Prepared by the Wilderness Society ( Tasmania) Inc

and Stil l Wild Stil l Threatened

December 2008

Oldgrowth for exportA report documenting the logging and woodchipping

of Tasmania’s oldgrowth forests.

ABBREVIATIONS

ABARE�—Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource EconomicsARN�—Aggregated RetentionCat. 1 & 3�—First grade eucalypt sawlogCat. 2—Second grade eucalypt sawlogCat. 4�—First grade special species timber sawlogCat. 8—Eucalypt log with a quality below Category 2 specifications but which is deemed suitable for sawmilling.CLF�—Clearfell F�E�A—Forest Enterprises AustraliaF�SC—Forest Stewardship CouncilF�T�—Forestry TasmaniaGPS—Global Positioning SystemGMT�—Green Metric TonnesGS1—Group Selection—1st cutting cycle.HCV�—High Conservation ValueICOMOS—International Council on Monuments and SitesIUCN�—International Union for Conservation of NatureIT�C—Integrated Tree CroppingLT�WSA—Long Term Wood Supply AgreementMPM—Mitsubishi Paper MillsPSR—Potential Sawlog RetentionPulpwood and peeler—Logs below sawlog quality which are suitable for peeling or the manufacture of pulp, paper and panel products. RF�A—Regional Forest AgreementRN�F�—Regenerate to Native ForestRPDC—Resource Planning and Development CommissionSW1—Shelterwood RetentionT�WWHA—Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage AreaUN�E�SCO—United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation

Published by The Wilderness Society (Tasmania) Inc

130 Davey St, Hobart, TAS, Australia 7000

www.wilderness.org.au

Still Wild Still Threatened

PO Box 295, South Hobart ,TAS, Australia 7004

www.stillwildstillthreatened.org

This report has been compiled by The Wilderness Society (Tasmania) Inc and Still Wild Still Threatened.

T�he Wilderness Society is a community-based environmental

advocacy organisation whose purpose is to protect, promote and

restore wilderness and natural processes across Australia for the

survival and ongoing evolution of life on Earth. The Wilderness

Society has been campaigning for the protection of Tasmania’s wild

places for over 30 years.

Still Wild Still T�hreatened is a grassroots community organisation

campaigning for the immediate protection of Tasmania’s

oldgrowth and high-conservation-value forests and the creation of

an equitable and environmentally sustainable forestry industry in

Tasmania. Still Wild Still Threatened is based in Southern Tasmania

and focuses its campaign on threatened oldgrowth and high-

conservation-value forests located in the Derwent Region.

AuThORSUla Majewski, Bachelor of Arts with Honours, University of Melbourne; Master of Environmental Management, University of TasmaniaGemma Tillack, Bachelor of Environmental Science, James Cook UniversityGeoff Law, Bachelor of Science, University of Melbourne

AckNOWlEdgEmENTSThe authors would like to thank the following individuals and groups for their invaluable assistance in producing this report:

Carl Bennett, Suzi Pipes, Paul Raffety, Emma Capp, Russell Warman, Karuna Knights, Jessica Wright , Erik Hayward, Miranda Gibson, Peter van der Pasch, Nishant Datt, Valerie Thompson, Laura Minnebo, Rob Blakers, Matt Newton, Lesley Nicklason, Nick Fitzgerald, Will Mooney, Daniel Kennedy, Vica Bayley, Geoffrey Lea, Kip Nunn and all the volunteer researchers involved in conducting surveys.

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SX010F / Photo: Ula MajewskiCover photos: Vica Bayley and

Rob Blakers

Printed on 100% recycled paper

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EXEcuTIVE SummARYThis report sets out to:

identify the status of tall-eucalypt forests, especially tall-eucalypt oldgrowth forests, on public land in Tasmania;detail the extent of proposed logging operations in Tasmanian RFA oldgrowth forests on public land;describe the characteristics of some of the RFA oldgrowth forests scheduled for logging;determine the main products extracted from Tasmanian RFA oldgrowth forests located on public land;determine the main destinations for the dominant products extracted from Tasmanian RFA oldgrowth forests.

The report presents evidence to show the following.Significant tracts of Tasmanian tall-eucalypt forest that was mapped as oldgrowth by the Regional Forest Agreement (RFA) process are available for logging.There are at least 193 logging coupes in Forestry Tasmania’s Three Year Wood Production Plans for 2007–08 to 2009–10 that contain RFA oldgrowth forest.Many of those logging coupes contain oldgrowth forests of great beauty and stature, with trees often in excess of 70 metres tall and 10 metres in girth. Some trees in scheduled logging coupes are just short of being official ‘giants’ eligible for protection from logging (85 metres tall and/or 280 cubic metres in volume).The dominant product from Tasmanian native forests on public land is pulpwood (over 84% of wood extracted) with only 4% becoming solid wood products such as sawn timber.The majority of that pulpwood comes from trees that are not classified as ‘regrowth’—that is, they come largely from trees that are mature or very old.Companies that process eucalypt pulpwood into pulp or paper within Tasmania process relatively small quantities compared with the quantities of woodchips exported.Companies that process eucalypt pulpwood in Tasmania claim to source all of their raw materials from non-oldgrowth sources such as plantations and regrowth.According to the Tasmanian Government, Gunns Ltd and Forestry Tasmania, Gunns’ proposed pulp mill will not consume RFA oldgrowth forests. Coupes excluded from the pulp mill appear to be dominated by RFA oldgrowth forest. The main product scheduled for extraction from coupes excluded from the pulpmill wood supply agreement with Forestry Tasmania is non-regrowth pulpwood which is destined for export by Gunns. While there is no legislative or government instrument to guarantee commitments by Gunns and the government that RFA oldgrowth will not be pulped or burnt in Gunns’ proposed mill, it appears that the intention is to keep exporting woodchips from Tasmanian RFA oldgrowth forests.The vast majority of woodchips from Tasmanian native forests—and an even higher proportion of the woodchips from RFA oldgrowth—are exported by Gunns.

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•Threatened forest in the Weld Valley / Photo: Geoffrey Lea

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Japanese paper companies are the main recipient of woodchips from Tasmania. In 2006–07, over 70% of Tasmanian hardwood woodchips went to Japan.A significant proportion of non-regrowth woodchips exported from Tasmania (at the very least 20%, but probably a much higher proportion) goes to Japan. These woodchips include woodchips from Tasmanian RFA oldgrowth forests.

While Gunns claims that RFA oldgrowth woodchips are not an acceptable source of fibre for its proposed pulp mill, it clearly believes it is acceptable for its international customers—including the Japanese paper companies—to process those woodchips.

Japanese pulp-and-paper companies, being the major recipients of woodchips from Tasmania, have a major role to play in the Tasmanian forestry industry.

Mitsubishi has already played a constructive role by making commitments not to consume woodchips from oldgrowth forests and to make its intentions verifiable. If Oji, Nippon and other companies followed Mitsubishi’s lead, a win-win outcome could be achieved for both conservation and the Tasmanian forestry industry.

In the absence of such action, Tasmania’s unique oldgrowth forests will continue to be logged, woodchipped and sent to Japan.

The Wilderness Society and Still Wild Still Threatened would like to make the following recommendations to the consumers of woodchips sourced from Tasmania’s native forests.

Reject any woodchips sourced from RFA oldgrowth and other high-conservation- value forests in Tasmania.

Publish on their websites all chain-of-custody information relating to sources of woodchips, including woodchips from Tasmania. This will allow independent verification the wood is coming from sustainable sources that do not include RFA oldgrowth forests or other areas of high conservation-value.

Seek sources of woodchips that have Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification. In relation to FSC controlled wood, currently it is our advice that the only wood that can meet the controlled wood standard is wood that comes from established hardwood and softwood plantations. Verification that controlled wood is exclusively sourced from established plantations would need to be strictly audited. This is because high-conservation-value forests continue to be used as a source of woodchips.

Reject woodchips sourced from coupes listed in Schedule 5 of the Long Term Wood Supply Agreement between Gunns and Forestry Tasmania (FT/Gunns 2007:44). The majority of these coupes contain RFA oldgrowth forest.

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Logging coupe WE038A, 15th June 2008 / Photo: Ula Majewski

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EXEcuTIVE SummARY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

INTROducTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

PART ONE: The definitions and extent of RFA oldgrowth forests in Tasmania . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

1.2 The current status of RFA oldgrowth forests in Tasmania . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

1.2.1 The current status of tall-eucalypt forests in Tasmania . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

PART TWO: The logging of RFA oldgrowth forests in Tasmania . . . . . . 19

Methodology for surveying oldgrowth logging coupes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

CASE STUDY: RFA oldgrowth logging in the Derwent Wilderness Forests. . . . . . 25

CASE STUDY: RFA oldgrowth logging in the Styx Valley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

CASE STUDY: RFA oldgrowth logging in the Upper Florentine Valley . . . . . . . . . . 36

CASE STUDY: RFA oldgrowth logging in the Wylds Craig area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

CASE STUDY: RFA oldgrowth logging in the Wedge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

PART ThREE: Where do the oldgrowth woodchips go? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

3.1 The primary product extracted from native forests on public land is pulpwood. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49

3.2 The majority of the pulpwood extracted from native forests on public land is not regrowth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

3.3 Who processes these non-regrowth woodchips from public land? . . . . . .51

3.3.1 Gunns’ proposed pulp mill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

3.3.2 Domestic processors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

3.3.3 Exporters of woodchips other than Gunns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

3.3.4 Gunns’ export-woodchip mills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

3.4 Where are the RFA oldgrowth woodchips exported to? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55

3.5 The role of Japanese pulp-and-paper companies in the logging of Tasmanian RFA oldgrowth forests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56

3.6 Recommendations to Japanese pulp-and-paper companies. . . . . . . . . . . .57

REFERENcES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

APPENdIX A

Definition of high-conservation-value forests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Table 1: List of coupes in state forest that contain RFA oldgrowth forests due to be logged between 2007–2010.. . . . . . . . . . . 64

Table 2 : List of coupes in state forest that contain high-conservation-value forest due to be logged between 2007–2010.. . 65

APPENdIX B

Derwent survey—field notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

APPENdIX c

“Notional Sawn Recovery and Cost Figures” conversion table (Ryan 1999: 61). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

APPENdIX d

Letter from Mitsubishi Corporation to Greenpeace and The Wilderness Society, 14 May 2004. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Letter from Nippon Paper Industries to Tasmanian Premier, 9 March 2004 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

TABlE OF cONTENTS

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lIST OF FIguRES

Figure 1.� Regional Forest Agreement (RFA) Oldgrowth forests in Tasmania . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Figure 2.� Area of oldgrowth forest in areas surveyed for regional forest agreements. . .12

Figure 3.� The Current Status of Tasmania’s Original Cover of Tall-Eucalypt Forest. . . . . . .1�

Figure 4.� Reserved and unreserved tall-eucalypt forest in Tasmania . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Figure 5.� Principle forest types examined in fragmentation analyses, Tasmania.. . . . . . . .16

Figure 6.� Status of Tall Eucalypt RFA Oldgrowth Forest on Public Land 2006 . . . . . . . . . . .16

Figure 7.� Tall eucalypt oldgrowth forest lost 1996–2006 by forest type. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Figure 8.� Logging coupes containing RFA oldgrowth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Figure 9.� The Derwent Wilderness Forests case study area. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

Figure 10.� Planned logging details of case study coupes in the Styx Valley . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Figure 11.� The Styx Valley case study area. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

Figure 12.� The Upper Florentine Valley case study area. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .�6

Figure 13.� Planned logging details of case study coupes in the Upper Florentine

Valley. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .�6

Figure 14.� Location of case study coupes in the Wylds Craig area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .�0

Figure 15.� Planned logging details of case study coupes in the Wylds Craig area . . . . . . .�0

Figure 16.� Location of case study coupes in the Wedge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .�2

Figure 17.� Planned logging details of case study coupes in the Wedge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .�2

Figure 18.� Proportion of logs in case study coupes that become sawlogs

and woodchips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .�5

Figure 19.� Public Land Logging Figures from Forestry Tasmania’s Annual Reports. . . . . . .�8

Figure 20.� Proportion of logs extracted from publicly-owned native forest that becomes

pulpwood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .�9

Figure 21.� Schematic representation of Tasmanian oldgrowth logging.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .�9

Figure 22.� Summary of Hardwood Pulpwood available from planned coupes in 2006–

2007. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

Figure 23.� Volumes of pulpwood in RFA oldgrowth coupes that have been excluded

from Gunns Ltd’s proposed pulp mill wood supply 2007-2008. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51

Figure 24.� Logging coupes on public land excluded from Gunns’ proposed pulp mill

that are in Forestry Tasmania’s 2007-08 to 2009-10 Three Year Plan. . . . . . . . . . .52

Figure 25.� The vast majority of woodchips produced in Tasmania are exported

by Gunns Ltd. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5�

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INTROducTIONThis report has been produced by The Wilderness Society and Still Wild Still Threatened to document the ongoing logging of Tasmania’s oldgrowth forests and to highlight the critical influence Japanese consumers of Tasmanian woodchips can have on the future of oldgrowth forests in Tasmania.

The island state of Tasmania is globally renowned for its oldgrowth native forest, significant biological diversity and spectacular wild places. Tasmania is home to one of the world’s last great temperate wilderness areas, to the world’s tallest hardwood trees (which can grow to over 100 metres in height), and to the largest tract of temperate rainforest in Australia. The exceptional ecological values of Tasmania’s natural landscapes have been internationally recognised by a multitude of individuals and organisations, including the IUCN (multiple reports and recommendations from 1989 to 2008; see, for example, IUCN 1989 and IUCN 1990), the Tasmanian Department of Parks, Wildlife and Heritage (DPWH 1990), and the Forest and Forest Industry Council’s Balanced Panel of Experts (FFIC 1990).

However, significant tracts of oldgrowth and other high-conservation-value forests are still being logged or are scheduled for logging. These ancient forested landscapes, which include globally significant examples of tall-eucalypt forest and rainforest, are essential for conserving wilderness, World Heritage values, biodiversity, threatened-species habitat, hydrological flows and carbon storage.

