ForestryTas.com.au News and Topics

FT proudly supporting National Tree Day

Tue, 13 Jun 2017 14:00:00 GMT

Forestry Tasmania has been supporting National Tree Day for the past eleven years and has donated more than 82,000 seedlings!

Schools Tree Day is Friday 28 July and National Tree Day is on Sunday 30 July.

Our staff have been busy propagating 8,500 seedlings and there are 19 different species of trees and shrubs available for planting.

The seedlings are available to schools FREE of charge. All schools have recently been sent an invitation to participate in this offer. Orders need to be completed by Friday 30 June, 2017.

To assist schools in selecting the right tree species for their location we have pepared a National Tree Day 2017 Seedlings Catelogue (PDF) and a poster for them to help promote the event at their school, Schools Tree Day A3 promotional poster (JPG)

To find out more about National Tree Day visit http://treeday.planetark.org

Carlton Cox
Assistant Forest Nursery Manager

nursery@forestrytas.com.au
Nursery and Seed Centre
15960 Midland Highway,
Perth, TAS 7300

Phone: (03) 6398 7000

Mersey Forest Road now open

Wed, 10 May 2017 14:00:00 GMT

The repair of Mersey Forest Road has now been completed and is open for public access.

PLEASE NOTE:

The Fish River Bridge, some 1.4 kilometres short of the Walls of Jerusalem National Park parking area, is closed for a necessary refurbishment, and access via Mersey Forest Road beyond this bridge will be limited until the works are completed at the end of June 2017.

A temporary parking area will be made available before the bridge with appropriate signage and a temporary ford will be available for walkers to cross the Fish River and access the national park.

Access to the upper reaches of Mersey Forest Road known as the Lee’s Paddock area, commonly used by walkers accessing the Cradle Mountain – Lake St Clair National Park from the east, will remain closed to vehicles until the Fish River Bridge refurbishment is completed.

Tourism and Forestry Protocol Agreement 2017

Thu, 06 Apr 2017 14:00:00 GMT

Photo above: L to R - Steve Whiteley (Forestry Tasmania), Luke Martin (Tourism Industry Council of Tasmania) - Terry Edwards (Forest Industries Association Tasmania), and Peter Skillern (Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association).

The Tourism and Forestry Protocol Agreement was launched on Friday 7 April 2017 at the Hotel Grand Chancellor in Hobart.

The Agreement brings together the Tourism Industry Council of Tasmania, Forest Industries Association of Tasmania, Forestry Tasmania and the Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association in what is a key tool for building on Tasmania’s natural forestry and tourism opportunities and the shared responsibility for the tourism, forestry and agriculture sectors in making it work.

“This Agreement seeks to put in place measures for the forestry industry to work with the tourism industry to develop and implement mutually beneficial outcomes that support both ongoing wood production and tourism growth” said Steve Whiteley, CEO, Forestry Tasmania.

Download Agreement: Tourism and Forestry Protocol Agreement 2017 (835kb PDF)

Forestry Tasmania’s new Draft High Conservation Values Assessment and Management Plan

Thu, 09 Feb 2017 13:00:00 GMT

Over the last two years, Forestry Tasmania has revised its High Conservation Values Assessment and Management Plan in response to stakeholder input and non-conformances identified by our auditors. This Plan is a key component in seeking Forest Stewardship Council (FSC ®) certification for Forestry Tasmania.

There are a number of changes in the revised Plan compared to the previous version published in November 2014, that have been developed following further consultation with experts. The result is a significant increase in the number of High Conservation Values identified in Tasmania and on Permanent Timber Production Zone land. These include:

All threatened species, including those that are considered by stakeholders as iconic (e.g. Swift parrot and Wedge-tailed eagle);
All threatened forest communities;
Old growth forest and rainforest communities;
Water from town water catchments; and
Large landscape level forests and wildlife habitat strips.

Draft High Conservation Values Assessment and Management Plan (1,885 kb PDF)

We would like to hear your views on the documents, to let us know what you think you can:

email: stakeholder@forestrytas.com.au
or call our Certification Manager on (03) 6235 8150

The Draft Plan will be open for public comment until close of business
14 March 2017.

Hardwood plantation sale - expressions of interest

Thu, 08 Dec 2016 13:00:00 GMT

Forestry Tasmania offers for sale a hardwood eucalypt plantation tree crop under a 99 year forestry right located on Permanent Timber Production Zone land in Tasmania.

