Sustainable Timber Tasmania fail sparks log ban call
GOVERNMENT-owned forestry company Sustainable Timber Tasmania has again fallen short of meeting the standards for Forest Stewardship Certification.
The Greens have called for a complete end to native forest logging in Tasmania after the result.
DAVID KILLICK
The FSC audit report said STT fell short in the management of swift parrot habitat, the retention of habitat trees associated with harvested areas and assessing the impact of fire and other disturbances on old growth.
The company said it was committed to improving.
“The audit recognised that Sustainable Timber Tasmania has a culture of innovation, adaptive management, and an ethos of responsible management for the robust array of values and resources on the public production forest estate.”
STT’s earlier incarnation, Forestry Tasmania, missed out on FSC certification in 2014 after falling short on 10 audit measures.
Greens leader Cassy O’Connor said STT had released the report late on Friday as the government released a budget update.
“What we know from the auditors, is that there is no way, Sustainable Timber Tasmania will ever get FSC so long as it keeps logging old growth forests which provide critical habitat,” she said.
“This is on Forests Minister Guy Barnett, who has overseen the government’s forestry GBE’s absolute incapacity to get Forest Stewardship Certification, the acceleration of logging during the COVID months, and the continual driving of Tasmania’s marvellous, native species towards extinction.”
Ms O’Connor called for an end to native forest logging in Tasmania.
Wilderness Society campaign manager Tom Allen said STT had little chance of gaining certification while it continued to “log and destroy” old growth forests.
“The future of forestry in Tasmania is plantations for forestry, forests for people and nature,” he said.