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Native Forest t Pines 1 June 1981 The Canberra Times |
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Sir, — Your
article "Spare a thought for the trees"(March 21) requires
some comment. It quotes the remarks of a forester of the NSW
Forestry Commission on World Forestry Day, advertising the attractions
of Tallaganda State Forest. What Mr. Beckhouse failed to mention was that up to 2,200ha of this
native forest is under threat of imminent clear-felling for the wood- chip
industry by the Forestry Commission itself, in order to convert the area
to a pine plantation. The National
Parks Association of the ACT questions the benefits of this
operation and a similar, more extensive, one between Brindabella and
Tumut. Vast areas of
prime native forests in the south eastern regions of NSW are being
destroyed to make way for pine plantations. Is the need
for wood chips and softwoods so great that we must convert
ever-increasing areas of native forest to pines, destroying in the
process not only the trees, the understory of shrubs, herbs and
grasses, but the animals which rely on this environment for habitat? Do we wish to
sacrifice the varied beauty of our bushland for a harsh monoculture of
introduced species which could equally well be grown on
non-productive, already cleared land without the inherent devastation
associated with clear-felling of native, forests? Surely it is
time to call a halt to this sort of activity by the NSW Forestry
Commission until the cost to the community of this destruction is
assessed. At the present rate of clearing the Commission is in danger of
being known as the greatest and most rapid deforester in the history of
white man's settlement. Within our
native forests there is an extremely rich and diverse collection of
flora and fauna, adapted over thousands of years to the Australian environment.
Our native
forests form part of the natural heritage of all Australians. We
need to preserve as large an area of this unique environment as possible
to that future generations can know and enjoy its wonder and beauty. The National
Parks Association believes there should be a halt to further
clearing of native forests for conversion to pines until a full public inquiry
is held into the economic, social and environmental impact of such
action. We believe the
proposed Tallaganda forest operation should be
subject to a full Environmental Impact Statement before any clearing is
begun. N. Esau President, National
Parks Association of the ACT, on behalf of the association's committee Canberra
City. |