Review proposes shift to protect state possum

A state government review has proposed a radical shift to protect the Leadbeater’s Possum, arguing that changing to landscape planning would be a better management tool than the current timber harvest exclusion zones (THEZ).

This is despite the review finding that use of the 200-metre THEZs has helped conserve the possum, but has also cost the Gippsland timber industry millions of dollars.

The report into the effectiveness of THEZs, prepared by the Department of Environment (DWELP), recommends changing to a strategic landscape-scale planning to better manage and recover threatened species such as the Leadbeater’s Possum..

“A landscape scale approach that moves away from the use of detection-based prescriptions will also provide greater certainty and reduced costs to industry,” the report said.

The companies affected include sawmills at Noojee, Powelltown, Longwarry and Heyfield, and Australian Paper in the Latrobe Valley.

The report also recommends reviewing THEZs and other existing special protection zones in the Central Highlands to optimise the availability of timber availability, and protect the possum, threatened species and other forest values. However in the interim, the 200metre THEZs should be continued.

After more surveys, the report said the Central Highlands

State forest zoning scheme, including the THEZ, should be reviewed. This would take into account new information and changes in the forest since the possum reserve system was set up in 2008.

“Efficiencies should be sought across protections for all threatened species and other values such as recreation and water supply,” the report says. Other recommendations include: Review how the THEZ is applied to reduce unnecessary direct impacts on the timber industry while adequately protecting the possum.

Do further studies in parks, reserves and timber harvesting areas to improve knowledge of the possum.

Further develop species models to improve forest management planning and conservation management.

The report found that the THEZs have protected 436 extra possum colonies since 201314, with an additional 4046 hectares of state forest reserved in special protection zones.

“Without this protection, many of these possum colonies may have been at risk from timber harvesting,” the study said.

The THEZs have increased the formal reserves for the possum by 13 per cent to 34,566ha. However the review says the possum is still at risk of extinction due to future bushfires and until the 1939 regrowth develops habitat hollows by 2050-70.

The review says the THEZs have reduced the area available to industry by 3134 ha. Of this, 37 per cent or 1171 ha is 1930-39 regrowth, the main age class being harvested.

VicForests estimated that by 2030, this would result in a loss of revenue to it from sawlog harvesting of $14.77 million. However the value lost to industry is much more due to the downstream processing of the timber.

The THEZs had also cost VicForests an extra $5.574 million in road construction, and reduced sustainable sawlog levels by 11 per cent from the level forecast in 2013, the report said.

“The largest impact … is resource isolation, including forest areas adjacent to the THEZs becoming more difficult and in some cases, uneconomical to access,” the report says.

The review said only 6-10 per cent of the possum’s potential habitat in the Central Highlands has been surveyed, most of this was in state forest available to industry. Thus it is not possible to update estimates of total population size.

“Further surveys across all land tenures and habitat quality are required to improve estimates of the overall population and the longterm effectiveness of THEZs,” the review said.