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Forestry water concerns remain

Posted on December 20, 2009, 10:10am

Foresters continue to be concerned about the implications of new measures to manage the impact of plantations on water resources, with one industry leader calling for others in the sector to voice their opinions.

Green Triangle Forest Products managing director Laurie Hein spoke to The Border Watch after Wednesday night’s public meeting on the South East Natural Resource Management Board’s draft regional plan.

He said he welcomed the opportunity to hear the board’s proposals, but remained concerned about how commercial foresters would be affected.

“It is not about what we can gain, but what we can maintain that is important to us,” he said.

“We account for a high proportion of regional GDP — around 30pc — and a high proportion of employment as well.”

Key changes outlined during the meeting included new polices to require a permit for new plantations or subsequent rotations and existing commercial forestry to be subject to a 20 metre setback from groundwater dependent ecosystems.

New plantings will also be subject to hydrological assessments and have to obtain a water allocation through a forestry threshold expansion opportunity or other measure.

“The aim of the forestry policy is to ensure forestry is accounted for within the water budget in an ongoing manner,” senior policy officer Jennifer Peterson said.

She said current regulations requiring permits for new plantations in the Lower South East would be extended to all prescribed wells in the broader region, partly due to expansion potential through carbon sequestration planting.

Mr Hein said he was concerned about further bureaucracy and restrictions affecting how forestry business was conducted, which could delay and jeopardise future rotations of plantations.

“Without certainty, it makes investors extremely nervous about long-term investment in plantations,” he said.

Mr Hein said while it was clear water levels were declining in the region, it was not necessarily due to forest growers, who were certified to meet environmental standards.

Former Woods and Forests director of forest operations Bob Cowan — also a former water board member — said the industry had to accept it was water dependent.

“It is an extremely complex issue and this part of Australia is leading with its way of making forestry accountable, and so it should be — the board is trying and doing a good job of it,” he said.

“Forestry people will get all uptight about it because they argue it is a rain-fed crop and in some parts of the region it is, but in others no doubt it is a water using crop and has to be held accountable.”

Submissions on the plan close on February 2.

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