our estate owners need to be included in the fire coordination network, as well as being included in the TasGRN network rollout, which provides up-to-date communication technology to those on the fire ground.”
As well as asking to be included in the fire planning going forward, the TFPA would like all candidates to recognise the important role that forestry has to play in meeting our climate change obligations.
“The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has already recognised that a well-managed production forest is the best way to sequester carbon,” Mr Steel said.
“That’s why we’re asking the new government to charge the State’s Climate Change Office to audit the State’s forests to better understand the benefits of the estate, and report of any threats or opportunities to leverage responsible forestry to further harnessed forestry’s carbon sequestration opportunities.”
