High Conservation Value Forest Reserve Proposals in Tasmania

A backgrounder for ENGO identined HCV forest reserve proposals on public land in Tasmania

ENVIRONMENT T

Prepared by EnvironmentTasmania 2011 Photos by Rob Blakers 2011 (Photos in this booklet are all of areas identified for protection and show numerous areas currently zoned for logging)

The Statement of Principles a nd Forest Protection

In 2010 a series of talks were held between lead timber industry organisations and environment non-government organisations (ENGOs) from Tasmania and Australia. These talks led to the Statement of Principles. This document outlines agreed principles that will significantly improve the forestry industry and forest conservation in Tasmania. The statement requested that a number of actions be undertaken by the State and Federal governments This included a specific requirement to implement a moratorium on the logging of forests in identified high conservation value (HCV) forest reserve proposals within 3 months. At the time of press it was clear there had been a failure to implement this moratorium by the deadline of March 15th 2011 . It has been a key requirement of the ENGO's that a moratorium on logging in these valuable forests be in place while talks continue. In addition, the parties to the Principles agreed to
"Immediately protect, maintain and enhance those High Conservation Value Forests idenfiffed by ENGO's on public land"

Protection of these forests will be a magnificent achievement forTasmania, further establishing it as a world leader in natural area protection At the same time it will also support the Tasmanian brand, building our economy, and making our island a unique place to live work and play

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What are ENGO HCV forest reserve proposals?

The mapped ENGO HeV forest reserve proposals are the result of many different inputs, collated by the ENGO's - from the work of governments, community groups, scientists and World Heritage authorities - over many years Iterations of mapping leading up to the current proposals have been in the public domain for a number of years, most recently during the last Tasmanian election. Broadly, the following conservation values have been used in determining the HeV forest reserve proposals requiring immediate protection Large intact natural forest areas; Forest areas displaying ecological maturity; Forest areas of social, cultural and spiritual importance to local, national and / or international communities; Forest ecosystems and habitat with important biodiversity values; Forest areas that contribute to good reserve design (eg buffering and ecological connectivity); and, Forests with important ecosystem service functions (eg carbon rich forests, water catchments) A summary of the specific processes that led to the identification of major HeV reserve proposals are shown on the table in the back of this booklet. Ongoing consultation with ENGO groups around the state has also contributed to the mapping . Informal reserves (those not created by an Act of Parliament) have been included in the mapped areas, as they are considered inadequately protected and integral to those areas identified for immediate protection In the last few years the conservation significance of the HeV forest reserve proposals has been acknowledged by major players in the timber industry A number of large international woodchip purchasers have refused to take wood from these areas, because of its impacts on high conservation values, in order to gain certification for their products

The ENGO's consider most areas of native forest in Tasmania to have high conservation values present - for this reason we want to work towards a transition of commodity timber production out of native forests on public land to optimise the protection of these values.

West Coast & North West

Existing Formal Reserve ENGO mapped HCV forest reserve proposal State Forest

Our wild west, this part of the state boasts great wildlife, rainforests and unique geological features, much mineral wealth, a wild coastline, rich farmland, beautiful beaches and fresh produce. The Tarkine is a wild region of global significance. An expansive wilderness area that encompasses Australia's largest tract of temperate rainforest. the Tarkine is also a forested landscape of outstanding Aboriginal heritage, and home to more than sixty threatened species. It is also one of the last disease-free refuges for the Tasmanian Devil. Protecting the Tarkine's rainforests and giant eucalypt forests in a Tarkine National Park will create a major tourism icon for the North-West Coast and transform its burgeoning tourism sector. Further north from the Tarkine are the core habitats of the giant freshwater crayfsh - the world's largest freshwater crustacean - an extraordinary creature that can grow to nearly a metre in length.

The Tasmanian Wilderness World heritage Area

The Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area was declared in 1982 and expanded in 1989. There are considerable areas ofTasmania that adjoin the declared World Heritage Area that contain many of the same values that justified the WHA being declared. These include many distinctly Gondwanan fiora assemblages, the worlds tallest fiowering plants in climactic conditions, habitat of unique and threatened species, internationally unique geological phenomena and cultural heritage that spans tens of thousands of years of human habitatio n Many of the ENGO identified HCV forest reserve proposals contain suc h values and adjo in the Ta smanian Wilderness Wo rld Heritage Area In the past many of these have been exc luded fro m the Wo rld Heritage Area, not from lack of world heritage value, but to a llow them to be logged.

With the protection of these forests from timber harvest there is a unique opportunity to include these areas in an expanded World Heritage Area that protects all ofTasmania's world heritage values. The ultimate inclusion of the Tarkine region, the West Coast Range and Mt Field National Park into the Western Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area is recommended.

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One ofthe faJ't3reat temrerate wi(JerneJ'J' areaJ' in the worfc["

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Central North
This region contains some of the most accessible and spectacular forested landscapes in Tasmania in the form of Kooparoona Niara (Great Western Tiers). Covered in snow in winter-time, Kooparoona Niara is the gateway to Tasmania's world heritage central highlands with outstanding wet forests draped down the escarpment To the north of the Kooparoona Niara are a number of less well known but unique and diverse forested areas such as the Levon Canyon, Gog Range and the Reedy Marsh forests. These areas host a rich interplay of the drier forest types of the Midlands and east with the wet forests of the west all underlain by a variety of different geologies including karst areas, ancient mineral rich metamorphic, sedimentary and igneous systems
~-==-="""'"'-~~--In 9 ddifion f e oresfs 0 FilS are nave many threatened species values, World Heritage values, strong local and indigenous c ultural heritage values, tourism and scenic values and contain carbon rich forests that are' water catchment areas.

