Forests
The protection of WA’s remaining native forests and woodlands is a major focus in Giz’s work as Greens spokesperson on forests. She has voiced her concerns about the impact of declining rainfall and increasing salinity on the ecological health of these systems. Giz raised the environmental impact of timber cutting and the cost of sustainable forest management. She has also spoken on motions regarding changes to State forests by way of partial revocation of State forests.
Giz has also called on the government to implement as a matter of priority, a comprehensive upper catchment recovery program based on farm forestry that aims to restore water and salt balance in the six key water catchments in the South West region.
Giz has asked questions in Parliament regarding:
- the Department of Environment and Conservation’s budget for sustainable forest management
- clear felling rates
- the mid-term audit of the Forest Management Plan
- issues concerning the Forest Products Commission, including contracts, connections with Gunns Ltd, saw logs, strategic tree farming program and its annual report
- police using threat of reparations orders against protesters in Chester Forest and vigilante action taken against those protesters
Giz has made a submission to the Sustainable Forest Management Division of the Department of Environment and Conservation regarding the 2010-2012 Indicative Timber Harvest Plan for Native Forests, urging that harvest not proceed at locations in the eastern jarrah forest, karri forest in low rainfall areas, young and maturing karri regrowth forest, and further 15 coupes that are particularly valued by their local communities.
Giz supports the local community in Jarrahdale who are trying to protect local jarrah forest from logging.
Giz supports the conservation of eucalypt woodlands via the Great Western Woodland project and the restoration of ecological linkages between the Stirling Ranges National Park and the Fitzgerald River National Park via the Gondwana Link Project.
Supporting oppostion to logging in Warrup (February 2012)
Related Links:
- Don’t Torch the Tingles – WA Forests (as of February 2012 the fires have not occurred)
- Annual Report of the Forest Products Commission
- Australia’s Forests at a Glance 2010
- Helms Forest Block – Black Cockatoos
- Warrup Forest Block
- Greens WA Policy on Native Forests and Woodlands
- Submission on the proposed amendment to the Forest Manangement Plan 2004-2013
