ACF welcomes Coalition support for forest principles

The Australian Conservation Foundation has welcomed the federal Coalition’s support for the statement of principles that hopes to bring an end to Tasmania’s long running conflict over forests.

“It is significant that there is now Federal bipartisan agreement on Tasmania's old growth native forests,” said ACF Executive Director Don Henry.

Ten organisations, representing timber communities, forestry unions, industry and environment groups, yesterday delivered to Tasmanian Premier David Bartlett a ‘statement of principles’ on a way forward.

The statement of principles is the result of five months of discussions, undertaken in good faith, on the future for the forestry industry and native forests in Tasmania.

Australian Conservation Foundation Executive Director Don Henry and ACF’s Forests Campaigner Lindsay Hesketh have been involved in the talks.

“These are difficult times, with forestry jobs and high conservation value forests continuing to being lost in Tasmania,” Don Henry said.

“The parties to these negotiations have worked hard to find and agree on a different way forward, one that supports a healthy timber industry increasingly based on plantations and value adding and the protection of Tasmania’s old growth forests.

“Implementing the principles won’t be easy, but our areas of agreement are greater than our differences and they provide the opportunity for a more sustainable future and development path for regional Tasmania,” he said.