Conversion Of Native Forests To End

5 June 2007

Forestry Tasmania has announced an end to the broad scale clearing of state-owned native forests to plantations.
Executive general manager Hans Drielsma said that the major policy, effective from 1 June, followed a long period of discussions between Forestry Tasmania, the industry and conservation interests.
“Around the world, there is concern about the clearing and conversion of native vegetation,” Drielsma said. “The practice is seen by conservation biologists as a significant element in biodiversity decline.
“For reputable environmental organisations, such as the WWF, such conversion for plantation development has been their most fundamental concern with modern forest practices.”
Drielsma said the policy exceeded the target set by the Tasmanian Community Forest Agreement to phase out conversion of native forests on public land by 2010.
“This is a very significant policy decision,” he said. “In economic terms, it is more efficient to grow plantations, as they grow four to five times faster than regrowth native forests and provide an attractive and sustainable basis for wood production.
“However, regenerated native forests are capable of maintaining wildlife and the environment, while also continuing to provide a source of sustainable timber.”

Plantations A Solution To Climate Change

A national carbon emissions report has acknowledged the importance of the plantation products and paper industry in providing solutions to the global climate challenge.
The report, prepared by the Prime Ministerial Task Force on Emissions Trading, says a trading scheme could be up and running by 2011.
Chief executive of the Australian Plantation Products and Paper Industry Council (A3P) Neil Fisher says the report answers A3P’s call for the inclusion of forestry offsets as one option for abating emissions. Carbon also remains stored in timber while it is in use and for many decades after disposal.
“The report also answers A3P’s call for an emissions trading scheme that acknowledges the potential impact on emissions intensive and trade exposed industries such as the pulp and paper sector,” Fisher said.
Other positive initiatives for Australia’s plantation products and paper industry include proposed allocation of permits over five years to offset emission intensive and trade exposed industries; and the conclusion that any emissions trading scheme must be broad in scope and capture as much of the economy as possible.

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