Stopping logging most effective way to cut emissions

Media Release
24 May 2011
The Wilderness Society Tasmania Inc

The Wilderness Society today welcomed the Climate Commission's analysis that protecting forests is an important policy measure for Governments to embrace to combat climate change.

This reinforces calls for the State and Federal Governments to engage in negotiations with Tasmanian stakeholders about protecting native forests and managing those forests in the long term for their carbon storage and climate change mitigation benefits.

"The science is clear and this is reflected in the Commission's report," said Vica Bayley. "Protecting forests is one of the quickest and most effective ways to cut carbon emissions and one of the quickest and most effective ways to combat climate change."

"This report gives clear direction to Governments to introduce policy and take real steps to protect native forests across Australia, starting with Tasmania."

The report states:

- In general, forests with high carbon storage capacities are those in relatively cool, moist climates that have fast growth coupled with low decomposition rates, and older, complex, multi-aged and layered forests with minimal human disturbance.

- This framework underscores the importance of eliminating harvesting of old-growth forests as perhaps the most important policy measure that can be taken to reduce emissions from land ecosystems. [our emphasis]

"Protecting and restoring native forests will deliver real climate benefits for Australia and help meet immediate targets for emissions reductions," continued Mr Bayley.

"Government action to secure an agreed resolution to the forest conflict in Tasmania, which will include the protection of some of the world's most carbon dense forests and the elimination of logging in old-growth and mature native forest ecosystems as part of a rapid transition into plantations is urgently required."

"Both the Tasmanian and Commonwealth Governments must agree to negotiate with signatories to the forest agreement in Tasmania, to realise the climate change benefits protecting Tasmania's forests would bring," concluded Mr Bayley.

Tonight the Wilderness Society will continue a series of community forums about the opportunity to resolve Tasmania's forest conflict. This will include a presentation on forest carbon issues by Conservation Biologist Nick Fitzgerald.*

Where: Carlton Surf Live Savers Club,
1 Raprinner Street, Carlton, TAS

When: from 6.00 to 7.30 pm