Three-year Indicative Timber Harvest Plan for Native Forests |
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Swan, South West and Warren Regions, 2008 to 2010The Forest Management Plan 2004-2013 requires the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC), in consultation with the Forest Products Commission (FPC), to prepare rolling three-year indicative timber harvesting plans. Three-year plans are now available for the period 2006 to 2008 for proposed timber harvesting operations in native forest in each of DEC's Swan, South West and Warren administrative regions. DescriptionThe three-year plan has been prepared to meet timber supply objectives fo the FPC in a manner that is consistent with the FMP and which aligns with schedules for other forest management programs such as prescribed burning. The allowable annual sawlog cut under the FMP is 131,000 cubic metres of jarrah (first and second grade equivalent) and 54,000 cubic metres of karri (first and second grade equivalent. Each year of the three-year plan provides a volume in excess of the annual allowable sawlog harvest in order to provide the FPC with flexibility in coupe preparation and scheduling. This is necessary to cater for potential delays associated with the detailed environmental, dieback and silvicultural planning processes that occur for each coupe. Because the total allowable cut each year is constrained to the volumes set in the FMP, some of the coupes will not be harvested in the nominated year, but will carry over into the following year. In that respect, the three-year plan for 2008, 2009 and 2010 constitutes a forward schedule of intent that will be revised each year to accommodate such issues as the completion of operations in harvest areas or ‘coupes’, altered market factors, changes arising from other forest operations such as mining, prescribed burning programs and wildfires, and various consultation processes. The total sawlog supplied each year from State forest and timber reserves is sourced from a variety of operations. These include areas of forest harvested to various silvicultural objectives; areas cleared in advance of mining and subsequent rehabilitation; areas cleared in the construction of powerlines, roads or infrastructure; and areas where silvicultural thinning may occur to enhance water production in targeted catchments. Other log products (e.g. chiplogs and other bole residue products) are mostly generated as a consequence of the harvest of sawlogs and are not specifically catered for in the harvest plan. PlansLists and maps of the coupes proposed for each year, 2008, 2009 and 2010 in each region, are available from the following links:
Printed copies of the maps may be obtained on request from the Policy Officer, Sustainable Forest Management Division, Crawley (see address below). Note: The maps showing the geographic location of the coupes depict the ‘gross' area. The actual area harvested or disturbed will be less after a range of buffers and exclusion patches are applied in the detailed planning of the coupe. Commenting on the plans
Parties interested in commenting on the scheduled timing or location of coupes in the three-year plan may forward their comments in writing to:
The 2008 list and map for each Region is part of the public consultation phase currently being coordinated by the FPC for the annual indicative timber harvest plan. Submissions and further information on the public consultation for the 2008 annual indicative timber harvest plan can be obtained from the FPC website at: Old-growth forest
A community based process administered by the Conservation Commission of Western Australia allows for individuals and groups with local knowledge six weeks to nominate areas on the three-year plan that are not on the old-growth forest database, but may satisfy the old-growth forest classification criteria. Information on this process and the accompanying nomination form can be found at the Conservation Commission website: |
