"We acknowledge the recent efforts of federal and state governments, including the Greens, to strengthen the level of certainty of protection of important native forests through a conservation agreement and other mechanisms," said Don Henry of the Australian Conservation Foundation.
"Community groups and many thousands of people across Tasmania and the globe have worked for decades to see Tassie’s ancient forests protected, and this Intergovernmental Agreement marks a critical step towards their lasting protection for future generations," said Dr Phill Pullinger of Environment Tasmania,
"We recognise the tough circumstances forestry workers and some rural communities are living through during this difficult time of economic transition in Tasmania, and welcome the financial support for workers and contractors, and the regional economic diversification package provided through this agreement" said Dr Phill Pullinger.
"A key part of this agreement is a pathway to deliver the secure protection of unique and important native forests such as those in the Upper Florentine and Weld Valleys, the Tarkine, the Great Western Tiers, the North-East Highlands, including the Blue Tier, South Sister and the Eastern Tiers including Wielangta," said Vica Bayley of the Wilderness Society.
"While this isn’t the end of the process and much work is still to be done, it provides a much more secure framework for full implementation of this once-in-a-generation opportunity. The key challenge will be the passage of legislative reforms and we are calling for tri-partisan and Legislative Council support for this agreement and the outcomes it offers," he concluded.
All three environment groups will continue to work with other signatories and government to finalise further details and deliver on the promise of this agreement and all of the principles embedded in the original Statement of Principles.
Contacts:
Don Henry, Australian Conservation Foundation 0418 501 395
Vica Bayley, The Wilderness Society 0400 644 939
Dr Phill Pullinger, Environment Tasmania 0428 554 934
Photos of Tasmania’s High-Conservation Value Forests
High resolution photos for publication by Rob Blakers can be downloaded at: http://www.et.org.au/media-images-tf
Environment groups (ENGOs) have welcomed the public release of Bill Kelty’s interim report on the Tasmanian forest principles agreement and called on governments to urgently implement the report’s proposals.
A summary of the proposed actions for governments as stated in the interim report is attached.
The interim report states that the capacity to reach an agreement will be enhanced by '… a commitment by governments to deliver formal legislative protection to ENGO HCV forest reserve proposal areas'.
Environment Tasmania, The Wilderness Society and the Australian Conservation Foundation remain committed to the Tasmanian forest principles agreement and will work to deliver all outcomes, including the protection of Tasmania’s native forests and the development of a sustainable timber industry in Tasmania.
A full moratorium on further logging and road construction in high conservation value forest reserve areas is overdue and needs to be urgently implemented by governments. Environment groups expect governments to quickly legislate to protect high conservation value forests reserve areas and to establish the mechanisms for voluntary exit from native forest logging and the transition to a sustainable timber industry.
The interim report does not state a requirement for the ENGOs to support the Tamar Valley pulp mill. Environment groups continue to oppose the Tamar Valley pulp mill proposal. Gunns has made improvements to some environmental aspects, particularly native forest use, but it does not have a social licence to proceed, due to outstanding issues of concern. Mr Kelty has recommended a review of the current proposed pulp mill assessment. Any new assessment of the proposed mill would have to be independent and robust. There also needs to be an exploration of alternative investment, plantations processing and job creation opportunities for rural and regional Tasmania.
Lindsay Hesketh, Australian Conservation Foundation 0418 655 551
Phill Pullinger, Environment Tasmania 0428 554 934
Vica Bayley, The Wilderness Society 0400 644 939
]]>Environment groups today acknowledged the constructive progress on plantation wood supply in Minister Tony Burke's legally-binding conditions for the proposed pulp mill, but expressed serious concerns about unaddressed community opposition to the mill and the mill's marine impacts and reiterated their opposition to the project.
"We are opposed to this project but we do recognise the Minister's legally-binding decision to require the pulp mill to only use wood from plantations," said Lyndon Schneiders from the Wilderness Society.
"It means it is illegal for the proposed pulp mill to ever use native forest timber and we recognise this is a step forward. Any pulp mill needs to be supplied from a plantation resource base that is sustainably managed and of a scale acceptable to local communities," Mr Schneiders said.
"We do recognise and welcome tougher standards and the improvements to some of the environmental benchmarks set for the marine effluent, but will have to now have the opportunity to fully assess the complex marine modelling data associated with this decision to be able to make further assessment of these proposed changes," he said.
"We are concerned about the potential impacts the ocean disposal of industrial process effluent will have on Tasmania's marine environment, fisheries, and coastal amenity and believe the Minister has made the wrong decision because he has not implemented the precautionary approach," said Dr Thomas Moore from Environment Tasmania.
"Despite the welcome improvements, much community opposition remains," said Don Henry from the Australian Conservation Foundation.
"It is now up to the company, along with the state and federal governments, to embark on a legitimate, independent and transparent process, with public participation, to assess the impacts of a pulp mill development in the Tamar Valley. We are committed to a resolution of the forest conflict in Tasmania," Mr Henry said.
Contacts:
Don Henry, Australian Conservation Foundation
Dr Thomas Moore, Environment Tasmania
Lyndon Schneiders, The Wilderness Society
Vica Bayley (in Hobart), The Wilderness Society