❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice raises concerns about forestry practices near Nannup, including sheoak and jarrah stockpiles, dieback prevention, tree marking, fauna habitat relocation, and timber use. The Minister's response addresses these concerns, referencing environmental management plans and assessments.
AnsweredQoN 5706Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to forestry activities near Nannup, and I ask —
(1) Regarding the large stockpile of sheoak currently at McCorkhill Forest Block —
(a) how much sheoak has been cut and stockpiled;
(b) for what purpose has it been cut; and
(c) given how quickly it spoils, why has it been stockpiled?
(2) Regarding the jarrah stockpiles currently at McCorkhill Forest Block that are marked GFW (green firewood) —
(a) how much jarrah has been cut and stockpiled for green firewood;
(b) to whom is it allocated; and
(c) is the Minister aware that the trees are used by cockatoos as a food source?
(3) Is the Minister and/or the Forest Products Commission aware that at McCorkhill Forest Block there have been instances of rollers that are contaminated with wet clay from areas affected by dieback, driving in dieback free areas without first removing the wet clay?
(4) Why is there a lack of facilities at McCorkhill Forest Block for cleaning rollers, to prevent this from happening?
(5) Why have boundary trees at Kearney Forest Block (where visibility is good as a result of clearing) been marked or blazed by using an axe which injures the trees, instead of using ribbon which does not injure trees?
(6) Regarding Helms Forest Block —
(a) is the reason the fauna habitat zone has been relocated to a previously cleared (burnt) area, to make way for logging;
(b) what logging is planned for Helms Forest Block, and when;
(c) what assessment has been made of the impact of this logging on —
(i) Carnaby's black cockatoos;
(ii) Baudin's black cockatoos;
(iii) Red tailed black cockatoos;
(iv) release and survival of the black cockatoos from the nearby rehabilitation centre at Jalbarragup; and
(v) other native fauna;
(d) what evidence is this assessment based on;
(e) is it the Minister's understanding that this assessment satisfies the Department of Environment and Conservation;
(f) what assessment has been made of the impact of relocating the fauna habitat zone to its present location on —
(i) Carnaby's black cockatoos;
(ii) Baudin's black cockatoos;
(iii) Red tailed black cockatoos;
(iv) release and survival of the black cockatoos from the nearby rehabilitation centre at Jalbarragup; and
(v) other native fauna;
(g) what evidence is this assessment based on; and
(h) is it the Minister's understanding that this assessment satisfies the Department of Environment and Conservation?
(7) Why is Nannup Mill using first grade jarrah timber for sleepers instead of value adding?
(1) Regarding the large stockpile of sheoak currently at McCorkhill Forest Block —
(a) how much sheoak has been cut and stockpiled;
(b) for what purpose has it been cut; and
(c) given how quickly it spoils, why has it been stockpiled?
(2) Regarding the jarrah stockpiles currently at McCorkhill Forest Block that are marked GFW (green firewood) —
(a) how much jarrah has been cut and stockpiled for green firewood;
(b) to whom is it allocated; and
(c) is the Minister aware that the trees are used by cockatoos as a food source?
(3) Is the Minister and/or the Forest Products Commission aware that at McCorkhill Forest Block there have been instances of rollers that are contaminated with wet clay from areas affected by dieback, driving in dieback free areas without first removing the wet clay?
(4) Why is there a lack of facilities at McCorkhill Forest Block for cleaning rollers, to prevent this from happening?
(5) Why have boundary trees at Kearney Forest Block (where visibility is good as a result of clearing) been marked or blazed by using an axe which injures the trees, instead of using ribbon which does not injure trees?
