Four-week reprieve for Jackeys Marsh

Residents of Jackeys Marsh, Tasmania, have succeeded in staving off forestry operations in the dry sclerophyll eucalypt forests of Warners Sugarloaf.

Under recently enacted “resource security” legislation, the Tasmanian Forestry Commission must submit a management plan to the public at least one month prior to logging, but had not done so in this case.

The commission had prepared trucks, bulldozers and loggers to move in to Jackeys Marsh on May 6. This was called off by Premier and minister for forests Ray Groom.

Warners Sugarloaf is part of a 28,000-hectare proposed national park. It comprises dry eucalypt forest, the most poorly protected forest type in south-eastern Australia.

The area contains extensive stands of old growth forest, and is prime habitat for many of Australia's rare and endangered species including the marsupial bettong and long-footed potoroo. The current understorey is dominated by Banksia marginata, the main food source of the Tasmanian lorikeet.

In a new development, the area will be clear-felled on the lower slopes. Sawlog allocations have been drastically reduced, with the vast majority of timber going now as woodchips. The area will be subjected to broadcast burning and the laying of 1080 wildlife poison.

The delay is by no means a long-term victory. In four weeks the area will be targeted for logging. Residents have succeeded in stalling logging of the area for over 10 years, but the crunch has finally come.

Contact the Western Tiers Campaign c/- Deloraine Environment Centre, 112 Emu Bay Rd, Deloraine Tas 7304, ph: 003 622 713 (w) 003 622 895 (h), fax: 003 623 056.

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