The World Heritage Committee has agreed to nominate an extra 170,000ha of Tasmanian bush, reigniting the war of words on forestry. Sources: The Australian, The Mercury
Old growth native forests in the Upper Florentine, the Styx, Huon, Picton and Counsel River Valley were given the highest level of environmental protection at a United Nations meeting in Phnom Penh.
The listing predominantly adds areas bordering the state’s current World Heritage areas and represents the biggest environmental outcome of the recently negotiated peace deal between green groups and the timber industry.
Greens leader Christine Milne said the party had been working to have the areas listed since 1989.
“It’s fantastic that after so many years of campaigning, conservationists … can celebrate the protection of these magnificent wild forests that contain the tallest flowering plants on earth,” she said in a statement.
“We can all smile broadly knowing that at last these Tasmanian forests of outstanding universal value are now protected for all time.”
The peace deal divided the environmental movement with more extreme groups outside the talks at odds with The Wilderness Society, the Australian Conservation Foundation and Environment Tasmania who were all part of a tortuous three-year negotiation.
Wilderness Society spokesman Vica Bayley hailed the deal, which will ultimately deliver 500,000 hectares of forest reserves, as a success.
“I do strongly believe the reason this was finally nominated was because it was part of the Tasmanian Forest Agreement, an important part of the Tasmanian Forest Agreement, and it represents the first tangible conservation outcome from that agreement,” he said.
Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association chief executive Jan Davis said farmers had never been consulted despite the area bordering many farms.
“To this day, we still have no detailed maps, so we don’t know who is impacted or how this will affect them,” Davis said. “However, now the decision has been made, State and Federal governments need to lift the veil of secrecy and individually advise each neighbouring property of the boundary and any anticipated impact on their homes.”
Tasmania’s Liberal opposition has promised to rip up the peace agreement if, as looks likely, it wins government next March.
Spokesman Peter Gutwein said the deal had been reached without consulting Tasmanians.
“Once again, Labor has used Tasmania as a political pawn,” he said. “By locking up more of Tasmania, Labor has sold out our forestry industry, sold out regional Tasmania and sold out jobs just to satisfy the Greens.”
Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke said work was still to be completed with Aboriginal communities on cultural values, which will be considered at a future World Heritage Committee meeting.
He told parliament this was the first time it was not just politicians drawing arbitrary boundaries but a negotiation among stakeholders.
“That provides a path forward for Tasmania different to the conflict model that those opposite are completely wedded to,” he said.
