HCV logging documented, Forestry Tasmania information incorrect and Government urged to initiate logging reschedule process

Media Release
The Wilderness Society (Tasmania) Inc.
25 August 2011

Aerial inspection of Forestry Tasmania’s HCV logging coupes has revealed at least two of the 12 logging coupes said by Forestry Tasmania to be actively being harvested inside the 430,000 ha informal reserve area are not currently being logged.

Logging in other coupes within the informal reserve has only recently been commenced by Forestry Tasmania. Environment groups are calling for the Tasmanian Government to urgently implement the rescheduling process to move logging operations out of the informal reserve area as required in the recently signed Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA).

“At least two logging coupes said to be active on the list provided by Forestry Tasmania were found to be silent when inspected,” said Vica Bayley spokesperson for the Wilderness Society.

“Urgent action needs to be taken to ensure expense is not incurred by bringing machinery into these new areas when the task that Forestry Tasmania must undertake is to reschedule logging operations out, to non-HCV forest areas.”

Clause 26 of the IGA states that “where harvesting work has already begun in coupes within the nominated 430,000 hectares, rescheduling will occur as soon as practical. “ Despite being marked as ‘current’ on the list provided by Forestry Tasmania on 18th August, coupes BT013A and PC015B were inactive on inspection on the 22nd.

Dr Phill Pullinger, Director of Environment Tasmania said that following the failure of the moratorium process, decisive government action was needed to prevent environmental damage and further impact on the conservation outcomes agreed to by the Tasmanian and Australian Governments.

“This government agreement delivers outcomes for workers and for the industry and it must demonstrate the ability to deliver outcomes for the environment,” he said.

“The first test of delivering for the environment will be ensuring that logging operations are rescheduled out of the 430,000 hectares of native forests earmarked for immediate protection from logging in the government agreement.”

Contact:
Vica Bayley - The Wilderness Society - 0400 644 939
Phill Pullinger - Environment Tasmania - 0428 554 934