❓ A WA parliamentary question probes the Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries on the adoption of recommendations regarding sustained yield levels for jarrah and karri timber, questioning potential discrepancies between proposed yields and industry capacity.
AnsweredQoN 2197Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Does the Minister 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) What justifications does the Minister have for considering the awarding of contracts in which the annual cut is solely Grade 1 sawlogs, with some of the associated Grade 2 sawlogs possibly being left on the forest floor to rot or be burnt, as stated on page vii of the Report?
(3) In relation to Table 9.1 on ‘Sustained yields scenarios and detailed options’, does the Minister agree with the Report’s finding that ‘The Panel is of the view that a combination of options 1 and 2 will meet both the biological and other components of ecologically sustainable forest management to a satisfactory level.’?
(4) If yes, does the Minister accept that a sustained yield above the currently proposed figure of 131,000 cubic metres of jarrah could be set, recognising that four of the Table’s six jarrah sustained yield figures under Panel Options 1 and 2 are above 131,000 cubic metres?
(5) If yes, does the Minister accept that a sustained yield above the proposed figure of 54,000 cubic metres of karri could be set, recognising that four of the Table’s six karri sustained yield figures under Panel Options 1 and 2 are above 54,000 cubic metres?
(6) Does the Minister believe that the proposed annual sustained yield figures of 131,000 and 54,000 cubic metres of jarrah and karri respectively are too conservative, based upon the Panel’s findings, noting that the Report states that the values of sustained yield ‘are conservative’ (page viii)?
(7) If yes, what justification does the Minister have for winding down the timber industry in the period leading up to the end of the 1994-2003 Forest Management Plan, with the likelihood then being to seek to have the industry expand again shortly after the start of the 2004-2013 Plan, once the findings of the Panel’s combination of Options 1 and 2 are implemented, thereby allowing for higher annual sustained yields than are currently being proposed?
(2) What justifications does the Minister have for considering the awarding of contracts in which the annual cut is solely Grade 1 sawlogs, with some of the associated Grade 2 sawlogs possibly being left on the forest floor to rot or be burnt, as stated on page vii of the Report?
(3) In relation to Table 9.1 on ‘Sustained yields scenarios and detailed options’, does the Minister agree with the Report’s finding that ‘The Panel is of the view that a combination of options 1 and 2 will meet both the biological and other components of ecologically sustainable forest management to a satisfactory level.’?
(4) If yes, does the Minister accept that a sustained yield above the currently proposed figure of 131,000 cubic metres of jarrah could be set, recognising that four of the Table’s six jarrah sustained yield figures under Panel Options 1 and 2 are above 131,000 cubic metres?
(5) If yes, does the Minister accept that a sustained yield above the proposed figure of 54,000 cubic metres of karri could be set, recognising that four of the Table’s six karri sustained yield figures under Panel Options 1 and 2 are above 54,000 cubic metres?
(6) Does the Minister believe that the proposed annual sustained yield figures of 131,000 and 54,000 cubic metres of jarrah and karri respectively are too conservative, based upon the Panel’s findings, noting that the Report states that the values of sustained yield ‘are conservative’ (page viii)?
(7) If yes, what justification does the Minister have for winding down the timber industry in the period leading up to the end of the 1994-2003 Forest Management Plan, with the likelihood then being to seek to have the industry expand again shortly after the start of the 2004-2013 Plan, once the findings of the Panel’s combination of Options 1 and 2 are implemented, thereby allowing for higher annual sustained yields than are currently being proposed?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
20 November 2003
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
Response time
22 days
(2) The only contract for first grade sawlogs is that which was entered into by the previous Government with the Blueleaf Corporation at Greenbushes. All contracts currently being negotiated are on the basis of bole sawlogs, or a combination of first and second grade sawlogs. It is not anticipated that there will be any difficulty in selling second grade sawlogs produced during integrated harvest operations. (3-7) The role of the Ferguson Panel was to inform the Conservation Commission of Western Australian and the Government regarding sustained yield levels that would flow from the next Forest Management Plan. The Minister for the Environment will determine the sustained yield levels as part of the approval of the Forest Management Plan for 2004 to 2013. The Government’s restructuring of the timber industry reflects the anticipated sustained yield figures that were announced when the proposed Forest Management Plan was formally submitted for Environmental Protection Authority assessment.
(3-7) The role of the Ferguson Panel was to inform the Conservation Commission of Western Australian and the Government regarding sustained yield levels that would flow from the next Forest Management Plan. The Minister for the Environment will determine the sustained yield levels as part of the approval of the Forest Management Plan for 2004 to 2013. The Government’s restructuring of the timber industry reflects the anticipated sustained yield figures that were announced when the proposed Forest Management Plan was formally submitted for Environmental Protection Authority assessment.
(3-7) The role of the Ferguson Panel was to inform the Conservation Commission of Western Australian and the Government regarding sustained yield levels that would flow from the next Forest Management Plan. The Minister for the Environment will determine the sustained yield levels as part of the approval of the Forest Management Plan for 2004 to 2013. The Government’s restructuring of the timber industry reflects the anticipated sustained yield figures that were announced when the proposed Forest Management Plan was formally submitted for Environmental Protection Authority assessment.
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