Pristine oldgrowth forests located on public land in the Upper Florentine, Weld Valley, Styx Valley, Wylds Craig area, Wedge, Little Denison, Tyenna, Middle Huon, Great Western Tiers, Ben Lomond and the North East and Eastern Highlands, including the Blue Tier, are threatened by logging and unsustainable management practices.

This report provides irrefutable evidence showing that industrial logging of Tasmania’s RFA oldgrowth and high conservation value forests on public land is occurring and will continue into the future unless decision-makers in the political or corporate arenas take action to protect these forests.

Logging coupe TN049A, 11th February 2008 / Photo: Erik Hayward

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Logging coupe WE034D, 25th June 2007 / Photo: Laura Minnebo

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Tasmania has a large area of oldgrowth and other high-conservation-value forests.

Oldgrowth forests generally have a layered structure, with large

overstorey trees, a well developed understorey of other tree species

and shrubs, and ecological features such as dead standing trees

and large logs on the forest floor. A number of wildlife species are

reliant on these attributes because of the range of nesting hollows

they provide and their greater structural complexity compared with

forests in earlier stages of development. In addition, oldgrowth

forests support a range of aesthetic and cultural values and provide

tourism opportunities (Montreal Process Implementation Group for

Australia 2008:16).

The definition of oldgrowth forest as articulated within the Tasmanian Regional Forest Agreement (RFA) process is “ecologically mature forest where the effects of disturbances are now negligible” (JANIS 1997:14).

A considerable amount of debate exists as to which areas of forest are classified as oldgrowth in Tasmania. This is largely due to the rules that were applied when mapping the extent of oldgrowth forest during the RFA process.

To date, many forests that have never been logged and which contain numerous very big, old trees have not been classified as ‘oldgrowth’ by the Tasmanian and Australian Governments. The conservation movement has therefore continued to present a scientifically-based argument for the recognition and protection of such forests.

PART ONE

ThE dEFINITIONS ANd EXTENT OF RFA OldgROWTh FORESTS IN TASmANIA

Figure 1.� Regional Forest Agreement (RFA) Oldgrowth forests in Tasmania

Please note: The term ‘RFA oldgrowth forests’ in this report refers to the areas shown on the map above as RFA oldgrowth forests in Tasmania.

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Logging coupe WE039D, 15th June 2008 / Photo: Laura Minnebo

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A number of critical concerns over the validity of oldgrowth mapping and reserve allocation during the RFA process were raised by a number of key stakeholders.

Professor Jamie Kirkpatrick, one of Australia’s most renowned botanists, has stated that “the Tasmanian Regional Forest Agreement (RFA) was not a scientific process. It was a political decision negotiated between State and Commonwealth bureaucrats. Scientific criteria for forest conservation were not fully applied—they were compromised for wood production.”

He said that “there are large areas of native forest, oldgrowth and otherwise, that would have been reserved if flexibility provisions were not attached to the RFA criteria for forest conservation. These almost certainly would have included the large area of oldgrowth Eucalyptus regnans tall open-forest in the Styx Valley. If the RFA conservation targets had been met this area would have been totally or largely reserved” (Kirkpatrick 2004:68).

A significant proportion of the oldgrowth forests that were left out of the RFA oldgrowth mapping are classified as ‘regrowth’ forest.

Many members of the public believe the term ‘regrowth’ to mean an area of forest that has been logged and grown back. However, a number of areas which have been classified as ’regrowth forests’ in Tasmania include forest that has never been logged but has been disturbed by natural events, such as bushfires. Examples of this occur in the middle Huon and lower Styx valleys in southern Tasmania. The middle Huon, for example, is part of one of the world’s great temperate wilderness areas and contains huge trees over 250 years old, but has been classified and

mapped as ‘regrowth’ because it also contains trees that began their life after bushfires in 1904 and 1934.

Forestry Tasmania itself has admitted there is a distinction between post-logging regrowth, which it calls ‘aged regrowth’, and natural regrowth, which it calls ‘unaged regrowth’. They are defined by Forestry Tasmania as follows:

(Aged) Regrowth—Forest that has been logged and regenerated, generally since 1960, using deliberate site preparation and seeding techniques. The year of sowing is documented and the age of the trees may be determined. Also referred to as silvicultural regeneration (FT 2007a:22).

(Unaged) Regrowth—Forest regenerated after wildlife or other disturbances, and containing a majority of trees less than 110 years old, where there is no deliberate site preparation or seed sowing. Unaged regrowth forest may contain scattered individuals or stands of ecologically mature trees (FT 2007a:22).

In effect, Forestry Tasmania has admitted that some areas it defines as ‘regrowth’ contain oldgrowth forest.

In addition, the Australian Forestry Standard has a definition which allows for the occurrence of oldgrowth within a ‘regrowth’ forest:

Regrowth forest—Native forest containing a substantial proportion of trees that are in the younger growth phase and are actively growing in height and diameter. Regrowth forests may contain scattered individuals or small occurrences of ecologically mature, or old-growth, trees. (AFS 2007:15)

The forestry industry and the Tasmanian Government still refuse to accept the failures of the oldgrowth mapping during the RFA process. As a result, the

logging coupes documented in this report have focussed on areas of oldgrowth forests that were mapped in the RFA process to ensure that the evidence presented in this report cannot be refuted.

Figure 1 shows the oldgrowth forests that were recognised and mapped by the State and Federal Governments during the RFA process.The Wilderness Society and Still Wild Still Threatened believe that a priority for reservation should be given to oldgrowth forests and other forest ecosystems that also have high conservation-values.

One of the most widely accepted definitions of high-conservation-value forests is the Forest Stewardship council’s definition which considers the following criteria when defining high-conservation-value forests.

Forests with high biodiversity valuesLarge intact natural forest areasRare or threatened ecosystemsForests with critical ecosystem importanceForest areas of particular importance to local communities and indigenous peoples.

In order for logging companies to be certified under the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) the values in forests of high conservation-value must be maintained (FSC 2008c).

See Appendix A for The Wilderness Society’s definition of high-conservation-value forests and lists of planned logging coupes in high-conservation-value forest in Tasmania.

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The following figures and tables demonstrate that

there are considerable tracts of unprotected RFA

oldgrowth forest in Tasmania.

Prior to European settlement, Tasmania had an estimated 4 822 000 hectares of native forest (CoA/TasGovt 2007:223).

According to Forestry Tasmania, 1 446 500 hectares of these forests are now protected in either formal or informal forest reserves (FT 2006b:7). That is, almost 30% of Tasmania’s original extent of native forest is protected from logging. Therefore, approximately 70% of Tasmania’s original extent of native forest

has either been destroyed or is still available for logging.

Figure 2 indicates that in 2007 there were 1 228 000 hectares of RFA oldgrowth forests left in Tasmania. RFA oldgrowth forests accounted for 39% of all native forests mapped in Tasmania (approximately 25% of the original extent of Tasmania’s forests). There were 1 118 000 hectares of RFA oldgrowth forests on public l/and in Tasmania. This table shows that 973 000 hectares of RFA oldgrowth forests were ‘protected’ in formal and informal reserves.

Reserves on Public Land are identified as either ‘formal’ or ‘informal’ reserves. A Formal Reserve includes State Reserves and conservation areas managed by the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service, and Forest Reserves managed by Forestry Tasmania. The status of Formal Reserves is secure, “requiring action by Tasmanian Parliament for dedication or revocation” (FT 2007b:99, CoA/TasGovt 1997:5). Informal Reserves “include wildlife habitat strips and other areas where harvesting activities are specifically excluded by management zoning” (FT 2007b:99) and do not hold a secure reservation status.

The formal reserves gazetted due to the Tasmanian RFA of 1997 and the Supplementary Tasmanian RFA of 2005 are protected from logging operations. However, many of these forests remain under threat from other industrial operations. For example, for reserves established as a result of the 2005 supplementary RFA, “all of the new reserves on public land are available for mineral exploration and mining under the Mineral Resources Development Act 1995” (CoA/TasGovt 2006:2).

A large proportion (at least 56%) of the RFA oldgrowth forests that are not protected are situated on public land. Figure 2 indicates that 255 000 hectares of Tasmanian RFA oldgrowth forest are not reserved. With 110 000 hectares of RFA oldgrowth forest on private land, at least 145 000 hectares of oldgrowth are therefore on unreserved public land. A significant proportion of these unprotected areas of RFA oldgrowth forest are managed by Forestry Tasmania. Forestry Tasmania has stated that at least 75 000 hectares of RFA oldgrowth forest situated on its estate have been identified for wood production (FT 2008:14).Figure 2.� Area of oldgrowth forest in areas surveyed for regional forest agreements. (Montreal Process

Implementation Group for Australia 2008:18).

Native forest area in region

(‘000ha)

Area of oldgrowth identified

(‘000ha)

Area of oldgrowth as %

of forest in region

Area of oldgrowth on

public land (‘000ha)

Area of oldgrowth on

private land (‘000ha)

Area of oldgrowth

in formal and informal

reservesa (‘000ha)

% oldgrowth in reserves

NSWb 8989 25�6 28 1892 6�� 17�2 69

Qldb �2�0 270 8 196 71 196 7�

Tasc �116 1228 �9 1118 110 97� 79

Vic 577� 67� 12 67� 1 �60 68

WAd 1909 ��1 17 ��1 n/a ��1 100

Total 2�018 50�9 22 �209 826 �702 7�

a Includes nature conservation reserves and informal reserves on other tenuresb Oldgrowth data for Queensland and New South Wales have not been updated since SOFR 200�. They do not include reserves established since

200� and therefore ‘area of oldgrowth in formal and informal reserves is an underestimate.c Includes new reserves established under the Tasmanian Community Forest Agreement on public land and 9000 hectares of oldgrowth reserved on

private landd Based on oldgrowth mapping for the RFA.Note: Oldgrowth definitions vary among states. Oldgrowth forest has not been assessed in the Australian Capital Territory, Northern Territory or South Australia. Totals may not tally due to rounding. Sources: NFI, state agencies

1.2 The current status of RFA oldgrowth forests in Tasmania

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Log truck departing the Styx Valley carrying logs from coupe SX010F, 7th January 2008 / Photo: Ula Majewski

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According to figures provided by the Tasmanian and Australian Governments to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee Mission which visited Tasmania in March 2008, 22 870 hectares of oldgrowth forest were destroyed between 1996 and 2007 (Rao et al. 2008:36, 38). Forestry Tasmania has also stated that 11 450 hectares of RFA oldgrowth forest were harvested on public land between 2002 and 2007, with 1472 hectares of these forests logged in 2006–2007 (FT 2007f:15).

Many of the RFA oldgrowth forests that are protected in Tasmania consist of trees that are not desirable for logging. These include very large tracts of rainforest on infertile soils, stunted higher altitude species and large areas of Eucalyptus nitida on infertile soils in the state’s south west. RFA oldgrowth forests that contain species highly desirable to the forestry industry have been poorly reserved, as this section will show.

Tasmania is home to the tallest hardwood forests on Earth, with trees reaching up to 101 metres in height and living for over 400 years. Only a small proportion

(22%) of Tasmania’s original tall-eucalypt forests have been reserved (Figure 3).

For the purposes of Figure 3, tall-eucalypt forest is defined as Eucalyptus regnans, wet Eucalyptus delegatensis, wet Eucalyptus obliqua and wet Eucalyptus viminalis. Wet E. nitida is not counted as a tall-eucalypt because, even under optimal conditions, it seldom reaches heights in excess of 40 metres. Each of the other species has been recorded at heights of 85 metres or more.

Figure 3 clearly shows that the vast majority of Tasmania’s original tall-eucalypt forests have been cleared or remain threatened.

These tall-eucalypt forest-types can be mapped using the TASVEG database. Figure 4 shows protected and unprotected tall-eucalypt forests. This map makes it crystal clear that the vast majority of tall-eucalypt forests in Tasmania are unreserved. Only small areas of these statuesque forests have been properly protected in national parks and other formal reserves.

The map does not distinguish between oldgrowth and non-oldgrowth. The vast majority of what is shown in Figure 4 has been previously logged. Remaining areas of oldgrowth are very small and therefore of immense significance to humanity.

Current status of Tasmania's original cover of tall-eucalypt forestTall-eucalypt forests extant at 1750 (approx): 1,102,000 ha

34%

44%

22%

Cleared

Threatened

Reserved

(informal reserve)

Figure 3.� The current status of Tasmania’s original cover of tall-eucalypt forest (CoA/TasGovt 1997:69–70, CoA/TasGovt 2005:16–17, CoA/TasGovt 2007:211, 223, FPA 2007:73–80).

1.2.1 The current status of tall-eucalypt forests in Tasmania

15

Figure 4.� Reserved and unreserved tall-eucalypt forest in Tasmania

Note: For this map, tall-eucalypt forest is defined as Eucalyptus brookeriana wet forest, E. delegatensis wet forest (undifferentiated), E. obliqua wet forest (undifferentiated), E. regnans forest and E. viminalis wet forest.

Source of base data: theLIST, © State of Tasmania; TASVEG, The Tasmanian Vegetation Map, Biodiversity and Conservation Branch, DPIW Logging coupe TN045A, 14th June 2008 (note relative size of person

standing at base of tree) / Photo: Jess Wright

16

Status of tall eucalypt RFA oldgrowth forest on public land in Tasmania, 2006

91,000

32,000

61,000

Formally protected

Informally protected

Unprotected

Figure 6.� Status of Tall Eucalypt RFA Oldgrowth Forest on Public Land 2006 (Eucalyptus regnans, wet E. delegatensis, wet E. obliqua, wet E. viminalis) (CoA/TasGovt 2007:227). Figures rounded to the nearest thousand.

Forest type classes (% of all types)

Tenure AcaciaEucalypt low

woodlands

Eucalypt medium

woodlandsEucalypt

tall open forestsEucalypt

tall woodlands Rainforests

Nature conservation reserves 0.� 6.0 26.1 2�.2 6.7 �5.9

Multiple-use public forests �.� 0.8 22.1 �5.5 10.2 9.1

Private forests 2.1 0.7 60.9 12.� 10.6 2.2

Figure 5.� Principle forest types examined in fragmentation analyses, Tasmania. (Montreal Process Implementation Group for Australia 2008: 30).

Similarly, figures from another source (that adopts a different definition for eucalypt tall open forests) show that 45.5% of remaining eucalypt tall open forest occurs on public land managed largely for logging (Figure 5). An additional 12.4% occurs on private land, much of which would also be available for logging. Only 23.2% were reserved.

