Our forests are too important: Forestry Australia
Blanket bans of native forest harvesting will not improve our carbon balance or recover biodiversity according to the professional association for forest scientists, growers and managers, Forestry Australia. President Dr Michelle Freeman said the consensus position of independent scientific experts, forest managers and researchers is that active management of forests is required to maintain forest health, mitigate fire risk, conserve biodiversity and maximise carbon outcomes.
Delay in timber contracts – $11 million to prop up Forestry Commission: SFI Roundtable
Questioning by the WA Opposition’s Mia Davies has revealed that the Forest Products Commission is not planning on issuing any timber contracts from 1 January 2024 until an indeterminant time in the future ... “It is a clear tactic to force businesses out of the sector”, said David Utting, convenor of the Sustainable Forest Industries Roundtable.
End of native forestry – Victorian Government fails to see the forest for the trees: Timber Towns
The State Government’s decision earlier this week to end the native forestry industry effective January 2024 came as a shock to the whole sector, clearly with zero consultation with any forestry industry representatives. Timber Towns Victoria calls the decision ‘reckless’ and ‘irresponsible’, condemning the decision.
The Blueprint Institute’s ‘Branching Out’ report – a critique
‘Branching Out”, the latest report on the NSW native forestry by the Blueprint Institute, was released on 26 April and put into the media with the subeditorial line “Report outlines economic benefit of ending native forest logging’ ... The Report should be marked ‘draft’ given its deficiencies - and that is being generous.
New deadline brings mixed response
The decision by the Victorian government to bring forward the end of native forest logging to January 2024 has been met with differing reactions ... "There are very few production systems on the globe that offer stronger sustainability credentials than well managed native forests. In fact, we know that well managed native forests can actually provide superior biodiversity, fire and climate outcomes": President of Forestry Australia, Dr Michelle Freeman ... On the other side of the coin, the Victorian National Parks Association ...
Livelihoods destroyed at the hands of the Victorian Premier: Wellington Shire Council
"In three years, we haven’t seen any evidence or sign that the Premier ever had plans to deliver on his promises to support the native timber industry with new pine plantations or any form of alternative supply. Now the livelihoods of hundreds of locals are shattered in an instant without a single word from the Premier or his government": Cr Ian Bye, Wellington Shire Council Mayor
Big miner stings taxpayers – the impact of bauxite mining on water yield: Frank Batini
Frank Batini. Probably the world’s largest mine, in terms of area, is Alcoa’s bauxite mine, located in the northern jarrah forest, within a biologically rich area, close to the State’s capital city (Perth) and on its domestic water supply catchments ... In 2007, Alcoa reported that the loss in water yield from five monitored catchments, where mining had occurred on part of the landscape, was 40-50 mmpa greater than in the un-mined forest. In the intervening 16 years the trees have grown and would now be using much more water.
Forestry sector dismayed by decision to end native Victorian forestry: Forestry Australia
"There are very few production systems on the globe that offer stronger sustainability credentials than well managed native forests. In fact, we know that well managed native forests can actually provide superior biodiversity, fire and climate outcomes. Simply excluding harvesting from native forests does not guarantee biological diversity, particularly from the broader threats of wildfires, invasive species, and climate change. Closing the native forest timber industry in Victoria will constrain the silvicultural and management options for State forests": Dr Michelle Freeman, President of Forestry Australia.
Native forestry announcement a massive blow for regional Victorian families: FWCA
Today’s announcement to bring forward the end of native forestry by six years is a devastating blow for thousands of regional Victorian families. It is estimated that native forestry provides 5000 direct jobs and many more indirect jobs providing the lifeblood for regional communities such as Orbost, which stands to lose 37 per cent of its workers.
Delivering certainty for timber workers: Andrews
The Victorian Government is stepping in to deliver certainty for timber workers, sawmill operators and their communities, with an expanded transition support package as part of the Victorian Budget 2023/24. This package removes the uncertainty that has been caused by ongoing court and litigation process and increasingly severe bushfires, with an additional $200 million in support for workers and their families to transition away from native timber logging earlier than planned – by 1 January 2024.