The estate represents a high quality asset located regionally across Tasmania with close proximity to ports.
The following timetable has been established for the sale process which will be conducted in two stages:

Expressions of Interest due.......................15 January 2017
Distribution of an Information Pack............Early February
Indicative bids due.....................................Early March
Due diligence commences........................Mid March
Final bids due............................................Mid May

Hardwood plantation sale - expressions of interest (3,788kb PDF)

For more information please see the flyer to provide prospective purchasers with:

an overview of the estate; and
an outline of the intended sale process

All communication in relation to this sale process should be directed through the Sale Advisor:

Andrew Dikinson
Director
Biovalue Pty Ltd
Mobile: 0438 438 877
Email: andrew.dickinson@biovalue.com.au

FT receives FSC® Controlled Wood Certification for its plantation estate

Sun, 13 Nov 2016 13:00:00 GMT

Forestry Tasmania has now achieved FSC® Controlled Wood certification for its plantation operations. Achievement of FSC Controlled Wood certification clearly demonstrates Forestry Tasmania’s commitment and progress towards achieving full FSC Forest Management certification.

It also allows Forestry Tasmania to sell FSC Controlled Wood to customers who hold FSC Chain of Custody certification – who can then combine it with fully FSC certified products to create an “FSC mix” product e.g. for paper production.

In comparison with Full FSC Forest Management certification which requires assessment against more than 200 detailed economic, environmental and social indicators, FSC Controlled Wood certification provides assurance to customers that the wood covered by the certification is not:

Illegally harvested
harvested in violation of traditional and civil rights
harvested from forests where High Conservation Values are threatened
harvested from forests being converted to plantations or non-forest uses
harvested from forests in which genetically modified trees are planted.

There are strict limits on how Forestry Tasmania can use Controlled Wood certification. In particular:

we cannot use it to make promotional claims that we are “FSC certified”
we are not permitted to use FSC® trademarks or labels
we can’t use it to sell Controlled Wood to customers who don’t have FSC Chain of Custody certification.

Failure to adhere to these requirements would risk loss of certification.

FSC® Controlled Wood in Forest Management Enterprises Certifiicate (1,827kb PDF)

Big Den Ballot, 2017 (closed till next year)

Thu, 10 Nov 2016 13:00:00 GMT

The Big Den Ballot has closed for this year and will open again next year in November 2017. 166 hunters have been registered this season.

Who is the ballot open to?

It will be open to all hunters who hold the appropriate licences.
Only ballot holders will be permitted in the area.

How does the ballot operate?

The Big Den ballot will operate for the Stag season only. The stag season will be divided into 11 ballot periods, separating the weekends from weekdays.

In 2017 there will be a maximum of 44 hunters in any given ballot period, which may include up to 4 single hunter parties.

Hunting parties may consist of a combination of numbers to a maximum of 4 hunters per party.

Hunters will be restricted to membership of 1 party only.

Boom Gates at Lakes River and Woods Lake end will be locked throughout the season with successful applicants securing keys for the Lake River Road end for their ballot period. Locks will be changed at the end of each ballot period.

The Woods Lake gate will remain locked throughout the season.

Important to note Penny Creek bridge crossing has been washed away and susequently vehicle access is prohibited west of this creek crossing.

The lock on Lake River Road (Connorville end) Boom gate will be changed at 1pm on the day an individual ballot concludes.

Second Antlerless Season

The second antlerless season will not be balloted. All hunters who have registered for the ballot will receive a key to access the area as per last year . The area will be available from 11am on the Friday until 7pm on the Sunday commencing Friday 12-05-2017 to Sunday 21-05-2017 and then from Friday 16-06-2017 to Sunday 25-06-2017 inclusive.

Entering the Ballot

Interested recreational hunters need to form a hunting party (1-4 hunters per party) with one hunter being the party leader who is responsible for his/her hunting party. All correspondence will be between the Ballot Co-Ordinator (FT) and the party leader.

To register for the ballot, please download and complete the registration pack below.

Ballot is open to all hunters who hold the appropriate licences.

Big Den 2017 - Complete Registration Package (961kb PDF)

Ballots opened on 11th November 2016 and will close at COB 5pm Friday 9th December 2016.

The ballot draw is expected to take place on 13th December with successful applicants notified prior to Christmas.

Hunters also have the option of calling in to a Regional office to collect the pack or we can post it out for them.