OLD-GROWTH
FORESTS — LOGGING
193. Hon LYNN MacLAREN to the
minister representing the Minister for Forestry:
(1) Has logging in old-growth
forests been banned?
(2) Has the government dated the age
of trees felled in the Challar Forest near Walpole?
(3) If yes to (2), what age were the
oldest trees?
(4) Is the
minister aware that carbon dating by Dr Marjorie Apthorpe places jarrah trees
felled in Challar Forest at 400 years old, as reported in The Sunday Times of 9 March 2014?
(5) Does the
minister accept that the majority of Western Australians want old trees
protected from logging?
Hon
KEN BASTON replied:
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the
question.
(1) Yes. There
has been no harvesting in areas classified as old-growth forest since 2001 when
the Protecting Our Old Growth Forests policy was implemented. Harvesting occurs
only in regrowth forests. Since 2001 the status of some areas of forest has
been reviewed, resulting in approximately 2 260 hectares of additional
previously unmapped old-growth forest being set aside in informal reserves.
(2) No. Forest
management guidelines for harvesting native forest are applied to ensure that a
diversity of age classes is retained. Areas of regrowth forest such as Challar
may contain old trees, including ones that are approaching maximum life
expectancy. Harvest operations in Challar Forest have been undertaken in
accordance with the ''Forest management plan 2014–2023'',
which includes an assessment for old-growth forest.
(3) Not applicable.
(4) Yes. However,
the Forest Products Commission has not been able to view the test results, the
testing procedures used or the chain of custody used in the study.
(5) Within the
forest management plan 2014–2023 area, over 62 per cent of the state's
south west native forests that are vested in the Conservation Commission are
set aside in reserves and national parks, including all old-growth forests. The
forest management plan is developed by the Conservation Commission of Western
Australia in consultation with a wide range of stakeholders. It is reviewed by
the Environmental Protection Authority and approved by the Minister for
Environment.