❓ Hon Giz Watson questions the DEC on how climate change impacts, specifically reduced tree growth, logging areas, wildfires, and disease, are factored into sustainable timber yield projections. The Minister's response indicates existing precautionary measures and ongoing revisions for future forest management plans.
AnsweredQoN 2008Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
With respect to the Department of Environment and Conservation’s (DEC) role in setting environmentally sustainable levels for timber cutting in State forest and timber reserves, and in the light of the impacts of climate change and current predicted decline in rainfall in the South West of Western Australia, I ask -
(1) Will the Minister please specify how the following predicted impacts have been allowed for in the DEC’s projections for a sustained yield of timber, -
(a) reduced tree growth;
(b) reduced areas available for logging;
(c) increased probability and intensity of wildfires; and
(d) increased vulnerability to disease and infestation?
(2) Given that climate change is happening faster than was projected in 2003, when the current Forest Management Plan was being developed, has the DEC revised its estimates of the impacts of climate change and the decline of rainfall on, -
(a) tree growth;
(b) areas available for logging;
(c) probability and intensity of wildfires; and
(d) vulnerability to disease and infestation?
(3) If no to (2), can the Minister advise why not?
(4) If yes to (2), will the Minister please specify the manner in which the DEC has revised its estimates of each of (2a) to (2d)
(1) Will the Minister please specify how the following predicted impacts have been allowed for in the DEC’s projections for a sustained yield of timber, -
(a) reduced tree growth;
(b) reduced areas available for logging;
(c) increased probability and intensity of wildfires; and
(d) increased vulnerability to disease and infestation?
(2) Given that climate change is happening faster than was projected in 2003, when the current Forest Management Plan was being developed, has the DEC revised its estimates of the impacts of climate change and the decline of rainfall on, -
(a) tree growth;
(b) areas available for logging;
(c) probability and intensity of wildfires; and
(d) vulnerability to disease and infestation?
(3) If no to (2), can the Minister advise why not?
(4) If yes to (2), will the Minister please specify the manner in which the DEC has revised its estimates of each of (2a) to (2d)
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
21 April 2010
Responded by
Minister for Environment
Response time
29 days
(1) The calculated sustained yield of wood is developed taking account areas potentially available for harvest, standing inventory of trees, growth rates of trees, silviculture and other forest management practices, and effects of bushfire and disease. The area of State forest available for timber harvesting is determined by government through the approved
Forest Management Plan 2004-2013
. The calculations for sustained yield in that plan made a number of precautionary assumptions including no future sawlog growth above the 1990 inventory for large parts of the jarrah and karri forests, and a reduction in quantity of regeneration in the drier eastern forests and hence reduced future timber yields. Allowances for the impacts of bushfire and disease were based on historical impacts of these factors.
(2) - (3) The Department of Environment and Conservation revises its calculations of sustained yield as part of the development of each forest management plan. Work is currently underway, as part of preparing for the development of the next forest management plan, to incorporate improved estimates of the effects of climate change into the calculations of sustained yield.
(4) Not applicable.
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Forest Management Plan 2004-2013
. The calculations for sustained yield in that plan made a number of precautionary assumptions including no future sawlog growth above the 1990 inventory for large parts of the jarrah and karri forests, and a reduction in quantity of regeneration in the drier eastern forests and hence reduced future timber yields. Allowances for the impacts of bushfire and disease were based on historical impacts of these factors.
(2) - (3) The Department of Environment and Conservation revises its calculations of sustained yield as part of the development of each forest management plan. Work is currently underway, as part of preparing for the development of the next forest management plan, to incorporate improved estimates of the effects of climate change into the calculations of sustained yield.
(4) Not applicable.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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