An Open Apology

By Managing Director Bob Gordon

I write to offer a sincere apology to Huon Valley residents affected by smoke earlier this week.

Data produced by monitoring stations showed that national air quality standards were exceeded on Monday and there is sufficient evidence to conclude that regeneration burns over the weekend contributed to smoke in the Huon airshed.

The exceedence is disappointing given the amount of work we have put into minimising impacts of regeneration burns on population centres over the past few years.

It is especially disappointing because up until Sunday, our staff had managed dozens of burns in the Huon and around the state without incident. This almost perfect record indicates that new measures, including the Coordinated Smoke Management System is working.

However, we acknowledge that we will not be judged by the burns that go according to plan, but by those that don't. Clearly, further refinement is required and that will happen in partnership with the Forest Practices Authority and the Environment Protection Authority.

It is important that we get it right. If there was an alternative to burns, we would do it, but the reality is there isn't.

The burns sterilise the soil and create the ashbed needed to regenerate harvested coupes, particularly in wet eucalypt areas. For the sake of the four to five thousand jobs that rely on harvesting of natural forests, we must strive to get 100 per cent of the burns right. We acknowledge that when we slip up, it puts those jobs in jeopardy.

It is incumbent on all land owners and managers to do their bit to reduce smoke in air sheds. The high intensity burns takes the smoke well up into the atmosphere and done well do not impact on people. Low level smoke however does cause problems.

Biomass energy is one of the solutions. Instead of burning heavier fuels on the forest floor that can smoulder for days, some could be collected up, and used to generate renewable energy, delivering more jobs and cleaner airsheds.

A biomass plant could also use waste burnt by other land owners including farmers, further reducing smoke irritants in airsheds.

It might also be worth considering including other land owners and managers in the Coordinated Smoke Management System. Once the fire permit period ends in autumn, there's no regulation or oversight of burn offs other than those carried out by the forest industry and Parks and Wildlife.

Including other land owners in the regulatory system would provide a better picture of the amount of smoke entering an airshed from all sources, rather than just the smoke from forestry burns.

However, we do not want to put anyone off the idea of carrying out burns to reduce fuel loads before the wildfire season.

Regeneration burns - from this (Picton 39a in the Huon Valley) in 1989..... to this in 2006

GOING BUSH

If you want to know more about how and why we do high intensity burns, make sure you tune in to the last episode in this series of Going Bush this Monday at 5pm.

Also in the program, hosts Andrew and Nick talk with farmer Philip Boyd about the new Trees on Farms venture between Forestry Tasmania and landowners. Through the venture landowners are not only able to rid the paddocks of weeds such as gorse but can plant trees and generate income.

With Mersey District Community Liaison Officer Jane Becker Nick and Andrew visit the upgraded Dooley’s Track walking trail, originally carved along the banks of the Wilmot River in the 1850s.

Nick and Andrew also visit the Maydena Adventure Hub where they check out the Eagles’ Eyrie and the rail track rider and talk to Lindsay White about the exciting corporate days offered by Redbanks Fish and Field.

The final weekly prize can be won by watching the program on Monday for the code word and entering here.

Last week’s lucky winners were:
Patricia Cox from Longford
Paul McGuire from Lutana
Joanne Stoneman from Campania
Jane Burdon from Brighton

At the end of the series everyone who has entered the correct code word each week will be in the draw for the major prize, the Ultimate Tasmanian Adventure Forest Holiday.

For the diary: Going Bush Episode Five: Monday 26 April at 5pm on Southern Cross. Take a look here for a program preview.

Order your copy of Series Four of Going Bush by clicking here.

Once again I apologise for the inconveniences caused to the Huon Valley residents as a result of the smoke last weekend and assure you that Forestry Tasmania will continue to work with the FPA and EPA during its regeneration burns program.