Tasmania’s special timbers sector has reiterated its support for the Liberals’ plan to bring forward logging in forests set aside under the former Tasmanian Forest Agreement. Source: The Mercury
When State Parliament resumes the Liberals will waste no time tabling legislation to open up an additional 356,000ha of forests to harvesting.
The area set aside under the former TFA includes forests on Bruny Island, in Wielangta, the Blue Tier and the Tarkine.
Users of special timbers will be among the first to be able to access the areas for selective harvesting from October.
Boat builder Andrew Denman said access to the areas would ensure the industry had access to sustainable volumes of specialty timbers on a “tread widely and lightly basis”.
“This access, coupled with the new Special Species Management Plan due for release in October this year, will ensure that the areas we harvest from are properly managed for conservation while ensuring that the rich cultural heritage surrounding this industry is safeguarded for future generations,” Mr Denman said.
The support from the Tasmanian Special Timbers Alliance comes after major industry players expressed doubts about the plan.
Neville-Smith Forest Products does not want wood sourced from the expanded area unless it has Forest Stewardship Council certification.
Forest Industries Association of Tasmania chief executive Terry Edwards said he did not have enough information on the Government’s plan to determine whether it would benefit the industry or protect the FSC bid.
Opposition leader Bryan Green said there did not appear to be one major industry player supporting the Liberals’ plan.