When dealing with oldgrowth, official figures often appear to indicate that the vast majority is now protected. However, oldgrowth figures must be treated with caution for the following reasons:

As already explained, there are problems with the definitions and mapping of RFA oldgrowth, mature forest and ‘regrowth’;A significant proportion of ‘reserved’ tall-eucalypt oldgrowth consists of ‘informal’ reserves which have no legislative protection and whose configuration does not help their long-term viability;Mapped ‘oldgrowth’ is a snapshot of ‘what’s left’. This sometimes produces counter-intuitive results. For example, as oldgrowth outside of reserves is logged, the proportion of oldgrowth reserved actually increases. This is because it is a constant piece of a shrinking pie.

•

•

•

Even bearing these limitations in mind, official figures show that significant tracts of RFA oldgrowth on public land remain open to logging.

Figure 6 was derived from data provided by the Tasmanian and Australian Governments (CoA/TasGovt 2007:227). It shows that in 2006, approximately 91 000 hectares of tall-eucalypt RFA oldgrowth forest situated on public land were formally protected. Approximately 32 000 hectares were classified as informal reserves and approximately 61 000 hectares remained unprotected. This evidence clearly

17

demonstrates that there are significant tracts of unprotected tall-eucalypt RFA oldgrowth forests in Tasmania.

The same source shows that over 10 000 ha of tall-eucalypt RFA oldgrowth forest have been lost since 1996 (CoA/TasGovt 2007:225). The vast majority of this has occurred as a result of logging.

Figure 7 shows that significant tracts of tall-eucalypt RFA oldgrowth forests have been logged since the Tasmanian Regional Forest Agreement.

In summary:

Significant tracts of tall-eucalypt forest have been destroyed in Tasmania since European settlement;Significant tracts of tall-eucalypt RFA oldgrowth forest have been logged since 1996;Significant tracts of tall-eucalypt RFA oldgrowth forest are unreserved and therefore remain threatened by logging;Significant tracts of tall-eucalypt RFA oldgrowth forest are inside informal reserves and therefore inadequately protected.

•

•

•

• 0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

4,000

4,500

Hec

tare

s

E. regnans E. delegatensis wet E. obliqua wet

Tall eucalypt oldgrowth forest lost 1996–2006 by forest type

Figure 7.� Tall eucalypt oldgrowth forest lost 1996–2006 by forest type (CoA/TasGovt 2007:225).

18

Logging coupe SX010F, 10th December 2007 / Photo: Laura Minnebo

19

PART TWO:

ThE lOggINg OF RFA OldgROWTh FORESTS IN TASmANIAAn analysis of data obtained from Forestry Tasmania’s 2007–2010 Three Year Wood Production Plan (FT 2007c) demonstrates that substantial areas of RFA oldgrowth across Tasmania have been scheduled to be roaded and logged over the next two years.

Figure 8 shows areas of RFA oldgrowth forest planned for logging between 2007 and 2010 according to Forestry Tasmania’s 2007–2010 Three Year Wood Production

Plan. For a preliminary list of all RFA oldgrowth logging coupes that are allocated for harvesting operations between 2007 and 2010, refer to the tables in Appendix A.1

The images on the following pages depict a number of the RFA oldgrowth or high conservation-value logging coupes identified in Appendix A.

These images, along with the list of RFA oldgrowth coupes identified in the 2007–2010 Three Year Wood Production Plan (see Appendix A), provide clear and irrefutable evidence that the logging of RFA oldgrowth forests was occurring across Tasmania in 2008 and that these operations are scheduled until at least 2010.

In addition to Forestry Tasmania’s wood production plan, there is evidence to suggest that ‘’wood supply projections from Tasmania indicate that oldgrowth and mature forests will provide 30–50 per cent of timber volumes for the next 50 years’’ (Keenan and Ryan:6).

The following case study provides detailed descriptions of RFA oldgrowth forests scheduled for logging in the Derwent Wilderness Forest Region in Tasmania.

1 The RFA oldgrowth logging coupes identified in these tables can be best described as a preliminary list. They have been identified and mapped using the co-ordinates supplied by Forestry Tasmania in the current Three Year Wood Production Plan. The single point identified by these co-ordinates is often insufficient in indicating whether the coupe contains RFA oldgrowth forest or not. To date, a comprehensive list of all logging coupes containing RFA oldgrowth forest in Tasmania has not been produced. Such a list would utilise the entire area of each planned logging coupe to analyse whether RFA oldgrowth occurred in any part of the coupe area. It is highly probable that the list used in this report will expand considerably if a comprehensive list is produced.

Figure 8.� Logging coupes containing RFA oldgrowth

20

Oldgrowth trees in logging coupe GC164A, near Blue Tier, north-east Tasmania

Photos: Lesley Nicklason

21

Oldgrowth trees in logging coupe GC139B, near Blue Tier, north-east Tasmania.

The very old tree pictured at right shows a large hollow containing the nest of a yellow-tailed black cockatoo.

Photos: Lesley Nicklason

22

Logging coupe GL208C, oldgrowth Eucalyptus

amygdalina forest with open understorey / Photos: Nick

Fitzgerald

2�

Logging coupe WR015F, Weld Valley, Southern Tasmania

Photos left and below: Will Mooney Photo bottom left: Matt Newton

2�

Methodology for surveying oldgrowth logging coupes A number of planned logging coupes were identified through an analysis of the 2007–2010 Three Year Wood Production Plan and the locations and boundaries of each logging coupe were downloaded from Forestry Tasmania’s website (FT 2007d). The survey does not include all logging coupes in the Derwent Wilderness Forests and was intended to provide a sample of RFA oldgrowth forests and logging operations occurring within the region.

The survey was conducted by volunteer researchers between November 2007 and June 2008. Researchers travelled to each logging coupe on one or more occasions to document the natural values and disturbances present at each site. The data collected from these field trips were recorded on standardised field sheets (see Appendix B).

Research tools included a GPS, compass, cameras, flora and fauna identification literature, measuring tapes, 1:25000 topographical maps, coupe maps and copies of the relevant Forest Practices Plan where available. The data resulting from these surveys were collated and summarised. The results from this survey are presented in this section.

Where relevant, measurements of trees carried out by Walter Herrmann have been included. Herrmann has been measuring, identifying and locating giant trees in Tasmania’s forests since 2001 and has published an article about the giant trees of the Styx valley in the journal of the Institute of Forests (Herrmann 2006).

Each logging coupe surveyed in this study is classified under the land tenure of State Forest and managed by Forestry Tasmania. Map co-ordinates are based on GDA94. Refer to the List of Abbreviations for details of acronyms and codes used in this section of the report.

CO08A, 13 June 2008 / Photo: Ula Majewski

25

CASE STUDY:

RFA oldgrowth logging in the Derwent Wilderness Forests

This case study has been carried out to provide an ‘on the ground’ perspective of the threatened RFA oldgrowth forests located in the Derwent Wilderness Forests.v

For the purposes of this report, the Derwent Wilderness Forests have been defined as the region between the Wylds Craig area and the Styx Valley in southern Tasmania (inclusive). Figure 9 indicates the boundary for the case study area.1

This case study presents the results of a survey conducted in planned logging coupes throughout the Derwent Wilderness Forests. The study area comprises four locales—the Styx Valley, the Upper Florentine Valley, the Wylds Craig area and the Wedge—that are linked by their respective geographical locations as well as by their outstanding natural values and their close proximity to the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (TWWHA).

The following criteria were utilised to select logging coupes for the study:

The logging coupe contained RFA oldgrowth forest;The logging coupe was located within three kilometres of the TWWHA;The logging coupe was listed in Forestry Tasmania’s 2007–2010 Three Year Wood Production Plan;The logging coupe was excluded from the Long Term Wood Supply Agreement for Gunns’ proposed pulp mill, and;The logging coupe contained significant quantities of pulpwood that was classified as ‘other’ (ie. not regrowth) in the 2007–2010 Three Year Wood Production Plan. The classification of ‘other’ in the wood production plan indicates the presence of mature and/or very old trees.

1 This area has been defined by The Wilderness Society and Still Wild Still Threatened as the Derwent Wilderness Forests. A large proportion of oldgrowth forests situated in this region form part of the proposed extension to the TWWHA (Hitchcock 2008). It should be noted that Forestry Tasmania’s definition of the Derwent District includes this area but encompasses a larger region that stretches to the east coast of Tasmania.

••

•

••

Figure 9.� The Derwent Wilderness Forests case study area.

26

RFA oldgrowth logging in the Styx Valley

The Styx Valley contains some of the most significant stands of giant Eucalyptus regnans in the world. E. regnans, which are the world’s tallest hardwood trees and the world’s tallest flowering plants, grow to over 90 metres high in the valley. The Styx contains outstanding examples of oldgrowth tall-eucalypt forest, oldgrowth rainforest, spectacular rivers and waterfalls, a high diversity of understorey species and significant geomorphological features such as sinkholes and caves. The

oldgrowth forests of the Styx Valley border the TWWHA along the Jubilee and Snowy Ranges. Parts of the Styx were protected as part of the Supplementary Tasmanian Regional Forest Agreement (the so-called Tasmanian Community Forest Agreement) of 2005. However, there are exceptional stands of threatened pristine oldgrowth forest located in the South Styx and in the vicinity of Mount Mueller which are contiguous with the TWWHA. These stands of giant eucalypts and ancient rainforest are under immediate threat from logging and roading operations which will reach to within 400 metres of the TWWHA boundary.

Coupe Size (ha)Distance from

T�WWHA Harvest Method F�uture Use

Sawlogs (m3�)

cat. 1 + 3 Veneer cat. 2 cat. 4 cat. 8

Pulpwood and peeler (tonnes)

Regrowth Other

SX010F 30 1100m ground ARN RNF N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

SX009B 40 800m ground ARN RNF 2100 200 �00 600 �00 1500 9200

SX011B 20 360m ground ARN RNF N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

TN047c 17 500m ground clF RNF �00 0 100 100 100 0 2800

TN048A 25 700m ground clF RNF 1600 0 500 200 700 0 12000

SX008d 25 1800m cable clF RNF 2700 200 �00 100 �00 0 6�00

TN046B 52 2000m cable clF RNF �500 0 �00 �00 �00 7�00 7600

SX014c 41 400m ground ARN RNF 2100 0 �00 �00 �00 1000 9200

TN045B 62 2000m cable clF RNF �000 0 �00 200 �00 8800 7600

SX009c 43 750m ground ARN RNF 1100 0 �00 0 �00 1000 9200

TN045A 45 1400m cable clF RNF �200 0 �00 0 �00 6900 8800

TN047A 35 940m cable clF RNF 1100 0 �00 0 �00 �000 9200

TN049A 35 1700m ground gS1 RNF 600 100 100 600 100 1000 1800

TN050A 14 2400m ground ARN RNF 1000 0 200 0 200 0 �700

Figure 10.� Planned logging details of case-study coupes in the Styx Valley

27

Tall eucalypts line the ridges in the upper reaches of the Styx Valley, overlooked by snow-capped Mt Mueller / Photo: Rob Blakers

28

Figure 11.� The Styx Valley case study area.

29

SX010F

This site was one of the most spectacular examples of tall mixed forest in the Styx Valley.1 It is situated on relatively level terrain, which slopes up gently towards the TWWHA on its southerly aspect and slopes downward on its northerly aspect. This area contained outstanding examples of oldgrowth E. regnans, many measuring over 75 metres in height. In November 2002, Walter Herrmann located two trees in or immediately adjacent to SX010F with the following measurements: Tree W031 (470503E, 5258144N): 78 metres tall; 12.7 m in circumference; 209 cubic metres in volume. Tree W032 (470653E, 5257694N): 77 metres tall; 8 metres in circumference; 108 cubic metres in volume. Oldgrowth rainforest species were present throughout the site, including exquisite examples of Nothofagus cunninghamii (myrtle), Atherosperma moschatum (sassafras), Phyllocladus aspleniifolius (celery top pine) and Dicksonia antarctica (manferns).

1 Mixed forest can be defined as a wet eucalypt forest with an understorey of rainforest species (Harris and Kitchener 2005:420).

A significant biodiversity of fungi and mosses occurred throughout the area. Large sections of this forest, which contained stunning examples of mature rainforest and some of the island’s most outstanding instances of tall eucalypts, have now been logged. Contractors signs observed in the coupe suggest that a substantial proportion of this timber has

been trucked to Triabunna to be woodchipped and exported.lOggINg SchEdulEd: cONTINgENcY.

SX010F WAS lOggEd BETWEEN dEcEmBER 2007 ANd

APRIl 2008.

SX010F, 6th January 2008 / Photo: Ula Majewski

SX010F, 14th June 2008 / Photo: Jess Wright

�0

SX009B

This site consists of two distinct areas: one regrowth section selectively logged approximately 50 years ago which contains a very old overgrown road; and an outstanding undisturbed section comprised of oldgrowth mixed forest. The site is positioned on steep terrain. Tall Eucalyptus obliqua and Eucalyptus delegatensis are present in the undisturbed section. The rainforest understorey includes fine examples of oldgrowth and multi-aged myrtle and sassafras. A number of gullies containing mature manferns can be found, the most spectacular of which occurs on a steep slope above the South Styx River. A high diversity of mosses occurs throughout both sections, but is particularly noteworthy within the undisturbed area of the site. Forestry Tasmania was conducting roading operations within the site in June 2008.lOggINg SchEdulEd: 2007/2008 ROAdINg SchEdulEd: 2007/2008—1.6km

ROAdINg OPERATIONS uNdERWAY IN juNE 2008

SX011B

This site provided an excellent example of the oldgrowth mixed forest typical of the area. The coupe is located on steep terrain and is in extremely close proximity to the TWWHA boundary (360 metres). Prior to logging, there were significant stands of extremely tall E. regnans present. The rainforest understorey included oldgrowth myrtles, sassafras and manferns. SX011B is located in close proximity to SX010F and forestry operations commenced in this coupe immediately after SX010F was harvested. Its southern and eastern boundaries are contiguous with pristine oldgrowth forest which is contiguous with the TWWHA.lOggINg SchEdulEd: cONTINgENcY.

