Evidence of new logging requires urgent government action

Media Release
The Wilderness Society (Tasmania) Inc.
20 September 2011

Environment Tasmania, the Wilderness Society and the Australian Conservation Foundation have released a report analysing the status of logging in important native forests and new photographs that show new logging activity in forest reserves prescribed by the Tasmanian Forests Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA).

“The settlement and retirement of Gunns’ native forest timber quotas has halved the demand for native forest timber from Forestry Tasmania, and so there is no need or justification for logging within the high conservation value forests. Wood supply for remaining sawmills can be provided from outside of the important native forests identified for protection,” said Dr Phill Pullinger of Environment Tasmania.

“Aerial photographs taken in late August and in the last week show Forestry Tasmania continues to log inside the 430,000 hectares of unique and important forests identified for immediate protection in the IGA,” said Vica Bayley of the Wilderness Society.

“In fact, our report and the new photos show Forestry Tasmania has made no efforts to reschedule logging outside this area and has commenced new coupes since the IGA was signed.”

“While we are encouraged to see progress on key components of the intergovernmental agreement — including the retirement of Gunns’ wood quota, funding for timber workers and contractors and the independent verification group — we have seen no progress on halting logging inside the nominated forest reserve areas,” Mr Bayley said.

“Environment groups again call on the state government to honour the agreement it has have signed and direct Forestry Tasmania to declare the nominated forests as informal reserves and immediately appoint an independent expert to undertake the rescheduling,” said Denise Boyd of the Australian Conservation Foundation.

The report released today is part of environment group signatories’ ongoing commitment to implementing the IGA and will provide governments with verified, accurate information to help achieve the forest protection outcomes of the IGA. The state government must now ensure delivery of the critical plank of the IGA – the delivery of forest protection.

Contacts:
Dr Phill Pullinger, Environment Tasmania: 0428 554 934
Vica Bayley, The Wilderness Society: 0400 644 939
Denise Boyd, Australian Conservation Foundation: 0409 935 044