(6) Regarding Helms Forest Block —
(a) is the reason the fauna habitat zone has been relocated to a previously cleared (burnt) area, to make way for logging;
(b) what logging is planned for Helms Forest Block, and when;
(c) what assessment has been made of the impact of this logging on —
(i) Carnaby's black cockatoos;
(ii) Baudin's black cockatoos;
(iii) Red tailed black cockatoos;
(iv) release and survival of the black cockatoos from the nearby rehabilitation centre at Jalbarragup; and
(v) other native fauna;
(d) what evidence is this assessment based on;
(e) is it the Minister's understanding that this assessment satisfies the Department of Environment and Conservation;
(f) what assessment has been made of the impact of relocating the fauna habitat zone to its present location on —
(i) Carnaby's black cockatoos;
(ii) Baudin's black cockatoos;
(iii) Red tailed black cockatoos;
(iv) release and survival of the black cockatoos from the nearby rehabilitation centre at Jalbarragup; and
(v) other native fauna;
(g) what evidence is this assessment based on; and
(h) is it the Minister's understanding that this assessment satisfies the Department of Environment and Conservation?
(7) Why is Nannup Mill using first grade jarrah timber for sleepers instead of value adding?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
14 August 2012
Responded by
Minister for Child Protection representing the Minister for Forestry
Response time
62 days
(1)(a) McCorkhill forest block is a current operation and no logs have been "stockpiled". As a standard practice logs are temporarily stored on landings prior to delivery. Approximately 1000 tonnes of sheoak logs have been harvested and delivered to customers from McCorkhill forest block thus far.
(b) The logs were cut and supplied to local sawmills for processing into a variety of timber products, such as furniture and flooring as well as boards for panelling and structural purposes.
(c) The logs were stored on landings temporarily prior to delivery to a customer. These logs have now been delivered to customers.
(2)(a) McCorkhill forest block is a current operation and logs that are stored temporarily on landings, pending delivery to customers, are not routinely measured. The logs marked as a commercial product will be delivered to customers prior to the completion of the operation. The FPC does not usually establish "stockpiles" of logs in State Forest. Only logs not suitable for the production of higher value products are sold as firewood.
(b) The logs produced in this operation are scheduled for delivery to a range of customers who hold contracts with the FPC.
(c) The Minister is aware that a variety of tree species are used as a food source for cockatoos. A number of provisions, such as fauna and flora habitat zones, and individually marked habitat trees, are implemented to ensure the impact on overall feed sources at landscape and local scale is minimal. At the forest level, less than 0.5 per cent of the native forest area is harvested in any year and there is always a mosaic of age classes and forest types that provide food sources and habitat for cockatoos.
(3) The FPC follows very strict environmental and hygiene management plans which are specified and monitored by the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC). The Minister and the FPC are not aware of any specific breaches of hygiene requirements.
(4) In order to ensure there are specific protocols in place to manage dieback, Hygiene Management Plans (HMPs) are prepared in conjunction with DEC for every harvesting operation. Wash down facilities are not always a requirement under HMPs. The alternative approach is to ensure that all vehicles are 'clean on entry' when accessing a dieback free zone and to restrict vehicle movements when this condition cannot be satisfied. FPC and its contractors inspect all vehicles prior to entering a 'clean on entry' point.
(5) The FPC prefers to use tape for the marking of boundaries rather than blazing. However, taped boundaries in this area have been tampered with on previous occasions. As a result, the FPC has had to use semi-permanent marking to ensure boundaries are not compromised. The blazing undertaken is superficial and is not intended to penetrate the sapwood layer of the tree, therefore reducing the likelihood of any permanent damage.
(6)(a) The location of Fauna Habitat Zones is the responsibility of DEC and the Conservation Commission.
(b) Selective harvesting is scheduled to occur in Helms forest block during Spring/Summer 2012.
(c)(i-iv) The assessment of threats to declared specially protected fauna is documented in species Recovery Plans prepared by DEC. These plans detail appropriate recovery strategies and actions. Prior to the commencement of harvesting, the Fauna Distribution Information System (FDIS) is used to predict the likely occurrence of fauna that might be impacted by timber harvesting. This system defines appropriate measures to minimise adverse impacts on fauna that may be present.
(v) The assessment of impacts on other native fauna has been undertaken across a range of forest types and forest harvesting measures through FORESTCHECK and other DEC research. This long-term monitoring has clearly shown a rapid recovery of fauna biodiversity after harvesting disturbance such that there is, in most cases, no difference in the species richness or abundance between reference areas and the harvesting treatments. These assessments are undertaken by DEC and have been published on the DEC website and in the "Australian Forestry" journal.