SX011B WAS lOggEd BETWEEN APRIl ANd juNE 2008

SX011B, 14th June 2008 / Photos above and below: Ula Majewski

SX009B / Photo: Ula Majewski

SX010F on left (partially logged) and SX011B on right (pre-logging), 7th March 2008 / Photo: Nishant Datt

�1

TN047C

This area contained spectacular stands of oldgrowth sassafras as well as significant examples of oldgrowth E. delegatensis and E. obliqua. Prior to logging, outstanding examples of mature rainforest species, including myrtle and manferns, could be observed along with a high diversity of mosses and fungi. The site occurs on level terrain and is situated in extremely close proximity to the TWWHA boundary. This outstanding tract of oldgrowth mixed forest was clearfelled between April and May 2008.lOggINg SchEdulEd: 2007-2008.

TN047c WAS lOggEd BETWEEN APRIl ANd mAY 2008.

TN048A

Prior to logging, this spectacular area of oldgrowth mixed forest provided some exceptional examples of very tall E. delegatensis, including one with a girth measuring 16.45 metres and a height exceeding 65 metres (5559384E, 5259113N) and another reaching between 75 and 85 metres in height and 14.7 metres in girth (55458945E, 5259800N). Numerous stands of mature E. regnans also occurred throughout the site. The understorey was largely made up of rainforest species, including oldgrowth myrtles and sassafras, large manferns measuring up to 7 metres in height, Eucryphia lucida (leatherwood) and Anopterus glandulosus (native laurel). There was a high diversity of mosses and fungi present throughout the site. The site is situated on varying terrain, ranging from very steep slopes to distinct plateaus. The headwaters of the Styx River are located in close proximity and many tributaries of the Styx flow through the site. This coupe was subjected to a clearfell operation between July and September 2008. Prior to logging, the only evidence of anthropogenic disturbance within this area was a logging road which bisects the site. There is a large clearfell adjacent to the south-west corner of the site (the first section of the coupe, which has been clearfelled and burnt).lOggINg SchEdulEd: 2007/2008.TN048A WAS lOggEd BETWEEN julY ANd SEPTEmBER 2008.

TN047C, 22nd April 2008 / Photo: Peter van der Pasch

TN048A (note relative size of people standing at base of tree) / Photo above: Gemma Tillack

TN048A / Photo left: Ula Majewski

�2

SX008D

This area is typical of the oldgrowth mixed forests of the valley and is situated on steep terrain. Spectacular examples of tall oldgrowth E. regnans can be found throughout the site. The understorey is comprised of oldgrowth rainforest species including sassafras, myrtles and manferns. The site shows no evidence of anthropogenic disturbance. A significant diversity of young ferns, mosses, lichens and fungi is evident throughout the site. In February 2003, Walter Herrmann located two trees in SX008D with the following measurements: W024 (466543E, 5259044N)—66 metres tall, 10.1 metres in circumference, approximately 129 cubic metres in volume. W025 (466378E, 5258939N)—77 metres tall, 11.2 metres in circumference, approximately 173 cubic metres in volume.lOggINg SchEdulEd: 2008/2009

TN046B

Exquisite stands of pure oldgrowth rainforest occur throughout this site, which is located on steep terrain. Mature examples of celery top pine, myrtle, sassafras, native laurel and dense Anodopetalum biglandulosum (horizontal) occur repeatedly throughout the area. Other rainforest species present include manferns and leatherwood. There are some spectacular examples of oldgrowth E. obliqua measuring over 70 metres in height. Juvenile and medium aged Acacia mucronata (narrow leaf wattle) and Acacia verticillata (prickly mimosa) can be found at specific locales within the site. There are additional sections of the site populated with juvenile and medium aged E. regnans, E. obliqua, and E. delegatensis.lOggINg SchEdulEd: 2008/2009

ROAdINg SchEdulEd: 2007/2008—2km

ROAdINg OPERATIONS uNdERWAY IN juNE 2008

TN046B, 14th June 2008 / Photo: Ula MajewskiTN046B, 14th June 2008 / Photo: Gemma Tillack

��

SX014C

This site provides an absolutely exceptional example of pure rainforest and small sections of oldgrowth mixed forest. It is situated on extremely steep terrain on its eastern aspect, with the larger part of the site being relatively level. Oldgrowth E. regnans, E. delegatensis and E. obliqua occur at a low frequency in some sections. Pristine oldgrowth rainforest including outstanding examples of myrtle, sassasfras, manferns, native laurel, horizontal, celery top pines, Richea pandanifolia (pandani) and Leptospermum riparium (tea tree) populate a vast proportion of the site. A spectacular waterfall is located adjacent to the coupe, adding to the exceptional aesthetic and ecological value of this area. The site is predominantly undisturbed, with the exception of a small localised fire disturbance on the northern boundary that appears to be quite recent. The area is located amongst a continuous tract of pristine oldgrowth forest that is contiguous with the TWWHA.lOggINg SchEdulEd: 2008/2009ROAdINg SchEdulEd: 2007/2008—1.5km

TN045B

This site is typical of the oldgrowth mixed forests of the area and is located on extremely steep terrain. Numerous stands of oldgrowth E. delegatensis, E. obliqua and E. regnans (all of which can be measured at over 65 metres in height) occur throughout the area as well as significant populations of juvenile E. regnans. There are some exceptional examples of oldgrowth manferns present which measure between 10 and 12 metres in height, most of which are situated in a spectacular gully. Other rainforest species which make up the understorey of this forest include mature celery top pine, sassafras,

myrtle, leatherwood and native laurel. This forest shows no evidence of anthropogenic disturbance.lOggINg SchEdulEd: 2008/2009

SX009C

Approximately half of this site has previously been subjected to selective logging and contains regrowth wet eucalypt forest. The other half of the site contains outstanding tall mixed oldgrowth forest. The site is located on steep terrain of varying degrees and is bordered by the Styx and the South Styx Rivers. There are some fine examples of oldgrowth E. regnans within the anthropogenically undisturbed section of the site. Herrmann measured one of these tall E. regnans: W097, 83 metres tall, 14.8 metres in circumference and approximately 273 cubic metres in volume. The rainforest understorey in this section includes mature sassafras, myrtle, horizontal and exceedingly large manferns, some of which exceed 7 metres in height. Numerous fungi and mosses occur throughout the site.lOggINg SchEdulEd: 2009/2010ROAdINg SchEdulEd: 2007/2008—2km (jubilee link to South Styx)

SX009C / Photo: Ula Majewski

��

TN045A

This site contains tracts of pure rainforest which largely occur in gullies. Other parts of the site contain the oldgrowth mixed tall forest typical of the area. The site is positioned on fairly steep terrain. There are numerous examples of mature E. regnans, E. obliqua and E. delegatensis that grow up to 65 metres in height as well as significant populations of young to medium aged E. obliqua and E. regnans. There is a diversity of rainforest species, including mature sassafras, myrtle, celery top pine, leatherwood, large manferns, bracken fern, Phebalium squameum (lancewood or satinwood) and horizontal. The understorey of this forest is relatively open. A diversity of mosses and fungi can also be found. The only disturbance in evidence is a forestry road which traverses the site.lOggINg SchEdulEd: 2009/2010ROAdINg SchEdulEd: 2008/2009—0.5km

TN047A

This area of oldgrowth mixed forest consists of a tall E. obliqua and E. regnans overstorey with a rainforest-dominated understorey comprised of mature myrtle, leatherwood, native laurel, manferns, celery top pine, Olearia argophylla (musk), sassasfras, satinwood/lancewood and dense sections of bracken fern. There are spectacular scenic views from high vantage points within this site. There is some anthropogenic disturbance present in the site due to a logging road which traverses the coupe. However, the intact areas on each side of this road exist in an undisturbed state.lOggINg SchEdulEd: 2009/2010

TN047A, 14th June 2008 / Photo: Jess Wright

TN045A, 14th June 2008 / Photo: Ula Majewski

�5

TN049A

This site is an exceptionally spectacular illustration of the outstanding ecological and scenic values of the area. The site is located in near proximity to the headwaters of the Styx River on variable terrain, primarily consisting of steep slopes. There is a high level of biodiversity present, with extensive stands of oldgrowth mixed forest interspersed with pure rainforest occurring within the riparian zone of the site and some sections of swamp. These forested areas are characterised by tall E. obliqua and E. delegatensis, including at least one

potential ‘giant’—an E. delegatensis with a girth measured at 18.7 metres and a height in excess of 55 metres (5559976E, 5259866N). The relatively open understorey is dominated by mature rainforest species, including celery top pine, myrtle, sassafras, leatherwood, manferns and pandani. Outstanding examples of oldgrowth musk can also be found on the site. A number of different mosses and fungi have been observed throughout the area. This area is an excellent example of pristine oldgrowth forest, with no evidence of anthropogenic disturbance visible within the site.lOggINg SchEdulEd: 2009/2010

TN050A

This site contains some outstanding examples of mature rainforest species occurring within a mixed oldgrowth forest typical of the area. The site is located on steep terrain. Mature stands of E. delegatensis and E. obliqua reaching heights of over 70 metres occur throughout the area. Endemic tree species such as Eucalyptus coccifera (snow peppermint) are present. Mature examples of rainforest species, including celery top pine, tea tree, manferns, myrtle, sassafras, bracken ferns, native laurel, cutting grass, horizontal and pandani can be observed throughout the site. A diversity of heath, mosses and fungi are also present. The area is largely undisturbed, with the exception of a localised section at the northern boundary, where a cleared area and powerlines are present.lOggINg SchEdulEd: 2009/2010ROAdINg SchEdulEd: 2007/2008—0.5km

TN049A, 11th February 2008 / Photo: Erik Hayward

TN050A, 11th February 2008 / Photo: Erik Hayward

�6

Coupe SizeDistance from

T�WWHA Harvest Method F�uture Use

Sawlogs (m3�)

Cat. 1 + � Veneer Cat. 2 Cat. � Cat. 8

Pulpwood and peeler (tonnes)

Regrowth Other

FO044A 45 1300m ground ARN RNF 2800 0 �00 800 �00 0 �700

FO042E 30 600m ground ARN RNF 2600 0 �00 �00 �00 1000 6�00

FO044E 24 400m ground ARN RNF 600 0 200 0 200 0 5500

The Upper Florentine Valley contains hundreds of hectares of threatened oldgrowth forest, significant karst systems, a wild river and outstanding examples of indigenous and European cultural heritage. The valley is bordered on three sides by spectacular mountains within the TWWHA. Natural values present in the valley include globally significant examples of oldgrowth eucalypts and rainforest, temperate oldgrowth rainforest and threatened species habitat. The large tracts of oldgrowth forests situated in the valley are of such exceptional value that the RFA’s panel of experts on World Heritage recommended that “the Upper Florentine eucalypt forests warrant further investigation as a best global expression of the Eucalypt sub-theme in wetter southern temperate areas” (CoA 1997b). These tracts of pristine wilderness present in the Upper Florentine Valley are under immediate threat from industrial logging and roading operations. Forestry Tasmania is planning to build 10.4 km of logging roads through this globally unique ecosystem in 2008–09 (FT 2007c), which will access 12 logging coupes, all of which contain irreplaceable stands of oldgrowth forest. Most of the timber harvested from these oldgrowth forests will be woodchipped and exported.

RFA oldgrowth logging in the Upper Florentine Valley

Figure 12.� The Upper Florentine Valley case study area.

Figure 13.� Planned logging details of case-study coupes in the Upper Florentine Valley

�7

A logging road into high-conservation-value oldgrowth forests at Coupe FO044A in the Upper Florentine Valley cuts through tall eucalypts and a diverse understorey of myrtle, sassafras and celery top pine. Ropes and tree platforms used by forest defenders are visible above the road / Photo: Rob Blakers

�8

FO044A

This area of the Upper Florentine Valley consists of oldgrowth eucalypts and rainforest existing in a predominantly undisturbed state. It is situated on level terrain. Outstanding examples of oldgrowth eucalypts can be found throughout the area, predominantly E. delegatensis and E. obliqua, some of which reach over 70 metres in height and, on average, have a girth of approximately 8 metres, although there are additional stands of very young eucalypts. There are a number of spectacular tracts of oldgrowth rainforest species, most notably myrtle and sassafras. A thick understorey occurs in parts of the coupe, featuring a significant number of manferns, as well as a diversity of mosses and fungi. There are areas densely populated with young myrtles and sassafras. Numerous examples of mature Acacia melanoxylon (blackwood), native laurel and celery-top pine also occur throughout the coupe. An example of European cultural heritage can be found in the remnants of an old track. The only significant disturbance to this particular site occurs directly adjacent to the Gordon River Rd in the form of a new logging road which was pushed through previously undisturbed mature forest in 2006 and gravelled in 2007. Otherwise, this site demonstrates negligible evidence of anthropogenic disturbance and is located within a significant area of pristine oldgrowth forest that is directly contiguous with the TWWHA.lOggINg SchEdulEd: 2007/2008, 2008/2009ROAdINg SchEdulEd: 2007/2008—0.6km

FO044A / Photo: Rob Blakers

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FO042E

This site contained oldgrowth E. obliqua, oldgrowth E. regnans and open rainforest. The site is positioned on relatively level terrain. Spectacular oldgrowth rainforest consisting of myrtle, sassafras and celery top pine occurred throughout this site. The coupe contained an outstanding oldgrowth myrtle that measured approximately 6 metres in diameter. Significant examples of karst were also located in one section of the site. The Little Florentine River runs directly adjacent to this formerly pristine tract of oldgrowth tall forest.lOggINg SchEdulEd: 2008/2009FO042E WAS lOggEd BETWEEN SEPTEmBER ANd NOVEmBER 2008

FO042E, 10th January 2008 / Photo: Daniel Kennedy

FO044E

This site contains a diversity of ecosystems, ranging from oldgrowth mixed forest to swampy terrain to stands of young tea tree (Leptospermum) that primarily occur within 20 metres of Cooks Track. Other sections of the site are characterised by a tall E. delegatensis overstorey and a rainforest understorey consisting of myrtles, sassafras, tree ferns, Acacia dealbata (silver wattle) and tea tree. These varied ecosystems are situated on very level terrain. Some sections of the site have been partially disturbed by old selective logging practices and the areas immediately adjacent to Cooks Track have also been subject to anthropogenic disturbance. However, significant areas of the site exist in a completely undisturbed and pristine state.lOggINg SchEdulEd: 2008/2009ROAdINg SchEdulEd: 2007/2008—0.3km

FO042E, 9th November 2008 / Photo: Emma Capp FO042E, 9th November 2008 / Photo: Emma Capp

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Coupe SizeDistance from

T�WWHA Harvest Method F�uture Use

Sawlogs (m3�)

Cat. 1 + � Veneer Cat. 2 Cat. � Cat. 8

Pulpwood and peeler (tonnes)

Regrowth Other

cO008A 41 2500mground/cable

ARNRNF �600 0 600 800 600 1000 12800

cO007B 50 2600m cable PSR RNF ��00 0 500 0 500 1000 11000

cO012B 60 contiguous ground SW1 RNF N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

RFA oldgrowth logging in the Wylds Craig area

The Wylds Craig area contains large tracts of spectacular oldgrowth mixed forests, many of which are contiguous with the TWWHA. Significant stands of giant oldgrowth eucalypts and pristine temperate rainforest can be found throughout the area. The threatened oldgrowth forests located in the Wylds Craig area also contain significant geomorphological features, a high biodiversity and outstanding visual amenity. These values are under immediate threat from planned logging

and roading operations. The majority of harvested timber from these unique oldgrowth forests will be woodchipped and exported.

