Forest conference continues with a look at old forests in Australia and the US

The Old Forests, New Management Conference continues today with a look at old forests in different parts of the world, and the social, economic and environmental values placed upon them.


Dr Hans Drielsma, Executive General Manager of Forestry Tasmania highlighted speakers of particular interest to Forestry Tasmania as the organisation continues to reduce the percentage old-growth trees harvested by clearfelling.

Fred Swanson will speak (at 8:30 am) on research and management of old forests in the American Pacific Northwest.

“In part, I will discuss how our language for identifying and describing old forests has changed,” said Professor Swanson.

“Early in the 20th century in the Pacific Northwest it was ‘decadent, over-mature large saw timber.’ In the second half of the 20th century ‘old-growth’ became the widely used term in the US in both science and public circles. “Ancient forests’ is the term of choice in the fight for its preservation.

Tasmania’s Michael (Mick) Brown will provide an overview of the research that has been produced at the Warra Research Forest (at 9:00 am).

“At Warra, we are researching the fundamental ecological processes in Eucalyptus obliqua wet forests and the means of assessing and monitoring their biodiversity,” said Dr Brown.

“These forests have high conservation values and are also commercially important. We want to understand how different management for both conservation and for wood production compare in regard to their ecological, social and economic sustainability.”

Dr Tom Spies of the USDA’s Forest Service in Oregon will draw a comparison between old-growth ecology and conservation in the American Pacific Northwest and south-eastern Australia (at 11:30 am).

“Old-growth has become an icon for protecting forest biodiversity and wildness in many parts of the world including the Pacific Northwest and southeastern Australia,” said Dr Spies.

“Forest managers and policy makers have struggled in both regions to incorporate old growth into the mix of forest management objectives on public lands. A one-size-fits-all approach does not work because of ecological diversity.

ENDS
19 February 2008

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