❓ A parliamentary question regarding the WA government's response to a report on sustained yield for the Forest Management Plan, specifically addressing concerns about biodiversity risks and the clarity of Fauna Habitat Zones. The government's response addresses dieback management and clarifies the purpose of fauna habitat zones.
AnsweredQoN 2198Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Does the Government intend to accept the recommendations of the report by Ferguson et al. (June 2003) to the Conservation Commission of WA on ‘Calculating Sustained Yield for the Forest Management Plan (2004-2013) STAGE 3 Report’?
(2) If yes, what is the Government’s response to the Report’s statements in relation to EPA Bulletin 1010 that ‘…the Panel is especially concerned that little appears to have been done in developing management prescriptions specific to the conservation reserves concerned. In the light of this recent research, this represents a significant risk to biodiversity.’?
(3) If yes, what is the Government’s response to the Report’s statement that ‘The Plan needs to clearly articulate the objectives, roles and purpose of Fauna Habitat Zones as they are currently unclear in the Interim Proposed Plan’?
(2) If yes, what is the Government’s response to the Report’s statements in relation to EPA Bulletin 1010 that ‘…the Panel is especially concerned that little appears to have been done in developing management prescriptions specific to the conservation reserves concerned. In the light of this recent research, this represents a significant risk to biodiversity.’?
(3) If yes, what is the Government’s response to the Report’s statement that ‘The Plan needs to clearly articulate the objectives, roles and purpose of Fauna Habitat Zones as they are currently unclear in the Interim Proposed Plan’?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
4 December 2003
Responded by
Minister for the Environment
Response time
36 days
(2) This comment in the report concerning dieback management prescriptions has no supporting information so it is difficult to respond to without clearly understanding what the authors meant. The uncertainty with the meaning arises because dieback policy and management prescriptions apply equally in conservation reserves and in State forest. The dieback management strategy for all lands is to identify areas that are not infested with Phytophthora and apply hygiene prescriptions that minimise the risk of introducing Phytophthora to the uninfested areas. Special areas have been identified for protection management with a key focus being critically endangered species. Phosphite applications are prioritised for areas of high conservation value and risk. (3) Following consideration of the Ferguson Panel report by the Conservation Commission, amendments were made to the Interim Proposed Plan. Appendix 4 of the Proposed Forest Management Plan, available on the Conservation Commission’s website, now states: “The principal purpose of fauna habitat zones is to provide a strategy to meet the plan’s objective of ensuring that biodiversity recovers between one rotation and the next. The zones fulfil this purpose by providing a sufficiently extensive network of areas excluded from timber harvesting in the mid-term within State forest and timber reserves. The design of the network of zones therefore applies at the landscape scale, with implementation then occurring at the forest block and coupe scales. The zones are intended to maintain both fauna populations within themselves, and to provide a source for the recolonisation of nearby areas after timber harvesting.”
(3) Following consideration of the Ferguson Panel report by the Conservation Commission, amendments were made to the Interim Proposed Plan. Appendix 4 of the Proposed Forest Management Plan, available on the Conservation Commission’s website, now states: “The principal purpose of fauna habitat zones is to provide a strategy to meet the plan’s objective of ensuring that biodiversity recovers between one rotation and the next. The zones fulfil this purpose by providing a sufficiently extensive network of areas excluded from timber harvesting in the mid-term within State forest and timber reserves. The design of the network of zones therefore applies at the landscape scale, with implementation then occurring at the forest block and coupe scales. The zones are intended to maintain both fauna populations within themselves, and to provide a source for the recolonisation of nearby areas after timber harvesting.”
“The principal purpose of fauna habitat zones is to provide a strategy to meet the plan’s objective of ensuring that biodiversity recovers between one rotation and the next. The zones fulfil this purpose by providing a sufficiently extensive network of areas excluded from timber harvesting in the mid-term within State forest and timber reserves. The design of the network of zones therefore applies at the landscape scale, with implementation then occurring at the forest block and coupe scales. The zones are intended to maintain both fauna populations within themselves, and to provide a source for the recolonisation of nearby areas after timber harvesting.”
(3) Following consideration of the Ferguson Panel report by the Conservation Commission, amendments were made to the Interim Proposed Plan. Appendix 4 of the Proposed Forest Management Plan, available on the Conservation Commission’s website, now states: “The principal purpose of fauna habitat zones is to provide a strategy to meet the plan’s objective of ensuring that biodiversity recovers between one rotation and the next. The zones fulfil this purpose by providing a sufficiently extensive network of areas excluded from timber harvesting in the mid-term within State forest and timber reserves. The design of the network of zones therefore applies at the landscape scale, with implementation then occurring at the forest block and coupe scales. The zones are intended to maintain both fauna populations within themselves, and to provide a source for the recolonisation of nearby areas after timber harvesting.”
“The principal purpose of fauna habitat zones is to provide a strategy to meet the plan’s objective of ensuring that biodiversity recovers between one rotation and the next. The zones fulfil this purpose by providing a sufficiently extensive network of areas excluded from timber harvesting in the mid-term within State forest and timber reserves. The design of the network of zones therefore applies at the landscape scale, with implementation then occurring at the forest block and coupe scales. The zones are intended to maintain both fauna populations within themselves, and to provide a source for the recolonisation of nearby areas after timber harvesting.”
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