Wylds Craig area, 12 March 2008 / Photo: Ula Majewski

Figure 14.� Location of case-study coupes in the Wylds Craig area

Figure 15.� Planned logging details of case-study coupes in the Wylds Craig area

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CO008A

This site is dominated by oldgrowth stands of sassafras and musk. Sparsely distributed examples of oldgrowth E. delegatensis and E. obliqua and a small number of myrtles are also present throughout the area. Juvenile and medium-aged eucalypts can also be observed. The site is located on variable and substantially rocky terrain. The open understorey is populated with native laurel, sphagnum moss, Nephrolepis cordifolia (fishbone ferns), juvenile celery top pines, Pomaderis apetala (dogwood), leatherwood, horizontal, finger ferns, H. rugosula (ruddy ground ferns) and Polystichum

proliferum (Mother Shield ferns). A large rocky outcrop is present in the site as well as a sinkhole, indicating the potential for karst in the area. The site is located immediately adjacent to a large burnt clearfell. This has had significant impacts on the northern boundary of the site, with some evidence of fire disturbance on the edge. A logging road is also adjacent to the eastern corner of the site, where some edge effects can be observed. However, the rest of the area shows no evidence of anthropogenic disturbance and is situated on the edge of a large tract of pristine oldgrowth forest that is directly contiguous with the TWWHA boundary.lOggINg SchEdulEd: 2007/2008, 2008/2009ROAdINg SchEdulEd: 2007/2008—1.2km

CO007B

This site is located on steep and very rocky terrain. Some fine examples of oldgrowth E. delegatensis and E. obliqua are present throughout the site. There are significant stands of oldgrowth rainforest species, most notably myrtle and sassafras, located in the north-west section of the site. A large and aesthetically spectacular rocky outcrop measuring at least 10 metres in height was observed near the eastern boundary of the site. There is a diversity of mosses and lichens populating the site and instances of Tasmannia lanceolata (mountain pepper) can be observed.lOggINg SchEdulEd: 2009/2010

CO012B

This oldgrowth mixed forest is directly adjacent to the TWWHA and contains fine examples of tall eucalypts and rainforest species. There are significant stands of tall E. delegatensis present and some outstanding instances of mature myrtles measuring up to 7 metres in girth and 50 metres in height. Other species include sassafras, leatherwood, black wattle and tree ferns. A diversity of mosses and fungi occur throughout the site. Sinkholes were observed on the site, indicating the potential for karst. This area shows no evidence of anthropogenic disturbance.lOggINg SchEdulEd: cONTINgENcY.ROAdINg SchEdulEd: 2009/2010—2km

CO008A, 13th June 2008 / Photo: Ula Majewski

CO007B, 13th June 2008 / Photo: Ula Majewski

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Coupe Size (ha)Distance from

T�WWHA Harvest Method F�uture Use

Sawlogs (m3�)

Cat. 1 + � Veneer Cat. 2 Cat. � Cat. 8

Pulpwood and peeler (tonnes)

Regrowth Other

WE038A 40 400m cable clF RNF 2000 100 600 100 600 1500 1�800

WE039d 27 1250m cable clF RNF �100 200 �00 0 �00 1800 9900

WE002F N/A contiguous cable clF RNF N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

WE003c 15 contiguous cable clF RNF N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

RFA oldgrowth logging in the Wedge

The Wedge is located adjacent to Lake Gordon, on the steep slopes of Mount Wedge and in the immediate vicinity of the Sawback and Ragged Ranges. This area is bordered to the east and south by the TWWHA. The threatened forests of the Wedge contain a plethora of exceptional natural values, including oldgrowth tall-eucalypt forest, pockets of pristine temperate rainforest, a high biodiversity of mosses and fungi, and habitat for threatened species. Industrial roading and clearfell cable-logging operations on extremely steep slopes are critically compromising the conservation values of this forest.

The Wedge, 25th June 2007 / Photo: Laura Minnebo Figure 16.� Location of case-study coupes in the Wedge

Figure 17.� Planned logging details of case-study coupes in the Wedge

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WE038A

This coupe, which is situated on exceedingly steep terrain, was subjected to a clearfell cable logging operation in 2007 and subsequently burnt in May or June 2008. Evidence of the prior existence of tall oldgrowth eucalypts and mature rainforest species are shown in the accompanying images. The coupe extends to the waterline of Lake Gordon. In the surrounding intact forest, fine examples of oldgrowth rainforest species and oldgrowth E. delegatensis and E. obliqua can be observed.lOggINg SchEdulEd: 2007/2008lOggINg cOmPlETEd 2007. cOuPE BuRNT IN mAY/juNE 2008.

WE039D

This coupe is situated on extremely steep terrain. At the time of surveying, a significant section of the site had been subjected to a clearfell cable logging operation. In the logged

area, evidence of the prior existence of tall oldgrowth eucalypts and mature rainforest species can be observed (stumps, log piles, felled trees, debris). In the areas of the coupe that had not been subjected to industrial logging operations at the time of surveying, significant stands of oldgrowth E. obliqua and E. delegatensis were in evidence, including one outstanding E. obliqua (5438178E, 5274282N) which measures approximately 50 metres in height and 16.5 metres in girth. Mature rainforest species, including sassafras, Dicksonia tree ferns and myrtles, were also observed. This remarkable tract of oldgrowth eucalypts and rainforest was being destroyed in June 2008.lOggINg SchEdulEd: 2007/2008.lOggINg OPERATIONS OccuRRINg IN juNE 2008.

WE002F

This site is in immediate proximity to the TWWHA boundary and contains some exceptional examples of oldgrowth rainforest species in addition to outstanding scenic views to the west through natural clearings within the forested landscape. The site is positioned on extremely steep and relatively unnavigable terrain. Throughout the site, there are a number of exceedingly steep gullies with streams occurring at the base of these. Oldgrowth eucalypts occur within the area, but in

very sparse numbers. Rainforest species present in the site include outstanding instances of oldgrowth conjoined myrtles, oldgrowth sassafras, manferns, leatherwood and native laurel. Numerous stands of juvenile to medium-aged myrtle, sassafras and leatherwood are also present. Mature horizontal and bracken form a dense understorey throughout the site. A high biodiversity of mosses and fungi are present throughout the area. This site demonstrates no evidence of anthropogenic disturbance.lOggINg SchEdulEd: cONTINgENcY.ROAdINg SchEdulEd: 2008/2009– 0.7km

Above—WE038A, 15th June 2008 / Photo: Ula MajewskiAbove right—WE038A, 15th June 2008 / Photo: Laura Minnebo

WE039D, 15th June 2008 / Photo: Laura Minnebo

WE039D, 15th June 2008 / Photo: Ula Majewski

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WE003C

This outstanding example of oldgrowth rainforest and mixed forest is situated on variable terrain, consisting of extremely steep slopes and plateaus, and positioned directly adjacent to the TWWHA. Eucalypts are present though their distribution is minimal. On the eastern aspect of the site, which consists of a plateau and a gradually descending gradient, mature and juvenile myrtle and sassafras are present, along with manferns, juvenile leatherwood, a nominal incidence of native laurel and a variety of mosses and fungi. However, on the western aspect of the site the landscape alters substantially. Exceptional examples of oldgrowth myrtle and sassafras are present throughout this section. There are numerous stands of native laurel, a sporadic placement of juvenile and medium-aged leatherwood, and an exceedingly dense understorey of horizontal and bracken. A sinkhole can be found in this section of the site, indicating the potential for karst. This area shows little evidence of anthropogenic disturbance.lOggINg SchEdulEd: cONTINgENcY.ROAdINg SchEdulEd: 2009/2010—1km

WE003C, 2nd March 2008 / Photo: Erik Hayward

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Proportion of logs in case-study coupes that become sawlogs and woodchips

Coupe

Sawlogs and veneer (cubic

metres)

Sawlogs and veneer

(tonnes)

‘Regrowth’ Pulpwood

(tonnes)

‘Other’ pulpwood

(tonnes)

SX010F NA NA NA NA

SX009B 3700 4070 1500 9200

SX011B NA NA NA NA

TN047C 700 770 0 2800

TN048A 2800 3080 0 12000

SX008D 3600 3960 0 6400

TN046B 4400 4840 7400 7600

SX014C 3200 3520 1000 9200

TN045B 3800 4180 8800 7600

SX009C 1900 2090 1000 9200

TN045A 4000 4400 6900 8800

TN047A 1900 2090 3000 9200

TN049A 1500 1650 1000 1800

TN050A 1400 1540 0 3700

FO044A 4200 4620 0 7400

FO042E 3500 3850 1000 6400

FO044E 1000 1100 0 5500

CO008A 6600 7260 1000 12800

CO007B 4400 4840 1000 11000

CO012B NA NA NA NA

WE038A 3400 3740 1500 13800

WE039D 4100 4510 1800 9900

WE002F NA NA NA NA

WE003C NA NA NA NA

T�OT�AL 60100 66110 3�6900 154�3�00

For the case-study coupes for which figures are available (Figure 18), approximately:26% of the logs extracted will become sawlogs or veneer logs;14% of the logs extracted will become ‘regrowth’ pulplogs;60% of the logs extracted will become ‘other’ pulplogs, which include RFA oldgrowth.

On the face of it, it appears that approximately 74% of logs will become pulpwood. However, the figure is much greater if sawmill residues are also taken into account.

Each sawlog produces a certain amount of sawn timber and a certain amount of residue woodchips. Approximate recovery rates for sawn timber and woodchips for different grades of sawlog are listed in the Ryan Report (Ryan 1999:61). For the purposes of this calculation, the average conversion rates to woodchips used are:

Cat 1, 3, veneer: 0.5Cat. 2: 0.6Cat 4: zero (as many specialty timbers are not suitable for woodchipping)Cat 8: 0.725

The conversion rates for sawn timber are:Cat 1, 3, 4, veneer: 0.28Cat 2: 0.15Cat 8: 0.08

Using these figures, the proportion of logs extracted from the case-study coupes that are to become pulpwood (woodchips) is approximately 86%. The proportion that becomes sawn timber is approximately 6%.

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••••

•••

Figure 18.� Proportion of logs in case-study coupes that become sawlogs and woodchips (Data sourced from FT 2007c:30-39).1

1 The volumes in the third column (Sawlogs and veneer (tonnes)) of Figure 18 have been calculated using the forestry industry’s convention that 1 cubic metre of hardwood weighs 1.1 metric tonnes.

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Conclusions of case study for RFA oldgrowth logging in the Derwent Wilderness Forest Region

This case study has clearly demonstrated that:RFA oldgrowth forests located in the Derwent Wilderness Forests were being logged in 2007–2008, with many oldgrowth forests planned for logging in 2008 and afterwards;The case-study coupes contain spectacular forests, many of them with extraordinarily large trees, some up to 15 metres in girth and over 80 metres tall;Many of the case-study coupes contain very old rainforest trees;Most of the case-study coupes are in pristine forest that is contiguous with the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area;The vast majority of the wood to be extracted from the case-study coupes will become pulpwood.

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•

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Logging coupe SX010F, July 2008 / Photo: Vica Bayley

�7

PART THREE

WhERE dO ThE OldgROWTh WOOdchIPS gO?This section identifies the destinations of pulpwood extracted from Tasmania’s native forests, and especially from Tasmania’s RFA oldgrowth forests.

Very little publicly available official documentation on

the destinations of RFA oldgrowth pulpwood exists.

This section therefore relies on a number of different

and disparate references from which a picture can be

constructed.

It presents evidence that:

Over 84% of timber harvested from native forests on public land in Tasmania, which includes areas of RFA oldgrowth forests, ends up as woodchips;

The majority of pulpwood planned for extraction from Tasmania’s public native forests is not regrowth;

Coupes excluded from Gunns’ proposed pulp mill by the wood-supply agreement—and whose pulpwood is ostensibly intended for export—contain pulpwood that is overwhelmingly not ‘regrowth’;

Coupes ostensibly excluded from Gunns’ proposed pulp mill which can be mapped overwhelmingly contain RFA oldgrowth forest;

All of the companies that process woodchips in Tasmania claim that the woodchips they process come from plantations or regrowth,

•

•

•

•

•

and that they do not consume RFA oldgrowth forests;

A majority of the RFA oldgrowth woodchips must be exported because they are not processed locally and because the volumes of native-forest woodchips that are processed locally are very small compared with exports;

Of the three exporters of hardwood woodchips from Tasmania, Forest Enterprises Australia and Artec appear not to export significant quantities of woodchips from native forests on public land;

The overwhelming majority of RFA oldgrowth woodchips generated in Tasmania are exported by Gunns;

A significant proportion of non-regrowth woodchips (at least 20%) exported from Tasmania are purchased by pulp-and-paper companies in Japan from Gunns. Japan is therefore a major destination of woodchips from RFA oldgrowth forests.

This evidence therefore highlights the significant role of Japanese consumers in the logging of oldgrowth forests in Tasmania.