Forestry Australia welcomes return of China timber exports
"Australia is the sixth most forested country in the world but is a net importer of timber products. The current approach is not working if we want to continue to provide local timber products to support affordable housing and flow-on benefits to meet society’s needs. We are in effect, exporting our forest management challenges to other nations, when we have high environmental standards and highly skilled professionals and scientists to appropriately manage our resources locally": Dr Michelle Freeman, President of Forestry Australia.
Proof that species are declining in our forests set up to protect them: Robert Onfray
Robert Onfray. As we celebrate World Endangered Species Day on 19 May, I thought it timely this month to look closely at how species are faring in Australia, particularly in reserves authorities have established to protect them ... We don’t hear about this aspect of monitoring in our reserves because the government, bureaucrats and environmental activists don’t want the public to know just how poorly managed our reserves are.
Just add water, again
While Victoria wrestles with the federal government over the Murray-Darling Basin Plan Sustainable Diversion Limit project, the delivery of held environmental water ramps up to flood Gunbower Forest again. Described as the ‘Special Sauce’ by North Central Catchment Management Authority (NCCMA), held environmental water will be used to irrigate the forest following two flooding events in 2022, an irrigation event and the following wide-scale major flooding. It’s not tree or canopy health that is driving the NCCMA’s call for water this time around but food for water birds.
Closing down
The timber mill at Corryong will close by September, once the existing log stock is milled. It will be the end of an era for Walkers Sawmill after 87 years of operation under three generations of the family. Current owner, Graham Walker, was in Corryong on Friday to announce the closure of the mill to its 21 employees.
Closing town’s mill is best course of action: Graham Walker
Graham Walker. I came to Corryong last Friday to announce to the employees that our sawmill will close once the existing log stock is milled. The gloomy sky over our log stack showed how I was feeling as I delivered the bad news ... If we were to continue business as usual, we had no certainty of sawlog quantity from VicForests as they are still embroiled in battle with ‘Friends of the Forest’ and court injunctions and they had only guaranteed 55 per cent of our 19,000m3 allocation.
More than $7 million in funding for small businesses in native forest regions: Jarvis
The grants of up to $400,000 will help small businesses with a reliance on the native timber industry remain open and invest in job creation through diversification, expansion and innovation. The recipients include furniture makers, transport companies, children's playground builders, firewood contractors and garden suppliers.
Maleny Wood Expo
Over 150 exhibitors, artisans and woodworkers, workshop presenters, speakers and performers! With a dynamic program on offer, a full house of exhibitors, and some new features built into the program this year, the return of the Maleny Wood Expo is set to be a fantastic weekend for the whole family to enjoy!
First trainload of timber arrives to support snowy region mills: FCNSW
The rail transport initiative will see Forestry Corporation of NSW deliver around 270,000 tonnes of sawlog timber to Tumut and Tumbarumba processors over the next three years. This timber was initially set for export, however the impact of the Black Summer bushfires and local timber shortage have meant Australian timber mills have been given priority.
Concerns for giants brings logging to a halt
For months protesters have been fighting for logging to be halted in Doubleduke State Forest in Bungawalbin. NSW Environmental Authority announced the decision to stop logging on April 16 ... “The inspection identified that Forestry Corporation of NSW had not mapped two giant trees in accordance with the Coastal Integrated Forestry Operations Approval and Protocols,” EPA regulatory operations director Steve Orr said.
Council commits to increasing the region’s tree canopy and vegetation
Rockhampton Regional Council has adopted an Urban Greening Policy which will work towards increasing tree canopy and vegetation across the region. Parks, Sport and Public Spaces Councillor Cherie Rutherford said the policy plays an essential part in shaping the liveability of our community by improving urban greening.
Ecological thinning – WA Government manages to wedge itself: Gavin Butcher
Gavin Butcher. When the WA Premier announced it was changing direction in the management of native forests to one guided by improving forest health and climate resilience he was on a potential winner ... Here was a unique opportunity to end the forest wars and set up a sustainable future for all. Alas the government has fluffed it.
Determining the WA timber yield: 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.
