The Queensland Government Plan for the South East Queensland Plan Regional Forestry Agreement
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Overview
The Queensland Government Plan for the South East Agreement (SEQRFA) provides a blueprint for the future management of our forests and the basis for an internationally competitive and ecologically sustainable forestry products industry.
What is a Regional Forest Agreement?
Regional Forest Agreements are part of the Commonwealth Forest Policy. This Policy was endorsed in 1992 by all Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments and sets out the broad conservation management of Australia’s forests. To achieve the National objec4tives, all Commonwealth, State and Territory provide:
• A 20 year regional forest agreement to manage forest resources
• A world class forest reserve system;
• Certainty for industries and regional communities, enabling internationally competitive and ecologically sustainable industries.
• Ecologically sustainable management of the whole forest reserves.
The Queensland Plan
The Queensland Government’s Plan for the SEQRFA has
• Providing a Comprehensive, Adequate and Representative (CAR) environmental reserve system;
• Ensuring the management of forests is on the basis of management; and
• Facilitating the development of a competitive and efficient timber Industry.
The Process
The views of all stakeholders were considered in the formulation of the Queensland Government Plan. The public consultation process included:
• The Government received 750 written submissions;
• The Government held 17 community consultation meetings and site visits to Caboolture, Woodford, Mapleton and Mapleton forest; Bellthorpe Forest, Palmwoods, Peachester, Eudlo, Maryborough, Wondai, Gympie, Cooroy Yandina, Bundaberg, Gladstone, Builyan, Rockhampton, Dingo and Linville
• Extensive meetings with representatives of key stakeholders. These include the Queensland Timber Board, the Australian Rainforest Conservation Society, the Australian Workers Union, Aboriginal Native Title Representatives (FAIRA) Goolburri land Council and Gurang Land Council), the Forest Protection Society, Local Government Councillors, Grazing leaseholders, Queensland Beekeepers Association, the Forest Recreation Reference Group, Managers and employees of local sawmills and business opetators/owners in these communities.
The Queensland Government Plan for the SEQRFA delivers……..
ADDITIONAL CONSERVATION RESERVE
• 425,000 hectares immediate addition to the conservation reserve in South East Queensland which doubles the size of the existing conservation reserve. By 2025 more than one million hectares will not be avaiIable for logging.
• additional funding to manage the increased conservation reserve.
RESOURCE SECURITY
25 years guaranteed resource supply, at current levels for existing mills (except Nandroya —12 months, Dingo —10 years, Linville/Yarraman- agrrement to move to softwood only)
TRANSITION TO PLANTATION INDUSTRY
A seamless transition from a hardwood timber industry based on logging Crown native forests to one based on plantations over a period of 25 years. QLD is the only state in Australia to do this.
NEW JOBS
471 new jobs proposed:
- MDF, Laminex Gympie region 30
- Forest Management/National Parks & Wildlife Service SEQ 100
- plantation management SEQ 100
- proposed private sector softwood milling & value-adding jobs 241
PLANTATION DEVELOPMENT
· 10 million new trees to be planted over the next five years as part of an $18 million softwood and hardwood plantation.
· Establishment of a hardwood timber research and extension program to develop the hardwood plantation industry
NEW VALUE-ADDED HARDWOOD INDUSTRY
· A $10 million incentives package to encourage new investment into value adding side of the hardwood sector.
BAN ON EXPORT WOODCHIPPING OF NATIVE FORESTS
Queensland will remain the only state with a total ban on Export woodchipping of native hardwood forests.
NO CLEAR FELLING
• No clear felling of Crown native hardwood forests
OTHER FOREST USERS CONSIDERED
• Tenure- beekeeping, grazing, mining, flora gathering and recreationists. There will be no immediate change in the tenure of the areas unavailable for logging. Tenure issues will be resolved on a case by case basis. A localised management planning exercise that includes stakeholder consultation and negotiation is proposed.
INDIGENOUS ISSUES
• Implementation of the SEQRFA will provide for indigenous participation management of forested areas to protect cultural and spiritual values and to participate in economic development. rnmetit endeavour to negotiate one or more alternative procedure Indigenous Land use agreements (ILUAs) to set out a legally binding negotiation process between Government agencies and Aboriginal people.