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•

•

Photo: Bettina Heinkel

�8

Public Land Logging F�igures from F�orestry T�asmania’s Annual Reports

2003�-04� converted to tonnes

2004�-05 converted to tonnes

2005-06 converted to tonnes

2006-07 converted to tonnes

Special Species sawlogs 21,866 m3 24,296 17,307 m3 19,230 13,560 m3 15,067 15,343 m3 17,048

Cat. 1,3� sawlogs 346,018 m3 384,464 345,829 m3 384,254 320,719 m3 356,354 301,526 m3 335,029

Cat. 2, 8 sawlogs 117,247 m3 130,274 99,878 m3 110,976 85,057 m3 94,508 51,778 m3 57,531

E�uc. veneer sawlogs 11,070 m3 12,300 13,356 m3 14,840 9,260 m3 10,289 5,662 m3 6,291

Pulpwood 2,902,786 t 2,902,786 2,724,303 t 2,724,303 2,191,132 t 2,191,132 2,136,687 t 2,136,687

E�ucalypt peeler log 176,183 m3 176,183 159,433 m3 159,433 150,934 m3 150,934 211,197 m3 211,197

T�OT�AL 3,630,303 3,413,036 2,818,284 2,763,783

% pulp logs 79.96% 79.82% 77.75% 77.31%

% sawlogs and veneer logs 15.19% 15.51% 16.90% 15.05%

% peeler logs 4.85% 4.67% 5.36% 7.64%

The above figures are all from Forestry Tasmania Annual Reports. These reports do not give figures for total pulpwood (including sawmill residues) and sawn timber. However, approximate

figures for sawn timber and woodchips can be calculated using conversion rates listed in the Ryan Report, April 1999, “Log Utilisation and Segregation in Tasmania”.

Sawn timber*

Cat. 1,3�, veneer (28%) 96,885 m3 107,650 96,832 m3 107,591 89,801 m3 99,779 84,427 m3 93,808

Cat. 2,8 (12%) 14,070 m3 15,633 11,985 m3 13,317 10,207 m3 11,341 6,213 m3 6,904

Special species (3�2%) 6,997 m3 7,775 5,538 m3 6,154 4,339 m3 4,821 4,910 m3 5,455

T�OT�AL 117,952 m3 131,058 114,356 m3 127,062 104,347 m3 115,942 95,550 m3 106,167

% sawn timber 3.61% 3.72% 4.11% 3.84%

Average (four years) 3.82%

Woodchips from sawlog residues* approx

Cat 1, 3� (55%) 190,310 m3 190,206 m3 176,395 m3 165,839 m3

Cat. 2, 8 (65%) 76,211 m3 64,921 m3 55,287 m3 33,656 m3

T�OT�AL 266,520 m3 266,520 255,127 m3 255,127 231,683 m3 231,683 199,495 m3 199,495

T�OT�AL PULPWOOD 3,169,306 2,979,430 2,422,815 2,336,182

% PULPWOOD 87.30% 87.30% 85.97% 84.53%

Average (four years) 86.27%

Figure 19.� Public Land Logging Figures from Forestry Tasmania’s Annual Reports (FT 2004, FT 2005, FT 2006a, FT 2007c, Ryan 1999:61). For the conversion table utilised in these calculations, see Appendix C.

�9

Proportion of logs extracted from publicly owned native forest that becomes pulpwood

86%

4%10%

Pulpwood

Sawn timber

Other

Figure 20.� Proportion of logs extracted from publicly-owned native forest that becomes pulpwood

3.1 The primary product extracted from native forests on public land is pulpwood

The vast majority of wood harvested from Tasmanian native forests is woodchipped.

The data presented in Figure 19 demonstrates that in 2006-07, 85% of the native-forest timber harvested from public land in Tasmania ended up as woodchips. The four-year average is approximately 86%. Only 4% of the native-forest wood harvested ended up as sawn timber. These public forests include all of the RFA oldgrowth forest logged on public land in Tasmania in the relevant period.

The data presented in Figures 20 and 21 for all native forest on public land for the last four years

are very consistent with the figures for the Derwent Wilderness Forest case study, in which 86% become pulpwood and 6% become sawn timber. These coupes are predominantly RFA oldgrowth forest. It is therefore reasonable to assume that, when it comes to all RFA oldgrowth forest logged on public land in Tasmania, about 5% becomes sawn timber and over 80% ends up as woodchips.

The fate of Tasmanian oldgrowth trees that are logged is illustrated schematically in Figure 21.

The dominant product—above 85%—from Tasmania’s native forests is clearly pulpwood.

Figure 21.� Schematic representation of Tasmanian oldgrowth logging. (Percentages are

approximate averages based on Figure 19)

Logging coupe WE039D, 15th June 2008 / Photo: Laura Minnebo

50

Forestry Tasmania has publicly stated that up to 500 000 tonnes of oldgrowth woodchips will be exported from Tasmania each year (Darby 2007, Denholm 2007).

Forestry Tasmania classifies pulpwood into two categories: ‘regrowth’ and ‘other’. The term ‘other’ clearly includes RFA oldgrowth pulpwood .

Figure 22 from Forestry Tasmania’s Three Year Wood Production Plan 2006–07 to 2008–09 shows that 1 391 200 tonnes of pulpwood were to be produced from wood classified as ‘other’ in 2006–07.

Clearly, 54.5% of the pulpwood planned for extraction from native forests located on public land in 2006–07 was classified as ‘other’—that is, not ‘regrowth’. These figures are not untypical of Forestry Tasmania’s Three Year Wood Production Plans. For example, in 2007–2008, 63.4% of pulpwood planned for extraction from native forests was classified as ‘other’ (FT 2007c:9).

Forestry Tasmania’s Three Year Wood Production Plan shows that the majority of pulpwood extracted from Tasmania’s public native forests is from non-regrowth areas such as RFA oldgrowth forests.

Therefore a majority of the pulpwood extracted from Tasmania’s public native forests is not regrowth, but is likely to be sourced from mature and/or oldgrowth trees.

Pulpwood (‘000 tonnes)

district Regrowth Other Total

Murchison 192.2 155.1 347.3

Mersey 75.2 222.6 297.8

Bass 452.6 434.1 886.7

Derwent 221.9 389.4 611.3

Huon 219.2 190.0 409.2

Total 1,161.1 1,391.2 2,552.3

Figure 22.� Summary of Hardwood Pulpwood available from planned coupes in 2006–2007 (FT 2006c:9).

3.2 The majority of the pulpwood extracted from native forests on public land is not regrowth

SX010F, 14th June 2008 / Photo: Jess Wright

51

3.3 Who processes these non-regrowth woodchips from public land?

It has been established that most of the wood extracted from Tasmania’s publicly owned native forests becomes woodchips, and that most of these woodchips are non-regrowth. That is, a significant proportion of the wood extracted from Tasmanian publicly-owned native forests becomes non-regrowth woodchips.

The question now becomes, ‘who processes those woodchips?’

Tasmania has three major domestic processors of pulpwood or pulp—Norske Skog (newsprint, Boyer), Australian Paper (Wesley Vale) and Australian Paper (Burnie).

There are also three major woodchip exporters—Gunns, Forest Enterprises Australia and Artec.

We should also consider Gunns’ proposed pulp mill, as if it goes ahead, it will be the single biggest consumer of pulpwood in Tasmania by far.

3.3.1 gunns’ proposed pulp mill

Gunns, Forestry Tasmania and the Tasmanian Government have all asserted that Gunns’ proposed pulp mill will not consume RFA oldgrowth forests. For example:

No wood from oldgrowth coupes will be provided from public forests under this contract [the wood supply agreement between Forestry Tasmania and Gunns for the Tamar valley pulp mill] to Gunns for the pulp mill.

Bob Gordon. Managing Director of Forestry Tasmania. 19 October 2007 (FT 2007e).

No oldgrowth will be provided from public forests to Gunns for the pulp mill. It will be a mix of regrowth wood and plantation wood…

Paul Lennon, Former Premier of Tasmania. 19 October 2007 (FT 2007e).

No oldgrowth timber will be used and in just five years, 80% of the mill’s timber supply will come from plantations.

Gunns’ Fact Sheet (Gunns 2008a).

The final quote is contradicted by the official information submitted by Gunns to the Resource

Planning and Development Commission (RPDC) in 2006 and to the Commonwealth Government in 2007. The Integrated Impact Statement on the Bell Bay Pulp Mill shows that it will take ten years for plantations to provide 80% of the mill’s wood supply (Gunns 2006c:39).

However, if Forestry Tasmania, the Tasmanian Government and Gunns are to be taken at their word, it therefore follows that the majority of logs from RFA oldgrowth coupes will either be exported as woodchips or processed by other Tasmanian users of pulpwood.

In addition, the Long Term Wood Supply Agreement (LTWSA) for Gunns’ proposed pulp mill provides additional detail on coupes that have currently been excluded from the contract (FT/Gunns 2007:44).

Schedule 5 of the LTWSA presents a list of coupes on public land that will not be used to provide pulpwood for the proposed pulp mill. Analysis of those coupes for which information is available demonstrates that the vast majority of pulpwood from those coupes is not ‘regrowth’.

Pulpmill-excluded coupes that are scheduled for logging in Forestry Tasmania’s Three Year Wood Production Plans have been mapped against RFA oldgrowth forest. The resulting figures for 2007–08 are shown in Figure 23.

This table shows that 70.4% of the pulpwood in coupes excluded from Gunns’ proposed pulp mill is classified as ‘other’ and therefore is likely to consist of ‘mature’ and ‘oldgrowth’ trees.

In addition, the specifications for pulpwood to be sold to Gunns under the LTWSA specifies a maximum diameter of 85 cm under bark (FT/Gunns 2007:40).

DIST�RICT�‘OT�HE�R’

PULPWOOD (tonnes)RE�GROWT�H

PULPWOOD (tonnes)

T�OT�AL N�AT�IV�E� F�ORE�ST� PULPWOOD

(tonnes) % OF� ‘OT�HE�R’

BASS 52500 53300 105800 49.60%

DE�RWE�N�T� 260700 75200 335900 77.60%

HUON� 28400 12300 40700 69.80%

ME�RSE�Y 18200 1900 20100 90.50%

MURCHISON� 42800 26900 69700 61.40%

T�OT�AL 402600 169600 572200 70.40%

Figure 23.� Volumes of pulpwood in RFA oldgrowth coupes that have been excluded from Gunns Ltd’s proposed pulp mill wood supply 2007-2008 (FT 2007c, FT/Gunns 2007).

52

This implies (but does not guarantee) that larger-diameter logs will not be accepted for the pulp mill.

Figure 24 shows the pulpmill-excluded coupes that are also within Forestry Tasmania’s Three Year Plan. This map clearly demonstrates that a majority of the areas of forests that are excluded from the LTWSA for the pulp mill are RFA oldgrowth forests.

The task therefore remains to determine what becomes—and what will become—of the RFA oldgrowth woodchips.

Figure 24.� Logging coupes on public land excluded from Gunns’ proposed pulp mill that are in Forestry Tasmania’s 2007-08 to 2009-10 Three Year Plan. A majority of excluded coupes contain RFA oldgrowth.

5�

3.3.2 domestic processors

There are three domestic processors of pulp or pulpwood in Tasmania.

Norske Skog is a newsprint mill located at Boyer on the Derwent River in southern Tasmania. It consumes approximately 511 000 tonnes of pulpwood per annum (Norske Skog 2007:35).

Situated in southern Tasmania, “the mill produced Australia’s first newsprint in 1941 and remains one of the state’s major employers. Annual production is around 290 000 tonnes of newsprint and related grades. This represents about 40% of Australian consumption. The mill uses plantation radiata pine, regrowth eucalypt and recycled fibre, which is produced at Norske Skog Albury,” in Victoria (Norske Skog 2008). Oldgrowth-eucalypt fibre has not been used to make Australian newsprint since 1991 (PNEB 2008).

Australian Paper owns and operates the Burnie paper mill and the Wesley Vale pulp mill, both situated on the north-west coast of Tasmania. It has publicly stated that the fibre used in its pulp-and-paper mills is not sourced from oldgrowth forests;

All fibres used at our mills are sourced from plantation and sustainably managed forests. We do not source any fibre from old growth forests (AP 2008a).

The Burnie paper mill imports pulp from outside Tasmania. If this paper mill does not use any woodchips that are sourced from Tasmania’s native forests, it cannot use woodchips that are sourced from Tasmania’s RFA oldgrowth forests. The Wesley Vale paper mill uses woodchips from plantations and regenerated eucalypt, which is sourced from a number of suppliers including Gunns and Forestry Tasmania. Australian Paper has stated that the company “seeks evidence from suppliers that these sources are managed for long-term viability and that at no time is any of the fibre sourced from oldgrowth forests” (AP 2008b:36).

Given the small quantities of eucalypt pulpwood actually processed in Tasmania, and given the long-standing assurances by local processors that they do not use oldgrowth pulpwood, it appears that neglible quantities of RFA oldgrowth pulpwood are processed in Tasmania. The vast and overwhelming majority of pulpwood from Tasmanian RFA oldgrowth forests must therefore be exported.

V�olume (tonnes) % of total

Native—state forest 2,136,687 51.6%

Native—private forest 955,879 23.1%

T�otal native forest pulpwood 3�,092,566 74�.7%

Plantation—state forest 126,163 3.0%

Plantation—private forest 921,679 22.3%

T�otal plantation pulpwood 1,104�,84�2 25.3�%

T�otal hardwood pulpwood 4�,14�0,4�08 100%Gunns’ woodchip sales 3,400,000 82.1%Total Tasmanian hardwood pulpwood production 2006–2007

Gunns Ltd82%

Other companies18%

Figure 25.� The vast majority of woodchips produced in Tasmania are exported by Gunns Ltd. (FT 2007b:3, PFT 2007:8, Gunns 2007:14).

Total Tasmanian hardwood pulpwood production 2006—2007

5�

3.3.3 Exporters of woodchips other than gunns

Forest Enterprises Australia (FEA) owns and runs a sawmill and woodchip mill at Bell Bay. The fibre-export part of its business is called Smartfibre and it is jointly owned between FEA and Integrated Tree Cropping (ITC). It is a plantation-based woodchip mill (Smartfibre 2008a).

