The signing of an interim Conservation Agreement is another major milestone for the Tasmanian Forests Agreement that will provide certainty to industry while protecting high conservation value forests, the Minister for Energy and Resources, Bryan Green said.
Mr Green said the agreement between the Tasmanian and Australian Governments and Forestry Tasmania will give legislative protection to more than 99.5 per cent of the 430,000 hectares identified for interim protection.
“This agreement will deliver interim protection for disputed areas including the Florentine, Wedge, Douglas Apsley, Wielangta, Mt Arthur, Bay of Fires, Bruny Island under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act,” Mr Green said.
“It will also allow Forestry Tasmania to meet its fiduciary, legal, contractual and environmental obligations.
“It provides certainty for both the forestry industry and conservationists, whilst Professor Jonathon West and the Independent Verification Group complete their work.”
Following the conclusion of this verification process, the Tasmanian Government will provide permanent protection for areas identified as being of high conservation value, while ensuring that wood supply is maintained to the industry.
“This is a major milestone in the implementation of the TFA and shows that this process is delivering tangible outcomes for all those involved,” Mr Green said.
“Both the Tasmanian and Australian Governments are committed to seeing the process through to ensure that industry has a sustainable future while achieving significant conservation outcomes such as those recognised in today’s agreement.
Mr Green said only a very small area of native forest in the 430,000 will still be harvested to meet existing contracts.
“That area is about 1950 hectares or less than 0.5 per cent of the nominated 430,000 hectares of native forest identified for interim protection in the TFA.
“While I fear even this will not be enough for some groups, it should be remembered that the IGA is a collaborative process that has involved give and take on both sides.”
“All these coupes were systematically analysed by independent schedulers to determine whether there were other coupes that could be suggested as alternatives.
“The reports of the independent expert forest schedulers, released today, found that while some harvesting work could be moved, it was not possible to reschedule harvesting in a small number of coupes.”
Mr Green commended the co-operative contribution of Forestry Tasmania in assisting to develop and in signing the conservation agreement.
“It has to remembered that this is a voluntary agreement, without Forestry Tasmania’s assistance and co-operation it would not have occurred,” Mr Green said.
“Information from Forestry Tasmania was essential to prepare a robust Agreement that provides adequate time for the independent verification process to be finalised.”
The interim Conservation Agreement and the reports of the independent expert forestry schedulers are available at: http://www.environment.gov.au/land/forests/tasmanian-forests-agreement.html
