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EPA report a tick for the timber industryThe EPA's positive assessment of the timber industry's performance in East Gippsland presents compelling evidence for securing the industry's continuing access to timber resources, says Philip Davis. By Kevin Balshaw - 11th June 2008 - Back to News The Environment Protection Authority’s highly positive assessment of the timber industry’s performance in logging coupes in East Gippsland presented compelling evidence for securing resource access, the Member for Eastern Victoria, Philip Davis, said today.
An independent audit of logging practices for compliance with the Code off Forest Management Practices for Timber Production has ranked the Cann River forest management area at 96% and the Snowy River at an average of 93% and up to 100% in one of the 11 coupes in the area.
The assessments, contained in the EPA’s Environmental Audit: Timber Production on Public Land 2007 released yesterday, are higher than in previous years.
Mr Davis said the findings confirmed the timber industry’s commitment to sustainable practice.
"However, the audit is confined to the industry’s performance within the confines of the harvesting areas that the Government allocates to it," Mr Davis said. "Over time, the area has progressively been reduced, and the position is that the industry has no guarantee its present access to the resource will continue.
"In the light of this report, it is incumbent upon the Government to take the matter further and review the fundamental policy on resource allocation, on which the viability of the industry depends.
"The independent auditor has said the industry is complying with what the Government has asked of it. Therefore, there is no case for the Government to further remove access to the forest resource.
"This report provides the basis for the Government and Parliament to guarantee long-term access to the presently available forest resource, and I believe the Government should act accordingly."
In its summary comments on timber production on public land throughout Victoria, the report found that the audit "has not identified any imminent environmental hazards or unacceptable risks". Further, no areas where non-compliances with the forest code were identified as presenting an unacceptable environmental risk to humans or other forms of life, including the protection of ecosystems and biodiversity.
The report found: "It is therefore concluded that the beneficial use of local amenity and aesthetic enjoyment is adequately protected, within the context of approved timber harvesting on public land in the state of Victoria."
The EPA report is available at: http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/envaudit/forestry2007
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: kevin.balshaw@parliament.vic.gov.au
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