Forestry Tasmania’s 2008/09 investment of $330,000 in searching for wedge-tailed eagle nests had paid dividends, with the discovery of 51 new nests on state forest, Energy and Resources Minister David Llewellyn said last week.
“The results of last year’s nest searching program have brought the total known eagle nests on state forest to 553,” Llewellyn said.
“The nest searching program is a prime example of Forestry Tasmania’s meticulous planning, which helps to ensure eagle habitat is protected on state forest.
“Each of these nests is protected within a minimum 10ha reserve, and forestry activities are excluded from within 500 metres or one kilometre line of sight of active nests during the breeding season.”
The results of last year’s nest searching program were some of the key highlights of Forestry Tasmania’s new Stewardship Report, tabled in State Parliament last week.
Llewellyn praised the Stewardship Report as the most transparent annual report ever received from Forestry Tasmania.
“It is now a year since Forestry Tasmania’s Sustainability Charter, the 10-year strategic plan that guides the management of Tasmania’s state forests, was produced.
“The Stewardship Report demonstrates that the Sustainability Charter has not been left to gather dust, but is now integral to FT’s operations.
“The report is clearly broken down into the aims and objectives of the Sustainability Charter, and just as clearly shows the areas in which Forestry Tasmania is meeting or exceeding its targets, and the areas in which some improvement is needed.
“Forestry Tasmania has gone beyond the call of duty in improving the transparency of its operations; firstly by the early release of its financial statements in August, and now by presenting this comprehensive analysis of its operations.
“I am aware that Forestry Tasmania staff have worked tirelessly to bring the sustainable forest management report, which is normally released in March, into the same reporting cycle as the annual report.
“This has ensured that data on the entire scope of FT’s operations, including contributions to the economy, biodiversity protection, scientific research and community involvement, is open to Parliamentary and public scrutiny.
“These measures show that any accusation by the Greens that Forestry Tasmania lacks transparency is misplaced,” he said.
The Stewardship Report combines Forestry Tasmania’s financial report and sustainable forest management report. It is available from www.forestrytas.com.au
