Wild Wielangta

The Hon. Peter Garrett, AM MP

Federal Minister for the Environment, Heritage & the Arts
PO Box 6022, Parliament House, Canberra ACT 2600

23 September 2008

Dear Minister,

This letter is to provide advice from Birds Australia and the National Swift Parrot Recovery Team regarding the destruction of nesting habitat of the endangered Swift Parrot.

We are of the opinion that current logging practices within the Swift Parrot breeding range are unsustainable and likely to have a significant long-term impact on this endangered species.

The imminent logging of mature Swift Parrot nesting habitat within Tasmania’s timber production forests, where large proportions of the population concentrate to breed, needs to be addressed urgently. This includes, but is not limited to, the Wielangta and the Southern Forests of Tasmania, where impending logging operations are likely to result in both direct (death of parrots in nests) and indirect impacts (loss of hollow-bearing and associated forage trees) on the Swift Parrot population.

The single largest threat to the existence of the Swift Parrot in the wild is the logging of nesting habitat in Tasmanian forests.

We therefore recommend the immediate implementation of a 5 year moratorium on logging within Swift Parrot nesting habitat.

There has been a growing wealth of information on this species and its habitats through the National Recovery Program (Draft National Recovery Program for the Swift Parrot 2006-2010), including the dynamic and concentrated nature of habitat use by this species (e.g. DPIW, 2008, Swift Parrot Breeding Season Survey Report). However, our current knowledge is like the ‘tip of the iceberg’ and further work is required for a more complete understanding of this species’ breeding habitat requirements.

Therefore, within the 5 year moratorium period, an annual Swift Parrot population monitoring and breeding program needs to be implemented (in accordance with the National Swift Parrot Recovery Plan). This, together with existing information, would enable the identification of key breeding areas, and provide a sound basis for improved strategic planning in regard to both threatened species and forestry management.

Once key Swift Parrot breeding areas are identified, notice needs to be given under the Tasmanian Regional Forest Agreement that these areas will be protected in perpetuity.

The endangered Swift Parrot population simply cannot sustain current levels of breeding habitat loss and is likely to become extinct unless the above actions are implemented urgently.

Yours Sincerely,
Dr. Graeme Hamilton
CEO, Birds Australia

__________________________________________________________________________________
28th September 2008

Dr. Clare Hawkins
Senior Zoologist
Threatened Species Section
Biodiversity Conservation Branch
Department of Primary Industries and Water
GPO Box 44
HOBART 7000

Dear Clare,
I am writing to request an immediate cessation of all plans to log Coupe 19D in Wielangta Forest on the basis of significant sightings of swift parrots engaging in pre-nesting behaviour on Sunday 28th September 2008. We are requesting that current plans to log Coupe 19D be halted to enable a detailed survey of swift parrots to be undertaken in Wielangta Forest as soon as possible.

Only a small portion of Coupe 19D and areas close by were surveyed by concerned community members in very poor windy conditions in just a few hours on Sunday. Despite the limitations of this survey it is clear that:
• There are known swift parrot nest sites both in Coupe 19D and close by. Swift parrots are known to return to the same sites even though this maybe several years apart.
• Currently there are large numbers of swift parrots both within the coupe, close by the coupe and in the Wielangta Forest block as a whole.
• Swift parrots have been seen inspecting hollows both in the coupe and close by.
• Currently there appears to be a large blue gum flowering event in Wielangta Forest that this species relies on.
• Coupe 19D contains high quality swift parrot nesting habitat.
Please see attached GPS locations of swift parrot records.

Given the swift parrot sightings – it appears that there is a high probability of a significant or “aggregate” breeding event in Coupe 19D and adjacent forests in the coming months.

Current Forestry Tasmania logging plans have the potential to log active breeding areas and nesting sites of this endangered species. Logging in the breeding season is a reckless course of action and could lead to the felling of trees with swift parrots and their chicks in them.

The observation of significant numbers of swift parrots displaying breeding behaviour in and around Coupe 19D on Sunday 28th September 2008, warrants a reassessment of the way Forestry Tasmania responds to the management of endangered species.

A moratorium on the logging of swift parrot breeding and foraging habitat in Coupe 19D in particular and in Wielangta Forest in general, must be implemented immediately to enable appropriate, independent scientific surveys to be undertaken to ensure the preservation of this species.

I would like a response to the information contained in this letter as soon as possible. I look forward to hearing from you.
Regards
Lisa Cuatt
Wild Wielangta Community Group.

_________________________________________________________________________________

The following letter has been sent to all Federal Tasmanian Labor Senators, all members of the Tasmanian Legislative Council and all the Labor members of the Tasmanian House of Assembly.

22nd September, 2008.

