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WA forest management plan under scrutiny

Details of the 10-year draft forest management plan for the future of West Australia’s forests have been released. The draft Forest Management Plan 2014-23 (FMP) was released by the Conservation Commission and will enjoy a 12-week consultation period. Source: Timberbiz

The draft plan covers a land area of 2.5 million hectares in the South-West of the State from Lancelin north of Perth to Denmark on the south coast.

Among the plan’s proposals are additions to the Whicher National Park near Busselton and greater protection of marri trees as habitat for endangered black cockatoos.

The draft FMP covers a range of issues and identifies climate change and dieback as key threats to the sustainability of native forests, according to John Clarke Chairman of the WA Division of the Institute of Foresters of Australia.

“Our forest catchments are drying out. The new FMP proposes the option of a widespread forest thinning strategy to save our dams,” he said.

“This is a critical issue for public water supply and for conservation. Stream-flows from the forests have already reduced by more than 50% in many places and forest thinning is the only viable option to help protect the aquatic species and stream communities, including dependent species like the quokka.

“We could see dams full of dust within 20 years unless something is done to restore the water balance. Thinning the forest will provide long term low cost water at a time when power and water prices are sky-rocketing,” said Clarke.

The management of dieback is also a major challenge.

“This risk to WA’s unique vegetation can only be managed by strict hygiene practices. In the past these measures had applied only to some, but now all forest users need to meet these standards.

“It must be hoped that people realise that South-West communities suffered under the current FMP which reduced timber yields by 70%.

“A viable timber industry requires a critical mass to operate economically and to support the infrastructure of regional communities. While the new FMP proposes some changes to improve the reserve system, it should also hand back some of the areas which are far above the needs for an effective conservation network.”

Clarke said a major concern was the predicted decline in pine plantations that have suffered badly as a result of the recent record low rainfall.

“The question must be asked whether our plantations can continue to support the housing industry in WA and if not, from where will the timber be sourced. WA has a solid softwood processing industry, but it will not survive unless harvested plantations are replaced. The FMP does not address these critical issues of industry policy.

“The suggestion that harvesting the native forest will reduce stored carbon is demolished by the Plan,” said Clarke.

“The fact is, timber harvesting and manufacture of solid wood products substantially increases stored carbon because fast growing regrowth forests rapidly absorb carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, whereas older forests grow slowly and die, releasing as much carbon as they capture.

“The draft new FMP, as a whole, provides sound options for addressing the needs of the forest and if implemented will provide a basis for long-term sustainability,” said Clarke.

“There are many pressures on our forests including a drying climate, feral pests and weeds and these all need to be taken into consideration,” Conservation Commission chairman Brian Easton said.

“That is why this plan takes a whole of forest management approach.”

Easton said public information sessions would be held on the draft plan in Perth and in the South-West in September.

Environment Minister Bill Marmion said once the public consultation period ended in November, submissions would be analysed and considered in the preparation of a proposed final plan, which would come into force in 2014.