The Victorian Ministry for Agriculture has responded to a community-led petition by confirming that specialty timber from State forests is exempted from the 10 year phase out of native timber harvesting in Victorian public forests contained in the Victorian Forestry Plan.

Speciality timber, such as Blackwood, Stainwood and Mountain Ash from Victorian public forests is used to make high quality musical instruments.

Otway Tonewoods has been supplying high quality timber for musical instruments to local and international luthiers since 1985. James Kidman from Otway Tonewoods gave Australian Rural & Regional News some background on the petition and the Victorian Minister’s confirmation of the exemption.

After the Victorian Government announced the VFP in November 2019, Maton Guitars, Cole Clarke Guitars, Otway Tonewoods and the Australian Music Association wrote to the Victorian Minister for the Environment requesting that specialty timbers be excluded from the plan to allow for the continuation of harvesting specialty timbers using single-tree-selection methods for the construction of high value products such as musical instruments.

While a response was received by Otway from the Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Energy that specialty timber harvesting would be supported, no specifics as to how this would be done were given. Indeed, VicForests gave apparently inconsistent verbal advice that Otway’s business would be affected, and the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions’ advice was that all commercial native harvesting was to cease by 2030 but that they may be able to use salvage material from fire-break activities.

Salvage material would not be an adequate substitute for Otway’s purposes.

James then prepared and led the petition to amend the Victorian Forestry Plan and retain Victoria’s connection with sustainable native timbers. The 61-page petition is a persuasive and comprehensive statement in support of sustainable native timber harvesting.

The petition was launched in December 2021 and tabled in the Victorian Parliament by the Member for Western Victoria, Bev McArthur.

Mrs McArthur spoke on the petition. On 8 February 2022, she put the following question during Question Time:

Mrs McArthur:

“To ask the Minister for Training and Skills (for the Minister for Agriculture): (1596) My question is for the Minister for Agriculture and concerns the Andrews government’s sledgehammer 2030 ban on native timber harvesting in public forests. I entirely reject the principle of this destructive ban, but my question today concerns the knock-on effect of low-impact, selective, sustainable and value-added timber operations.

Otway Tonewoods, in my electorate, supplies limited amounts of carefully selected high-grade local timbers like blackwood, satinwood and mountain ash for the production of truly extraordinary musical instruments.

This is a fabulous industry. We have some of the world’s most skilled makers using incredible Victorian hardwoods, respecting the timber and creating immense value from small quantities of wood. They care passionately about the timber. Nothing is wasted, as the smallest offcuts are used. The wood is sustainable. The instruments become carbon stores. The alternative is unthinkable: plastic guitars, imported timber.

So, Minister, please explain: how does shutting this industry down bring any environmental benefit whatsoever?”

On 8 March 2022, the Hon. Mary-Anne Thomas MP, Minister for Agriculture (Vic), answered:

“The Victorian Forestry Plan, announced in November 2019, provides the timber and forest industry with more than a decade to transition away from native timber harvesting. The plan ensures the industry in Victoria is sustainable, resilient and has greater access to a dedicated plantation timber supply – to deliver greater certainty to businesses, communities and long-term jobs.

The phase out of native timber harvesting under the Victorian Forestry Plan does not include the cessation of the supply of specialty timber from our state forests. The supply of specialty timber is managed through a forest produce license system which supports smaller scale, selective utilisation of forest produce. The Victorian Government is supportive of identifying ongoing opportunities to support minor timber products industries, including high value add specialty timber businesses.”

The extent of the forest produce license system was not provided at that time.