Existing Formal Reserve ENGO mapped HCV forest reserve proposal State Forest

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North East
North-EastTasmania is one of the most underreserved parts of the state, with less than 5% of the Ben Lomond bioregion protected as a National Park. This is despite the extensive forested landscapes containing unique rainforests, giant old-growth eucalypt forests, glacial refugia, spectacular mountains, waterfalls and river systems These forested landscapes are crucial in providing Launceston and other communities across the North-East with clean drinking water. They are also important for many endangered species and are documented as being vital to the survival of many endangered species, and notably, to the survival of Australia's largest raptor, the Tasmanian Wedge-Tailed Eagle. Iconic forest areas that are covered by the ENGO identined HCV forest reserve proposals include the Blue Tier, Ben Lomond and the Bay of Fires. The ENGO identined HCV reserve proposals also include a detailed matrix of forest areas important for landscape connectivity and buffering in a highly fragmented landscape.

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East and South East

The east and south east ofTasmania is dry by comparison to the rest of the state and covered by a mosaic of dry eucalypt forests and woodlands.These have many unique and special ecological values. The forests are critical habitat to species such as the swift parrot and wedge tailed eagle.They form a scenic backdrop to the tourism centres of the east coast and are water catchments for iconic specialty industries such as wines, walnuts, berries and olives. Many of these forest areas are also of importance to their local communities as a feature of the unique lifestyles they enjoy

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Southern Forests
The eastern boundary of the world heritage is lined with a ribbon of some of the most spectacular forests in the world. These valleys have undisputed world heritage values but have been excluded from the World Heritage Area at the behest of logging interests. Including such iconic areas as the Weld. the Upper Florentine and the Styx valley, ancient eucalypts tower over mature rainforests in these areas. These forests are also some of the most carbon rich in the world - carbon that is released to the atmosphere when they are logged, mostly for woodchips, and burnt.

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Past Processes Used to Determine Proposals

HCVArea Proposed extensions to the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (TWWHA)

Hev Reserve

Processes of HCV identification National Estate listing (Government body Australian Heritage Commission, 1980s) Helsham Commission of Inquiry 1987-88 and consultants International World Heritage experts, including IUCN, ICOMOS, This is one of World Heritage Centre and the world's World Heritage Committee great temperate (includes official representatives wilderness areas of Government signatories to and includes international treaty) sections of Panel of Experts (Tas Forests the Great and Forest Industry Council Western Tiers, conservation groups, industry, Upper Derwent, scientists in 1990) Navarre, Counsel, Tasmanian Department of Parks, Wildlife and Heritage Florentine, Wedge, Tyenna, (Government, 1990) Mt Field, Styx, Sundry reports on threats to integrity of TWWHA (Australian Weld, Snowy Government 1993: Australian range, middle Huon, parts of Government consultants, 1994 Picton, Esperance and 1995) Great Western Tiers National Parks and Lune catchments. proposals (community groups, 1990 and 1995) Sundry reports as part of Regional Forest Agreement process (inc Governments' Panel on World Heritage values, 1997) Tasmania Together process (Tasmanian Government) 2000 Promises by Australian Government, October 2004 Hitchcock report 2008 Geoff Law report to IUCN 201 0 Tarkine and North Scientific consultants engaged byTasmanian Conservation Trust West (Forgotten Wilderness, 1992) National Estate listing (Government body Australian Heritage Commission, 1990s) Tarkine National Coalition proposals 1995-2004 (representing the Wilderness Society, ACF and local groups) Calls for World Heritage investigation by IUCN (1990s) Tasmania Together process (Tasmanian Government) 2000 Sundry reports as part of Regional Forest Agreement process (inc Governments' Panel on World Heritage values, 1997)

National Estate listing (Government body Australian Heritage Commission, 1980s) (part) Submissions to Regional Forest Agreement (TCl 1996) Tasmania Together process (Tasmanian Government) 2000 Proposed Ben Lomond National Park (Wilderness Society, 2000) North-East Submissions to Regional Forest Highlands, Agreement (TCl 1996) Proposal for a North-East including extensions to Blue Highlands National Park Tier, Mt Victoria (community group 1998, revised and Mt Arthur 2008) reserves, Mt Tasmania Together process Barrow, Mt Horror, (Tasmanian Government) 2000 MtCameron, Linking Landscapes Project Constable Creek (community groups, ecologists - Loila Tier, Fingal and TWS 2007) Tier, Evercreech, St Patricks River and Panama Ridge Scientists as part of Forests and Eastern Tiers, Wielangta, Reedy Forest Industry Council, 1990 Community groups, 1990s Marsh, Tasman Peninsula, West Tasmania Together process Wellington Range, (Tasmanian Government) 2000 Bruny Island and Swift parrot breeding surveys and other small areas subsequent reports. Submissions by community groups on water, carbon, biodiversity, landscape and other amenity issues. Community groups 1970s and Leven Canyon and Black Bluff 1980s Canyon and Bluff Working Group (The Canyon and the Bluff, 2003) and support from widespread community groups, 2003 Forestry Tasmania moratorium 2003

Ben Lomond

The ENGO identified high conservation value forest reserve proposals constitute some of Australia's most well known and iconic forest areas. Protection of these forests represents a tipping point in the relationship of Australians and their natural environment. Their protection through the moratorium and the implementation of the Statement of Principles will represent the culmination of decades of effort by many thousands of Australians to reverse the decline in quality and extent of our native forest estate. Protection of these forests could become a defining moment in Australian history - a critical step towards a lasting equilibrium with the natural environment in our country.

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