In 2007–08, the Smartfibre woodchip mill exported approximately 500 000 tonnes of woodchips. FEA’s shipments are part hardwood and part softwood (Smartfibre 2008a).

Smartfibre’s woodchips are sourced from a mix of plantations, plantation sawmill-residues, and wood from regrowth forests.

Smartfibre has the internationally recognised ISO14001 accreditation and, more significantly, Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) and ‘Controlled Wood’ Chain of Custody certification (Smartfibre 2008b).

In order to gain a ‘controlled wood’ chain-of-custody certification the supplier must demonstrate that it is not using wood sourced from high-conservation-value forests, including RFA oldgrowth forests.

It therefore appears very unlikely that Forest Enterprises Australia exports any woodchips from RFA oldgrowth forests situated on public land in Tasmania.

Another woodchip-export company based in Tasmania is Artec. In 2006–07, it exported approximately 750 000 green metric tonnes of woodchips from Bell Bay (Pöyry 2007:13). Little is published about Artec. It is believed that most of the areas from which it exported woodchips were privately-owned forests. Artec claims that it does not process oldgrowth forest.

3.3.4 gunns’ export-woodchip mills

Gunns is “still the dominant supplier of hardwood woodchips from Australia” with “most of its hardwood woodchips [currently sourced] from native forests in Tasmania” (Pöyry 2007:12). Gunns owns and operates four woodchip mills in Tasmania at Burnie, Bell Bay (x 2) and Triabunna. It does not operate any domestic pulp or paper mills. According to its Annual Reports and other information supplied to the Australian Stock Exchange, Gunns’ annual woodchip exports have ranged from 3.4 to 4.75 million tonnes of woodchips since 2004 (Gunns 2004, Gunns 2005, Gunns 2006a, Gunns 2007).

According to Gunns, it exported 3.4 million green metric tonnes of woodchips in 2006–2007 (Gunns 2007:14) and 3.7 million green metric tonnes in 2007–2008 (Gunns 2008b:5). This is approximately seven times the quantity exported by FEA.

If woodchips from RFA oldgrowth forests are not processed in significant quantities by Norske Skog, Australian Paper, Forest Enterprises Australia or Artec, they must be overwhelmingly exported by Gunns.

Figure 25 shows that in 2006–2007, 4 140 408 tonnes of hardwood woodchips sourced from Tasmanian forests and plantations across all land-tenures were produced. 2 136 687 tonnes or just over half of these hardwood woodchips were sourced from native State Forests.

The accompanying pie chart shows that in 2006–2007, around 82% of Tasmania’s total hardwood woodchips were sold by Gunns. Gunns does supply woodchips to operators within the local Tasmanian market. However, as was clearly outlined earlier, all of these companies state that they do not use RFA oldgrowth woodchips.

Therefore, the evidence strongly indicates that the vast majority of RFA oldgrowth woodchips are exported by Gunns to markets outside of Tasmania.

Even if Gunns’ proposed pulp mill proceeds, woodchip exports will continue. Gunns has said that “the project [the proposed pulp mill] provides an ability for the company to obtain an increase in the value of pulpwood through accessing the pulp market in addition to its current woodchip market” [our emphasis] (Gunns 2005:6).

55

Gunns’ Impact Statement shows that woodchip exports are planned to continue at two to three million green metric tonnes per annum even if the pulp mill is built and operational (Gunns 2006b:6–249).

Forestry Tasmania has confirmed that 500 000 tonnes of RFA oldgrowth forests will be woodchipped and exported from Triabunna and Burnie each year (Clark 2007:15). These export woodchip mills are owned by Gunns. Woodchip exports from Triabunna will include the majority of logs extracted from the planned coupes described in the Derwent Wilderness Forests case study.

These exports also include woodchips from the coupes listed in Schedule 5 of the Long Term Wood Supply Agreement for Gunns’ proposed pulp mill—the excluded coupes (FT/Gunns 2007:44).

It appears that Gunns regards the wood sourced from these coupes as an unacceptable source of fibre for its proposed pulp mill, but continues to export wood from these coupes to its international customers.

Therefore, if Gunns, Forestry Tasmania and the state government are to be believed, the majority of woodchips from Tasmania’s RFA oldgrowth forests will be exported as woodchips by Gunns.

3.4 Where are the RFA oldgrowth woodchips exported to?

Japan has been “by far the largest importer of hardwood woodchips in the [Asia-Pacific] region, representing 84% of Asia-Pacific woodchip imports in 2006” (Pöyry 2007:14).

According to the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARE), Australia exported 4 880 400 bone dry tonnes of broadleaved or hardwood woodchips in 2006–071. 4 319 100 bone dry tonnes (88.5%) of this were exported to Japan (ABARE 2008:81).

Therefore, 561 300 bone dry tonnes were not exported to Japan.

Of Australia’s total, Tasmania exported 2 134 800 bone dry tonnes of hardwood woodchips.

Even if all the hardwood woodchips not exported to Japan (561 300 bone dry tonnes) came from Tasmania, then there were still 2 134 800 minus 561 300 bone dry tonnes exported from Tasmania to Japan.

Therefore at least 1 573 500 bone dry tonnes—or 3 147 000 green metric tonnes2—of hardwood woodchips were exported from Tasmania to Japan in 2006–07.

Therefore at least 73.7% of all Tasmanian woodchips that were exported in 2006–07 went to Japan.

1 The term ‘broadleaved’ indicates flowering trees as opposed to coniferous trees. Broadleaf and hardwood are synonomous.2 This report has adopted the convention that one bone dry tonne is equal to two green metric tonnes (ANU Forestry 1997:1).

But what quantities of these woodchips were sourced from ‘regrowth’ native forests and what quantities were sourced from non-regrowth native forests containing mature’ or RFA oldgrowth trees?

The quantity of non-regrowth woodchips planned for extraction from publicly owned native forests in 2006–07 was 1 391 200 green metric tonnes, or 695 600 bone dry tonnes.

Even if all the woodchips exported to destinations other than Japan consisted of non-regrowth, there would still be a balance of 695 600 minus 561 300 bone dry tonnes exported to Japan.

Therefore at least 134 300 bone dry tonnes—or 268 600 green metric tonnes—of non-regrowth woodchips sourced from public forests would have been exported from Tasmania to Japan in 2006–07.

Unless Gunns separates its non-regrowth pulpwood into separate piles, RFA oldgrowth woodchips are mixed with woodchips from ‘mature’ trees and other non-regrowth sources. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that all exports of non-regrowth woodchips include RFA oldgrowth woodchips.

In the absolute lowest-case scenario, approximately 20% of all non-regrowth woodchips extracted from public land in Tasmania in 2006–07 (including RFA oldgrowth woodchips) were consumed by the Japanese pulp-and-paper industry.

In a highest case scenario, Japan would consume 100% of Tasmania’s RFA oldgrowth woodchips. An equally plausible scenario is that the proportion of Tasmanian woodchips exported to Japan (73.7%) applies across all age classes of woodchipss—ie that over 70% of Tasmanian oldgrowth woodchips are exported to Japan.

56

Japan is clearly a significant consumer of Tasmanian RFA oldgrowth woodchips.

3.5 The role of japanese pulp-and-paper companies in the logging of Tasmanian RFA oldgrowth forests

Japanese pulp-and-paper companies such as Nippon, Oji, Daio and Mitsubishi have historically been the biggest consumers of woodchips exported from Tasmanian native forests. In recent years, the role played by those companies has become more widely known, resulting in requests for them to avoid taking woodchips from areas of RFA oldgrowth or high-conservation-value forests.

There has been a variety of responses from the companies concerned.

In March 2004, Nippon wrote to the Tasmanian Government, urging it to resolve the debate over the logging of Tasmania’s oldgrowth forests (Nippon 2004) (see Appendix D).

In April 2004, conservationists (including the Wilderness Society and Greenpeace) met with Mitsubishi Paper Mills (MPM) to discuss the issue of oldgrowth forests. Following the meeting, MPM wrote to the conservation groups, saying that it planned to source its woodchips from regrowth and plantations and stated that MPM does not “condone unsustainable logging from oldgrowth or high-conservation-value forests in Tasmania” (MPM 2004) (see Appendix D). In 2005, MPM issued a statement saying in effect (or substantially) that it would not consume woodchips from Tasmanian

oldgrowth forests (MPM 2005). This commitment was warmly welcomed by conservationists.

This means that larger Japanese consumers of Gunns’ woodchips, including Nippon and Oji, are also in a position to reject woodchips that are sourced from logging coupes that contain RFA oldgrowth and high-conservation-value forests.

Japan is “expected to continue to dominate the Asia–Pacific hardwood woodchip trade in the forseeable future” (Pöyry 2007:14). If the Japanese consumers reject such woodchips then the probability of protecting RFA oldgrowth and high-conservation-value forests is increased dramatically.

The influence of Japanese paper companies in the future of Tasmanian RFA oldgrowth forests will be even greater if Gunns succeeds in building its proposed pulp mill, provided that Gunns and the Government adhere to their promises not to pulp oldgrowth in the mill.

If the pulp mill doesn’t go ahead, the Japanese pulp-and-paper industry can still play a major role in protecting Tasmania’s environment and future by rejecting woodchips that come from RFA oldgrowth and other high-conservation-value forests.

57

3.6 Recommendations to japanese pulp-and-paper companies

The Wilderness Society and Still Wild Still Threatened recommend that Japanese pulp-and-paper companies:

Reject any woodchips sourced from RFA oldgrowth or high-conservation-value forests in Tasmania.

Publish on their websites all chain-of-custody information relating to sources of woodchips, including woodchips from Tasmania. That will allow independent verification that the wood is coming from sustainable sources that do not include oldgrowth forests or areas of high conservation-value.

Seek sources of woodchips that have Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification. In relation to FSC controlled wood, currently it is our advice that the only wood that can meet the controlled wood standard is wood that comes from established hardwood and softwood plantations. Verification that controlled wood is exclusively sourced from established plantations would need to be strictly audited1. This is because high-conservation-value forests continue to be used as a source of woodchips.

1 The FSC is an independent, non-governmental, not for profit organisation established to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests. It provides standard setting, trademark assurance and accreditation services for companies and organisations interested in responsible forestry. Products carrying the FSC label are independently certified to assure consumers that they come from forests that are managed to meet the social, economic and ecological needs of present and future generations (FSC 2008a). FSC Controlled Wood is mixed with FSC certified material to become part of a product that can be sold carrying the FSC label. Products are referred to as FSC Mixed Sources. FSC controlled wood can not be sourced from the following five unacceptable origins:

1. Illegally harvested wood; 2. Wood harvested in violation of traditional and civil rights; 3. Wood harvested in forests in which High Conservation Values (areas particularly

worth of protection) are threatened through management activities; 4. Wood harvested from conversion of natural forests; 5. Wood harvested from areas where genetically modified trees are planted (FSC 2008b).

1.

2.

3.

Reject woodchips sourced from coupes listed in Schedule 5 of the Long Term Wood Supply Agreement between Gunns and Forestry Tasmania (FT/Gunns 2007:44). The majority of these coupes contain RFA oldgrowth forest.

4.

Logging coupe FO044A, February 2006 / Photo: Geoff Law

Threatened forest in the Upper Florentine valley, surrounded by the mountains of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area / Photo: Kip Nunn

59

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FPB (2005)�.� The Annual Report of the Forest Practices Board 2004–2005. Forest Practices Board, Hobart.

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FSC (2008b)�.� “FSC Controlled Wood.” Forest Stewardship Council website. http://www.fsc.org/cw.html?&0= Accessed on 4 August, 2008.

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FT (2006c)�.� 2006–07 to 2008–09 Three Year Wood Production Plans. Forestry Tasmania, Hobart.

FT (2007a)�.� Sustainable High Quality Eucalypt Sawlog Supply from Tasmanian State forest, Review No. 3. Forestry Tasmania, Hobart. http://www.forestrytas.com.au/uploads/File/pdf/SustSupply_RevNo3_100.pdf Accessed on 31 July, 2008.

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FT (2007d)�.� 2007–8 to 2009–10 Three Year Wood Production Plans for the Derwent District. Forestry Tasmania, Hobart. http://www.forestrytas.com.au/forest-management/3yp/derwent-district Accessed on 2 January, 2008.

FT (2007e)�.� Interview with Bob Gordon and Paul Lennon regarding the Pulp Mill Wood Supply Agreement. http://www.forestrytas.com.au/news/2007/10/pulp-mill-wood-supply Accessed on 31 July, 2008.

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Hitchcock, Peter (2008)�.� Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Site: Review and Evaluation of Critical Forest Issues. OC Consulting. January, 2008.

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6�

APPENDIX A

Definition of high-conservation-value forests

High-conservation-value forests can be defined as forests that have one or more of the following characteristics:

rare, threatened or endangered, or contain centres of endemism;

oldgrowth;

forested wilderness;

rainforest (including those with emergent eucalypts);

undisturbed/negligibly disturbed mature forests;

highly (biologically) productive;

identified as core habitats for local endemic, rare, threatened and endangered species;

identified as having World Heritage or National Heritage value;

located in areas with steep climate gradients;

form part of domestic supply or Wild River water catchments;

refugia and/or of evolutionary significance;

significant carbon stores; and

areas of high cultural and social significance.