I am writing to you regarding the imminent woodchipping of Coupe 19D in Wielangta Forest. Before you disregard this letter and forward it to another Minister or department, I ask you, as an elected representative, to take the time to hear the concerns of many Tasmanians.

Wielangta Forest is located one hour drive south east of Hobart on a well used tourist route between Port Arthur and the upper east coast. Coupe 19D in Wielangta forest is the home to the following federally listed endangered species: Tasmanian Wedgetailed Eagle, Swift Parrot, and the Wielangta Stag Beetle. ‘Endangered’ means if no action is taken to protect the species – extinction will follow.

Coupe 19D is old growth forest – it has never been logged and comprises old gnarled trees that are perfect breeding habitat for swift parrots. Tasmania is the only place in the world where swift parrots breed.

At a community organised ‘Wielangta Walk and Picnic Day’ in July, another federally recognised endangered species – the Snug Greenhood orchid – was identified in Coupe 19D.

Despite the occurrence of at least four federally endangered species, Forestry Tasmania plans to woodchip Coupe 19D in the very near future – possibly within the next 2 weeks.

Concerned local community members have met with Forestry Tasmania staff on a number of occasions and have been distressed to hear what seems like this organisation’s disregard at an operational level to comply with the RFA’s environmental protection prescriptions and intent.

Forestry Tasmania staff have told us that:
• the number of saw logs that will be harvested from Coupe 19D is extremely low therefore at least 90% of the trees will be woodchipped
• woodchips gained from Coupe 19D are of very low quality because old growth trees produce the poorest quality woodchips. Therefore the economic gains from this old growth forest are the lowest possible
• Forestry Tasmania surveys failed to identify the federally endangered orchids in Coupe 19D
• an environmental survey was not undertaken when the road into Coupe 19D was constructed. Forest Practices Authority staff have indicated that it was highly likely that federally endangered plant species have had a road placed on top of them.

Further Forestry Tasmania staff have said that:
• during the construction of the road, trees that were known swift parrot breeding sites were removed
• nothing will stop them woodchipping Coupe 19D
• Forestry Tasmania does not have a strategic plan for the management of swift parrot habitat in Wielangta, yet believe that this is no reason to stop logging Coupe 19D – a known swift parrot breeding habitat
• even if there were swift parrots breeding in Coupe 19D – they would still log it
• the issue of carbon storage is irrelevant in the management of Coupe 19D
• it is irrelevant that millions of dollars have been spent on the mainland protecting the feeding habitat of swift parrots and that in Tasmania – the only place they breed – their habitat is being logged
• coupe 19D is ’scraping the bottom of the barrel’ in terms of wood production.

So, a high value conservation forest, home to at least four federally endanged species is being woodchipped for the lowest possible economic return. The issue of forestry in Tasmania seems to be a taboo subject. It would be great if someone was brave enough to discuss and address the lack of rigorous environmental compliance at an operational level within Forestry Tasmania.

I would really appreciate your response to the following questions:

• the Forest Practices Authority have stated that it is not their role to judge whether it is smart or not to log particular areas. Who’s role is it to determine whether woodchipping Coupe 19D is in the best interests of Tasmania, Australia and the world?
Do you believe that woodchipping Coupe 19D is a clever use of Tasmania’s resources?

• under the recently amended RFA, how does Tasmania intend to ensure the protection of endangered species on land managed by Forestry Tasmania (given that the Federal Court in 2006 showed that current forestry management regimes in Wielangta are further endangering species)?
Are you convinced that Forestry Tasmania complies with federal environmental standards at an operational level?

• how do you respond to community concerns about forestry operations in Wielangta?

• will the economic and the environmental benefits of protecting Wielangta’s mature native forests for carbon storage be taken into account as part of Tasmania’s climate change strategy?

• wre you prepared to support a moratorium on the logging of swift parrot habitat until appropriate independent research is undertaken?

I would like to invite you to meet me in Coupe 19D in Wielangta Forest.
As soon as you step into Coupe 19D you will realise the futility of Forestry Tasmania’s decision to woodchip. The practices of Forestry Tasmania are from yesteryear and do not fit in the world that we live in today and where we are potentially heading.

I look forward to hearing from you in the near future as Wielangta and its endangered species do not have much time left.
Your inaction on this issue will lead to the woodchipping of one of Australia’s high conservation value forests.

Regards

Lisa Cuatt
Wild Wielangta
South East Forest Protection Group

Sample Letter 1

To Federal Minister for the Environment

Date

Peter Garrett
Minister for the Environment
Parliament House
Canberra
ACT

Dear Peter,

I am writing as a member of the Weilangta Campaign, South East Forest Protection Group, to formally request a meeting with you.

