Logging allowed

holidays, any time, single, two or in a group, that is something constructive and helps our rivers and Tassie look cleaner all the time, not only on clean-up days.

Not having it so good

I HAVE to reply to reader Daniel Webb (“Young ones have it good,” Letters, September 27). He wants to be advised by learned scientists who will inform government policy. The facts are that over 97 per cent of climate scientists are convinced of human-induced climate change and that the consequences if not arrested will be dire. Unfortunately the current crop of politicians are not listening to this advice. It is hard to provide education, safe food and water, and clean air if the climate changes are as severe as predicted.

No, that professor

I REFER to reader Bill Tomalin’s comments yesterday about my letter about climate and drought not being linked (Letters, September 24). I was referring to Professor Andy Pitman, ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Science director and a member of the Academy of Sciences National Committee for Earth System Science. He is affiliated with the World Climate Research Program and on its steering committee. Prof Pitman’s June statement vindicates my statement. LESS than 0.7 per cent of Tasmania’s forests are harvested annually and Sustainable Timber Tasmania stopped harvesting old-growth three years ago. More than 1 million ha of old growth is in reserves. Environmental groups such as the Bob Brown Foundation and Tasmanian Wilderness Society are trying to reignite the forest wars on claims of planned logging in reserved areas. The 356,000ha they refer to are not and have never been reserved.

The areas identified under the now defunct TFA were only to be added to reserves on the condition STT could meet its supply contracts. TWS as a signatory and Bob Brown as then Greens leader holding balance of power agreed. A parliamentary inquiry found the areas identified had not been properly assessed. While there has been a moratorium on logging, STT has not been able to meet its wood supply. The BBF and TWS are now demanding bits of the failed agreement be enforced, but not those that don’t suit their agenda.

program turns troubled lives around.

Song for the Rivulet

How many times must the Rivulet flood, And wash everything out to sea, How many thousand ratepayers must say No! It all sounds too risky to me. How long will it take for the people to know, The council has had a brain drain? The answer my friend is falling in the rain, The answer is falling in the rain.