Source:� The Wilderness Society National Forests and Woodlands Policy, 2005

•••••••

••••••

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MZ1��Y 69

MZ1�8Y �0

NA020C 55

NH018D 29

NW006B 60

NW011A 100

NW011D 25

NW011E 90

NW011F �0

NW011G 2�

NW011H 100

NW011I 22

PA1��B �0

PC070E �0

RD010B 18

RE001G 1�

RP011A �9

RP011G 66

COUPE� ARE�A HA

RP016A 25

RP016C �0

RP029B 50

RP0��A 80

RP0��A ��

RP0��G 65

RP0��H 60

RP0�6B �5

RP0�6H 29

RS11�M 55

RS11�M 25

RS12�H �0

RS1�7M �5

RS1�1K 65

RT229D �0

RU001M 25

RU026D �6

RU0�0B 10

RU0�0B �0

RU0�0C 15

RU0�0C 51

SA02�B 50

SA0�5H 90

SA12�C �5

SA1�1D 15

SA1�0F �6

SH0�6B 126

SH050C �7

SH056A 1�2

SH069B 28

SH069C 87

COUPE� ARE�A HA

SH069E �5

SH069J 19

SH080A ��

SH081A 5�

SH081B 7�

SH085D 22

SH085E 20

SH087B 102

SR021D 25

SR05�B 29

SR1�8C 6

SR1�8E 1�

SR1�8I 12

SU020B 15

SW0�7A 10�

SW112C 1�7

SX008D 25

SX009B �0

SX009C ��

SX010F �0

SX011B 20

SX01�C �1

SX020A 70

SX020G �7

SX021C 22

SX028B 25

SX028C �0

SX0�1B 50

SX0�2B 50

SX0�8A �0

TE00�E 70

COUPE� ARE�A HA

TE006F 80

TE009C 21

TG002B 65

TG00�C �6

TG012D �8

TG01�A 60

TG017C 21

TI002A 17

TI00�E 25

TI011A 12

TI011E �6

TN012C 25

TN017F �5

TN021B 22

TN026B 7�

TN0�5B 62

TN0�6A 69

TN0�8A 25

TN0�9A �5

TN050A 1�

TN062D 5�

TN062F 68

TN065A 50

TN065C �0

TN065C �0

TN065E 55

TN066A �0

TN067D 70

TN068G 55

TO006F 22

TO02�B 125

COUPE� ARE�A HA

TO055G 88

TO10�A 0

TP012A �5

TP01�B �5

TP02�D 50

TU�90Q 60

TY0�2A 60

UR098A �5

WA021A 200

WE002F 0

WE00�C 15

WE016E 21

WE0�0E 50

WE0�1B 22

WE0��D 20

WE0�8A �0

WE0�9B 15

WH018A �6

WR015F 1

WR015F 20

WR016A 20

WW00�C �0

WW0�2A �5

WW0��A �0

WW050A �9

WW051D 8

WW051D �7

Table 1: List of coupes in state forest that contain RFA oldgrowth forests due to be logged between 2007–2010.

65

COUPE� ARE�A HA

AR002B �8

AR009B �0

AS107U �0

AS107U �0

AS119W 25

AS121A 11

BB016E 20

BB018A �0

BB019D 15

BB021C 10

BB02�A 26

BB025A 25

BB025B �5

BF0��E 15

BI01�E �5

BI01�H 61

BI0�2C 206

BI0��A 16

BI0��F 95

BI0��G �0

BI0��I 1�

BK001A 2�

BO092A 10

BO09�A �0

BO09�A �0

BO09�A �0

BO102A �0

BS101F �2

BS108L 22

BS109C 51

BS110D �5

COUPE� ARE�A HA

BS110D 20

BS11�H 25

BS115H 82

BS116D ��

BS119F 55

BS126D 80

BS127C 90

BT006G 70

BT007A 85

BT008B 20

BT009B 60

BT009D �5

BT010D 50

BT012A 65

BW109A 65

BW111A 75

BW121C 98

BW121E 55

BW121H 65

CA161B �5

CC160A �1

CD10�C 90

CD106F 82

CD118B 90

CF01�B 80

CF01�C 65

CF020A 5�

CF022B �5

CF02�C 20

CF029B �0

CF0�2C �0

COUPE� ARE�A HA

CF0�0A 25

CF0��A 50

CF0�6A 65

CF0�8B 28

CH015H 26

CH016B 15

CH019A �8

CH0�1D 50

CH0�1E 2�

CH0�2A 12

CL�65C �0

CO007B 50

CO008A �1

CO008A �1

CO010B ��

CO010G 80

CO012B 60

CR18�X �0

CZ056A 105

DN010P 12

DU011A �1

DU01�A 20

DU01�A 2�

DU01�B 80

DU01�C 6�

DU01�G �5

DU01�G �8

DU01�F �0

DU01�G 20

DU01�G �0

DU019F 20

COUPE� ARE�A HA

DU019F 6

DU020C �6

DU021A ��

DU021A 27

DU021B �0

DU029B �0

EM008C �7

EM008D 18

EP00�F �7

EP0�0B 15

EP0�1E 50

EV01�B 0

EV020C 1�0

EV02�A 5�

EV025A 120

EV027A 75

EV106C 55

FD0�9B 9

FD0�9E 26

FD0�7C �0

FL10�B �0

FL10�D �0

FL105C 70

FL106G 22

FL112D ��

FL112E �0

FO0�2E �0

FO0��A 15

FO0��A �0

FO0��E 2�

FR007A 22

COUPE� ARE�A HA

FR011A 22

FR01�A �5

FR01�A 75

FR015B 20

FR017B 25

FR018B �6

FR018C 15

FR02�D �0

FR026B �0

FR0�9A �5

FR0�9A 21

FR0�9B �5

GC10�A 86

GC110D 70

GC1�9B �0

GC1�5A �0

GC1�5B 69

GC1�8A 55

GC16�A �8

GL205A 50

GL208A 65

GL208C 65

GL215C 62

GL216A 100

GL216C 100

HA011A 51

HA0��B �1

HA0��F �0

HU�11G 75

HU�2�Y 10

KA011C �0

COUPE� ARE�A HA

LG001A 1�

LI116A �0

LI1�6A �0

LR�18B 80

LR�18X �0

LR�22B 20

LR��1Y 8

LR��5U �0

LR��5V 50

LR��7D �0

LR��7E 26

LT19�Y �0

LT19�V 26

LT19�W �5

LT216W 5

LT218Y 50

LT226W �0

LU008B �0

LU0�8A �2

LU0�0F 60

MA107D 87

MA108A 60

MA11�L 81

MB007C �0

MB011D 55

MD098B �2

MD102A ��

MD102B 26

MF019A 85

MF020A 85

MF020D 95

COUPE� ARE�A HA

MF0�7A 1�0

MF0�7C 50

MF057A 120

MF059A 100

MF059A 100

MF07�C 100

MF07�A 150

MF07�A 700

MF080A 100

MF080B �1

MN012A �0

NI11�A 120

NL111E 120

NL111F 950

NL112B �0

NL118H 165

NL119D 96

NL119G 20

NL120D 70

NV002A 155

NW00�I 1�

NW006B 60

NW011A 100

NW011D 25

NW011E 90

NW011F �0

NW011G 2�

NW011H 100

NW011I 22

PA127A ��

PA128A 62

COUPE� ARE�A HA

PA1�6B 100

PA1��B �0

PC008A 2�

PC01�D �5

PC018E 62

PC02�A 62

PC027A �5

PC0�0D 20

PC0�0E �0

PC0��C �0

PC070E �0

PC08�G �0

PC085A �5

PL001A 62

PL00�B 50

PL00�D �5

PL00�D �5

PL005D ��

PL009B �8

PL01�G �0

PL015D 86

RD010B 18

RD018E 25

RM�65H 22

RM�65J �0

RM�65K 10

RM�76Y 58

RM�81D 20

RP0��A 80

RP0��A ��

RP0��G 65

Table 2 : List of coupes in state forest that contain high conservation value forest due to be logged between 2007–2010.

66

COUPE� ARE�A HA

RP0��H 60

RP0�6B �5

RP0�6H 29

RR186G 20

RR187D 20

RS11�M 55

RS11�M 25

RS118B 50

RS122J �0

RS122J 10

RS1�0E 60

RS1��F �0

RS1�6C 70

RS1�6E 52

RS1�6G �6

RS1�1K 65

RS1�6F 60

RU019C �0

RU02�F �7

RU0�0B 10

RU0�0B �0

RU0�0C 15

RU0�0C 51

RU0��F 85

RU0�7E 1�

RU0�9D 12

RU0�9D 1�

SA012B 80

SA01�E 50

SA0�7A �7

SA0��A 60

COUPE� ARE�A HA

SA0�5H 90

SA0�5J �2

SB010B 2�

SB012B �0

SB017B 26

SB0�8A 10

SF11�A �9

SH022D ��

SH0�6B 126

SH050C �7

SH056A 1�2

SH085D 22

SH085E 20

SO01�C 20

SO0�2B 20

SO0��C 9

SO0�6C ��

SR026G 56

SR0�2A �5

SR0�6A 55

SR068A ��

SR11�A �2

SR117A 2�

SR117D 18

SR117F 2�

SR122A 55

SR12�A 1�

SR12�B 18

SR1�8B 7

SR1�8C 6

SR1�8D 1�

COUPE� ARE�A HA

SR1�8E 1�

SR1�8F 1�

SR1�8G 1�

SR1�8H 12

SR1�8I 12

SR1�9A �7

SU020B 15

SU0�5B 25

SW112C 1�7

SX008B �5

SX008D 25

SX009B �0

SX009C ��

SX010F �0

SX011B 20

SX01�C �1

SX019F �0

SX020A 70

SX020G �7

SX021C 22

SX021E 20

SX025G 51

SX028B 25

SX028C �0

SX028E 6�

SX0�1B 50

SX0�2B 50

SX0�5J 60

SX0�6F 7�

SX0�9D 66

SY00�C 70

COUPE� ARE�A HA

SY008B 25

SY008C 25

SY016B 60

TA016D �8

TA017B �7

TE00�E 70

TE012B 21

TE020B 19

TE021C �5

TE02�D 10

TE02�E �5

TE02�D �0

TE0�2A 18

TG002B 65

TG00�C �6

TG00�E �0

TG00�B �0

TG006D 70

TG016A 12

TG016E 52

TG017C 21

TG019A 92

TI002A 17

TI00�E 25

TN012C 25

TN017B 2�

TN017F �5

TN020F �0

TN021B 22

TN025C 19

TN026A �0

COUPE� ARE�A HA

TN026B 7�

TN026C 25

TN026C 25

TN029A 18

TN0�5D �1

TN0�2E 20

TN0��B �1

TN0�5A �5

TN0�5B 62

TN0�6A 69

TN0�6B 52

TN0�7A �5

TN0�7C 17

TN0�8A 25

TN0�9A �5

TN050A 1�

TN050E 60

TN050G 0

TN061A 55

TN062D 5�

TN062F 68

TN065A 50

TN065C �0

TN065C �0

TN065E 55

TN066A �0

TN066B �7

TN067D 70

TO006F 22

TO02�B 125

TO055G 88

COUPE� ARE�A HA

TO10�A 0

TU�90J 28

TU�90Q 60

TU�90Y 50

TY00�D �5

TY005D 50

TY020B 25

TY02�A 55

TY0�2A 60

TY0�6A 25

TY0�8A 80

TY0�2N �8

UR019A 100

UR08�A 50

UR098A �5

WC216W 10

WC292Y �5

WH018A �6

WR016A 20

WW0�1B �5

Table 2 (continued): List of coupes in state forest that contain high conservation value forest due to be logged between 2007 – 2010.

67

APPENDIX B

Derwent survey—field notes

Date:

Survey team:

GE�N�E�RAL

COUPE

HECTARES

HOW TO GET THERE

Clear instructions using odometer readings from towns, main roads, landmarks etc.

DISTANCE FROM HOBART OR HUONVILLE

AESTHETICS

eg. view consistency to protected areas etc

TREE HEIGHTS, DIAMETERS

(breast height and ages approx)

CREEKS OR WATERWAYS

(size and GPS location)

68

SIGNS OF ACTIVITY

eg. fresh tracks, new roads, machinery, taping of coupe boundaries etc. (record colour of tape and GPS co-ordinate)

V�ALUE�S

VEGETATION COMMUNITY

Outline vegetation types. Describe any broad changes to vegetation throughout the area with GPS co-ordinates.

GRADIENT OF SLOPE

DOMINANT TREE SPECIES

Record species, age, height, girth (diameter at chest height), giant possibility. GPS points for noteworthy examples.

UNDERSTOREY COMPOSITION

Key species.

RECENT DISTURBANCE

eg. logging, fire, 4WD

69

GEOMORPHOLOGY

eg. cliffs, outcrops, bluffs, caves, rock overhangs.

Be conscious of changes in geology. eg: rock types, soil types. The Forest Practices Code notes to look for:- karsts occurring within 5km downstream- sinkholes, caves, or sinking watercourses present in

karst areas or 5km downstream

Some areas will have geomorphological features that need to be searched for and have pre-existing directions/notes.

INDIGENOUS HERITAGE

The Forest Practices Code specifies the indicators of high sensitivity zones for Aboriginal artefacts as follows:- any flat and relatively well drained land within 500 m of

Class 1, 2, or 3 watercourses;- forested margins of heath, button grass or native

grassland plains, marshlands, lakes or coasts;- areas with sandstone cliffs;- major continuous ridgelines;- natural river crossings in hilly areas;- karst areas;- mature stands of E. gunnii;- outcrops of quartz, fine grained quartzites, cherts,

spongolite or chalcedony.

Look for rock overhangs and stone artefacts- Look for hard stone of different type to surrounding

rocks- Broken stones and tools in areas of rock outcrops of

hard stone and around fertile places. eg. plains, eddies.

70

EUROPEAN HERITAGE

Anything that points to early European activity. eg. tram or train lines, walking tracks, trails, any indicators of occupancy/use (building remains etc)

FAUNA

Record all sightings of: wedge tailed eagles, goshawks, swift parrots, quolls, eastern barred bandicoots and devils. Record sightings of tracks and scat for the above fauna.

71

APPENDIX C

“Notional Sawn Recovery and Cost Figures” conversion table (Ryan 1999: 61).

Log Quality

Mill door Log Cost per m3� (100km

haul)

RecoverySelect &

Utility Grade* Woodchips

Components of Sawn Product Cost $/m3�

Mill Door Log Cost

Processing Cost (incl.

Seasoning)

T�otal Dressed

Cost

Prime Cat 1 $70 32% 45–50% $219 $475 $694

Average Cat 1 $70 28% 50–55% $250 $485 $735

Average Cat 3� $60 22% 55–60% $273 $495 $768

Good Cat 2 $60 18% 55–60% $333 $505 $835

Poor Cat 2 $60 12% 65–70% $500 $530 $1030

Average Cat 8 $55 8% 70–75% $688 $530 $1218

* Tasmanian eucalypts have high shrinkage so that recoveries are based on oversizing the required final dressed dried dimension to allow shrinkage loss and for dressing.

72

APPENDIX D

Letter from Mitsubishi Corporation to Greenpeace and The Wilderness Society, 14 May 2004

7�

Letter from Nippon Paper Industries to Tasmanian Premier, 9 March 2004