(d) The evidence for these assessments is cited in the relevant Recovery Plans and FORESTCHECK paper.
(e) Yes
(f)-(h) The location of Fauna Habitat Zones is the responsibility of DEC and the Conservation Commission.
(7) Nannup Mill currently purchases Bole (Multiple Grade) Sawlogs and Third Grade Sawlogs. From these logs the mill is able to produce a range of timber products that provides a financial return to the business. Sleepers are cut from these logs and from parts of the log that are not suitable for cutting into higher value products.
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(b) The logs were cut and supplied to local sawmills for processing into a variety of timber products, such as furniture and flooring as well as boards for panelling and structural purposes.
(c) The logs were stored on landings temporarily prior to delivery to a customer. These logs have now been delivered to customers.
(2)(a) McCorkhill forest block is a current operation and logs that are stored temporarily on landings, pending delivery to customers, are not routinely measured. The logs marked as a commercial product will be delivered to customers prior to the completion of the operation. The FPC does not usually establish "stockpiles" of logs in State Forest. Only logs not suitable for the production of higher value products are sold as firewood.
(b) The logs produced in this operation are scheduled for delivery to a range of customers who hold contracts with the FPC.
(c) The Minister is aware that a variety of tree species are used as a food source for cockatoos. A number of provisions, such as fauna and flora habitat zones, and individually marked habitat trees, are implemented to ensure the impact on overall feed sources at landscape and local scale is minimal. At the forest level, less than 0.5 per cent of the native forest area is harvested in any year and there is always a mosaic of age classes and forest types that provide food sources and habitat for cockatoos.
(3) The FPC follows very strict environmental and hygiene management plans which are specified and monitored by the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC). The Minister and the FPC are not aware of any specific breaches of hygiene requirements.
(4) In order to ensure there are specific protocols in place to manage dieback, Hygiene Management Plans (HMPs) are prepared in conjunction with DEC for every harvesting operation. Wash down facilities are not always a requirement under HMPs. The alternative approach is to ensure that all vehicles are 'clean on entry' when accessing a dieback free zone and to restrict vehicle movements when this condition cannot be satisfied. FPC and its contractors inspect all vehicles prior to entering a 'clean on entry' point.
(5) The FPC prefers to use tape for the marking of boundaries rather than blazing. However, taped boundaries in this area have been tampered with on previous occasions. As a result, the FPC has had to use semi-permanent marking to ensure boundaries are not compromised. The blazing undertaken is superficial and is not intended to penetrate the sapwood layer of the tree, therefore reducing the likelihood of any permanent damage.
(6)(a) The location of Fauna Habitat Zones is the responsibility of DEC and the Conservation Commission.
(b) Selective harvesting is scheduled to occur in Helms forest block during Spring/Summer 2012.
(c)(i-iv) The assessment of threats to declared specially protected fauna is documented in species Recovery Plans prepared by DEC. These plans detail appropriate recovery strategies and actions. Prior to the commencement of harvesting, the Fauna Distribution Information System (FDIS) is used to predict the likely occurrence of fauna that might be impacted by timber harvesting. This system defines appropriate measures to minimise adverse impacts on fauna that may be present.
(v) The assessment of impacts on other native fauna has been undertaken across a range of forest types and forest harvesting measures through FORESTCHECK and other DEC research. This long-term monitoring has clearly shown a rapid recovery of fauna biodiversity after harvesting disturbance such that there is, in most cases, no difference in the species richness or abundance between reference areas and the harvesting treatments. These assessments are undertaken by DEC and have been published on the DEC website and in the "Australian Forestry" journal.
(d) The evidence for these assessments is cited in the relevant Recovery Plans and FORESTCHECK paper.
(e) Yes
(f)-(h) The location of Fauna Habitat Zones is the responsibility of DEC and the Conservation Commission.
(7) Nannup Mill currently purchases Bole (Multiple Grade) Sawlogs and Third Grade Sawlogs. From these logs the mill is able to produce a range of timber products that provides a financial return to the business. Sleepers are cut from these logs and from parts of the log that are not suitable for cutting into higher value products.
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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