Efforts to scuttle sustainable forestry move ‘outrageous’: Conservationists

Conservationists have pushed back on efforts by the timber industry to shut down development of a national scheme that seeks to properly value native forests’ contribution to emissions reduction, saying "all options need to be on the table" to preserve threatened species.

After decades of decimation from logging, Queensland's state forests need a suite of urgent policy responses to see forests recover and provide more habitat for greater gliders and other arboreal mammals. Under current conditions, greater glider populations in Queensland state forests are predicted to decline up to 70% due to continued logging.

The developing federal scheme could see state forests generating income for regional communities via carbon credits, while continuing to provide important environmental, economic and social benefits through tourism and recreation.

Queensland Conservation Council Protected Areas Campaigner Nicky Moffat said

Queensland’s state forests are more valuable when managed for tourism, recreation, carbon and conservation, compared to intensively logged. 21.4% of mature habitat with large hollows needed for greater gliders is in Queensland’s state forests, so it's critical that state forests are managed for conservation outcomes, not just logging.

We shouldn't be ruling out exploring any option that will save our precious native species and store carbon as we face a climate and biodiversity crisis with over 1,000 species listed as threatened in Queensland.

It’s disheartening to hear that timber industry representatives want to keep forestry in the dark ages. A functioning carbon trading system has been decades in the making and the real winners when it becomes reality will be the Australian forestry industry and regional communities.

All options should be on the table to protect Queensland’s threatened species. After decades of habitat loss and the highest rates of deforestation in the nation, it’s important to explore all options to keep forests standing.

Under the scheme, timber companies will be assisted to transition away from dependence on native forests and move towards more sustainable plantations.

In Queensland, forestry has declined by two thirds since the 1990s, both in the amount of timber produced and people employed. Under this scheme, the industry would be supported.

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