Jack Bradshaw
Despite evidence to the contrary, the WA Minister for Forests (Jacki Jarvis) continues to argue that the WA timber industry had to close because it has run out of wood as a result of reduced growth rate due to climate change, quoting reports from CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology as evidence. Neither of these organisations has any involvement in the determination of timber yield.
In past Management Plans, specialist staff in the Department of Parks and Wildlife or its predecessors (now Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions) made estimates of sustainable yield allowing for contingencies such as wildfire, climate change or proposed tenure changes. The data and methodology used were then reviewed by a panel of independent experts before a recommendation was made to government. This did not happen for the new management plan.
A freedom of information request asking what information had been provided to the government on the impact of climate change on timber yields produced no information relating to changes in growth rate or yield over time and no information at all relating to karri. Access to one third of relevant documents were refused on the grounds that “its disclosure would reveal any deliberation or decision made by an Executive body.” i.e. the public are not entitled to know what information the government uses to make its decisions. So much for open government.
Either DBCA were told not to bother determining the yield for this management plan or the calculated yield did not suit the government’s pre-determined decision to close the industry. There was no review by an independent panel.
The previous Minister (Dave Kelly) maintained that all would be revealed in the new Management plan and that there would be opportunity for further refinement. Despite the fact the biggest change to be made to forest management in last 170 years was the closure of the timber industry, it is not even mentioned until page 32 of the Draft and without a single reason being given for the decision.
I am sure that the Minister is well aware that the decision to close the industry has nothing to do with growth rate or carbon stocks and everything to do with green ideology and city votes. All this while continuing to support the strip mining of the jarrah forest for bauxite at ever increasing rates.
Jack Bradshaw is a former manager of the Forest Management Branch of the Dept of Conservation and Land Management.
Related stories: Science debunks McGowan’s forestry populism: Gavin Butcher; What’s happening to the jarrah forest?; The McGowan logic – sustainable native forest logging not environmentally acceptable, but widespread clearing of the jarrah for bauxite is: Robert Onfray; WA call another example of thought-bubble policy on native forestry: IFA/ AFG; Media statement: McGowan Government’s historic move to protect native forests