Members of the Weilangta campaign are people who either live in or in close vicinity to Wielangta Forest. We are all very concerned about the logging in the Wielangta Forest that is due to be completed by the 19th August 2008.

Logging is imminent in an area of Wielangta Forest that is the habitat of three endangered species – Swift Parrot, Tasmanian Wedge Tailed Eagle and the Wielangta Stag Beetle. A Federal Court Judge in 2006 found that logging in Wielangta Forest will drive these endangered species towards extinction.

We would like to meet with you to talk about the need to reverse the changes in the RFA made by Howard and Lennon in February 2007 which will lead to the destruction of this endangered species habitat and carbon sink.

There are currently only 1,000 breeding pairs of swift parrots in the world. Swift parrots migrate to the forests of south east Tasmania, in particular Wielangta, to breed. Mainland governments are protecting their remaining swift parrot habitat. However, your government has decided to clear fell one of the best known forests in the world for Swift Parrot breeding.

The decision to clearfell old growth forests in Wielangta also fails to recognise the vital importance of protecting places that have the greatest stores of carbon. The protection of old growth native forests is an integral strategy to reduce the impacts of climate change.

We are requesting a meeting with you as soon as possible. We would be happy to meet with you at a place of your convenience or preferably in the Wielangta Forest – where you could see for yourself the forest at stake.

We look forward to hearing from you in the very near future.

Regards

————————————————–

Sample Letter 2

To Local Member

Date

Michelle O’Byrne
Parliament House
Hobart 7000

Dear Michelle,
I am writing to ask, encourage, plead and beg you to reconsider the decision to log Wielangta Forest in south east Tasmania. I am not a scientist but a concerned, intelligent person with a young family who lives close to Wielangta Forest. I fail to understand why a forest that has been identified as having the highest conservation attributes – the home to three endangered species – is about to be logged, primarily for woodchips – the lowest possible return.

My nine year old daughter said to me, “If they keep chopping trees down in Wielangta Forest they will have to change the name to just Wielangta, because there won’t be any forest left.”

Logging is imminent in an area of Wielangta Forest that is the habitat of three endangered species – Swift Parrot, Tasmanian Wedge Tailed Eagle and the Wielangta Stag Beetle. A Federal Court Judge in 2006 found that logging in Wielangta Forest will drive these endangered species towards extinction.

I do not understand, why in 2008, Tasmania is continuing to allow the clear felling of old growth forest, the home of endangered species, one hours drive from Hobart on the East Coast, on a major tourist route, to be 90% woodchipped and 10% sawlogged?

As a Tasmanian politician you have the power to choose to protect the Wielangta Forest, not just for the sake of the eagle, parrot and beetle but for the wellbeing of the entire planet. Surely, this ancient rain forest relic has a greater use as a carbon sink?

I would like to invite you to come for a walk in the Wielangta Forest, so that you can see firsthand the madness of this decision to clearfell. I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards

____________________________________________________________

Sample Letter 3

Letters to the Editor that have been published in the Mercury.

Date

Contrary to Forestry Tasmania claims, Coupe 19D Wielangta is old growth forest that has never been logged. It contains century old trees that are full of hollows – perfect nesting sites for the endangered swift parrot. Swift parrots migrate from the mainland to breed in East Coast Tasmanian forests – the only place they breed in the world. Premier David Bartlett, please stop woodchipping swift parrot habitat.
Letter to the Editor
Mercury Newspaper

27th July 2008

I wholeheartedly agree with Terry Edwards (Letters 26th July) about the need to accept the umpire’s decision regarding logging and woodchipping Coupe 19D in Wielangta Forest. A Federal Court Judge in 2006 declared that logging would have a significant impact on 3 endangered species. Howard and Lennon could not accept the umpire’s decision and changed the wording in the RFA to provide immunity against Federal environmental protection laws.

There seems to be a “diversity of facts” relating to Coupe 19D.

Terry Edwards asserts that Wielangta has been logged for 100 years but Coupe 19D has never been logged. He also says that the Forestry Practices Code has stringent rules regarding the protection of threatened flora and fauna.

But why did the current Forestry Plan for Coupe 19D fail to identify nationally endangered orchids that were discovered by a botanist on the Wielangta Community Walk and Picnic Day on 19th July?

Why was the road into Coupe 19D driven through trees that were known active Swift Parrot nesting sites?

Stringent environmental protection rules are essential but they need to be enforced.

I suggest that experts in forest management from Forestry Tasmania and Forestry Industries Association meet with Departmental and independent experts, in an open, public setting that involves the community, to, respectfully, hear each others’ “facts” and views. Let’s be brave and find a new way of working together so that we can move forward.