❓ Question on Notice regarding the volume and area of old-growth jarrah and karri forests harvested in Western Australia between 1996-1999. The Minister provides some data but cites limitations in record-keeping practices.
AnsweredQoN 71Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
71. Dr EDWARDS to the Minister for the Environment:
(1) How many cubic metres of jarrah sawlogs from old-growth forest were harvested from each of the Swan, Central and Southern forest regions in -
(a) 1996-97;
(b) 1997-98; and
(c) 1998-99?
(2) How many cubic metres of karri sawlogs from old-growth forest were harvested from each of the Swan, Central and Southern forest regions in -
(a) 1996-97;
(b) 1997-98; and
(c) 1998-99?
(3) How many hectares of old-growth jarrah forest was harvested from each of the Swan, Central and Southern forest regions in -
(a) 1996-97;
(b) 1997-98; and
(c) 1998-99?
(4) How many hectares of old-growth karri forest was harvested from each of the Swan, Central and Southern forest regions in -
(a) 1996-97;
(b) 1997-98; and
(c) 1998-99?
(1) How many cubic metres of jarrah sawlogs from old-growth forest were harvested from each of the Swan, Central and Southern forest regions in -
(a) 1996-97;
(b) 1997-98; and
(c) 1998-99?
(2) How many cubic metres of karri sawlogs from old-growth forest were harvested from each of the Swan, Central and Southern forest regions in -
(a) 1996-97;
(b) 1997-98; and
(c) 1998-99?
(3) How many hectares of old-growth jarrah forest was harvested from each of the Swan, Central and Southern forest regions in -
(a) 1996-97;
(b) 1997-98; and
(c) 1998-99?
(4) How many hectares of old-growth karri forest was harvested from each of the Swan, Central and Southern forest regions in -
(a) 1996-97;
(b) 1997-98; and
(c) 1998-99?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
22 November 2000
Response time
105 days
The Minister Replied:
(1-2) Not available.
Delineation of forest coupe boundaries is not on the basis of forest structure (such as old growth, two-tiered) but rather forest type (karri, jarrah). This occurs because under silvicultural guidelines, the practices to harvest and regenerate the forest are based on forest type.
Areas of mature forest, whether old growth or non-old growth, are harvested and regenerated in the same way. Some forest coupes will contain a mixture of both old growth and non-old growth patches. Accurate records are maintained of the total volume of logs delivered from each coupe, but separately identifying the proportion of logs from an old growth patch within a mixed coupe would involve a detailed, lengthy analysis of individual coupe data.
(3) Records of the annual area harvested are maintained on a calendar year basis:
(a) 1997
Swan Region - Nil
Southern Forest and Central Forestion Regions - refer to answer to question 2473 (c) (i). 90 hectares were harvested from the Southern Forest Region, and the remainder was harvested from the Central Forest Region.
(b) 1998
The old growth data layer used to answer question 2473 (c) (ii) has been
superceded with updated records. The figure provided in the answer to that
question is now reduced by 30 hectares because two patches of forest had been incorrectly recorded as old growth, but field inspection during the
preplanning for logging confirmed that they had previously been cut over.
210 hectares were harvested from the Southern Forest Region, and the
remainder was harvested from the Central Forest Region.
(c) 1999
Swan Region - nil
Southern Forest Region - 400 hectares
Central Forest Region - 530 hectares.
(4) Harvesting only occurs in the Southern Forest Region.
(a) 1997 - refer to answer to question 2473 (b) (i).
(b) 1998 - refer to answer to quesiton 2473 (b) (ii)
(c) 1999 - 490 hectares.
Swan Forest Region Nil
Central Forest Region 190 hectares
Southern Forest Region 90 hectares
(b) Area of jarrah old growth forest harvested in 1998
Swan Forest Region 30 hectares
Central Forest Region 220 hectares
Southern Forest Region 210 hectares
(c) Area of jarrah old growth forest harvested in 1999
Swan Forest Region Nil
Central Forest Region 530 hectares
Southern Forest Region 400 hectares
(4) Records of the annual area harvested are maintained on a calendar year basis, and are therefore provided for the calendar years 1997, 1998 and 1999.
(a) Area of karri old growth forest harvested in 1997
Swan Forest Region Nil
Central Forest Region Nil
Southern Forest Region 110 hectares
(b) Area of karri old growth forest harvested in 1998
Swan Forest Region Nil
Central Forest Region Nil
Southern Forest Region 660 hectares
(c) Area of karri old growth forest harvested in 1999
Swan Forest Region Nil
Central Forest Region Nil
Southern Forest Region 490 hectares
(1-2) Not available.
Delineation of forest coupe boundaries is not on the basis of forest structure (such as old growth, two-tiered) but rather forest type (karri, jarrah). This occurs because under silvicultural guidelines, the practices to harvest and regenerate the forest are based on forest type.
Areas of mature forest, whether old growth or non-old growth, are harvested and regenerated in the same way. Some forest coupes will contain a mixture of both old growth and non-old growth patches. Accurate records are maintained of the total volume of logs delivered from each coupe, but separately identifying the proportion of logs from an old growth patch within a mixed coupe would involve a detailed, lengthy analysis of individual coupe data.
(3) Records of the annual area harvested are maintained on a calendar year basis:
(a) 1997
Swan Region - Nil
Southern Forest and Central Forestion Regions - refer to answer to question 2473 (c) (i). 90 hectares were harvested from the Southern Forest Region, and the remainder was harvested from the Central Forest Region.
(b) 1998
The old growth data layer used to answer question 2473 (c) (ii) has been
superceded with updated records. The figure provided in the answer to that
question is now reduced by 30 hectares because two patches of forest had been incorrectly recorded as old growth, but field inspection during the
preplanning for logging confirmed that they had previously been cut over.
210 hectares were harvested from the Southern Forest Region, and the
remainder was harvested from the Central Forest Region.
(c) 1999
Swan Region - nil
Southern Forest Region - 400 hectares
Central Forest Region - 530 hectares.
(4) Harvesting only occurs in the Southern Forest Region.
(a) 1997 - refer to answer to question 2473 (b) (i).
(b) 1998 - refer to answer to quesiton 2473 (b) (ii)
(c) 1999 - 490 hectares.
Swan Forest Region Nil
Central Forest Region 190 hectares
Southern Forest Region 90 hectares
(b) Area of jarrah old growth forest harvested in 1998
Swan Forest Region 30 hectares
Central Forest Region 220 hectares
Southern Forest Region 210 hectares
(c) Area of jarrah old growth forest harvested in 1999
Swan Forest Region Nil
Central Forest Region 530 hectares
Southern Forest Region 400 hectares
(4) Records of the annual area harvested are maintained on a calendar year basis, and are therefore provided for the calendar years 1997, 1998 and 1999.
(a) Area of karri old growth forest harvested in 1997
Swan Forest Region Nil
Central Forest Region Nil
Southern Forest Region 110 hectares
(b) Area of karri old growth forest harvested in 1998
Swan Forest Region Nil
Central Forest Region Nil
Southern Forest Region 660 hectares
(c) Area of karri old growth forest harvested in 1999
Swan Forest Region Nil
Central Forest Region Nil
Southern Forest Region 490 hectares
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