CONSERVATION OUTCOMES
Further information on the additional conservation reserve areas; The major areas selected include:
Wrattens, Kadanga, Mapleton, the Conondales, Belthorp and the D’Aguila
Ranges west of Brisbane - Gympie and significant areas adjacent to Bunya
Mountains National Park, Heildon Hills and State forests along the Scenic
Rim in the southwest of the region
- Majority of Kroombit Tops, Bulburin, Bania, Eurimbula, part of Watalgan adjacent to Littabella NP and Bingera along the coast around Bundaberg.
- Large areas of Boompa, Woowoonga and Grongah.
• About half of the regions 147 ecosystems are included in the area
. The selected areas in addition to the current conservation reserves now account for approximately 60 per cent of the total amount of old growth in the region. The remaining 40 per cent is on freehold land; and
. A total of 250,000 hectares of wilderness has been identified in the region. Approximately 86 per cent is now within conservation reserves
See map>>here
stevem
Letter to Wilson Tuckey:
Hi Wilson,
You may be aware that the QLD Government is proposing to dam the Mary Valley with the building of a dam at Traveston Crossing. This dam will not only seriously impact on the lives and futures of thousands of residents affected by the construction and flooding of productive farming lands but also seriously impacts on many endangered species which are unique and native to the area.
As a timber worker, employed at the Boral Cooroy Mill, I was involved in the negotiations for compensation for the hundred or so affected timber workers. I recall you visiting the Cooroy site in your Ministerial capacity.
The environmental aspects of the impact of the dam’s construction have just been submitted to the Federal Environment Minister, Sen Ian Campbell by the QLD government for approval and consideration.
I wish to seek your opinion on another aspect of the dams proposed construction. Which you in your former capacity as Minister for Forestry and Conservation would be qualified to provide an informed opinion.
My concern is that the construction of the Traveston Crossing dam may infringe on the 1999 SEQ Regional Forestry Agreeement, which you played a major role in negotiating.
That agreement locked up large parcels of land and set up conservation reserves.
One of the stated aims and goals was:
“Providing a Comprehensive, Adequate and Representative (CAR) environmental reserve system”
The major areas protected under that agreement included:
“Wrattens, Kadanga, Mapleton, the Conondales, Belthorp and the D’Aguila, Ranges west of Brisbane - Gympie and significant areas adjacent to Bunya Mountains National Park, Heildon Hills and State forests along the Scenic Rim in the southwest of the region.”
shows areas set aside under the SEQRFA with “Kadanga” ( Kandanga) as well as other areas directly impacted by damming the Mary River at Traveston Crossing included..
With your knowledge of the workings of that State and Federal agreement and of it’s stated objectives in the conservation of the above mentioned affected areas, I seek your opinion as to whether the QLD Government is in fact in breach of the RFA by its actions in damming an area set out under the agreements guidelines “as environmentally protected and of conservational significance.”
The dam when constructed will involve the clearing of about 12, 000 hectares, including native forest, and will have an impact not only on the Mary Valley but on areas downstream including Fraser Island and the Great Sandy Straits, and upstream in the Conondales.
Areas directly set aside under the SEQRFA for environmental protection.
As a resident affected by the proposed construction of the Traveston Crossing Dam I would appreciate your opinion on the matter, as to whether there is any breach by the QLD government of the mutually agreed RFA and its stated intentions and objectives.
Senator Ian Campbell in his capacity as the Federal Environment Minister also may be aware of the nature and of the conservational intentions of the RFA when he considers the QLD government’s submission under the Federal Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.
We have a website which further details our objections and concerns over the Traveston Crossing proposal:
http: //swampnews.squarespace.com/welcome/
Thank you for your time
Steve Milson (former QLD Timberworker and affected Mary Valley Resident)
Senator Ian Campbell
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Dear Senator Campbell
QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT REFERRAL – TRAVESTON CROSSING DAM
I refer to Queensland Water Infrastructure Pty Ltd (QWIPL)/Water Management and Use/Mary River/Qld Traveston Crossing Dam dated 15 November 2006 referral under the EPBC Act (Registered Number 2006/3150)
You may be aware that the QLD Government is proposing to dam the Mary Valley with the building of a dam at Traveston Crossing. This dam will not only seriously impact on the lives and futures of thousands of residents affected by the construction and flooding of productive farming lands but also seriously impacts on many endangered species which are unique and native to the area.
As a timber worker, employed at the Boral Cooroy Mill, I was involved in the negotiations for compensation for the hundred or so affected timber workers.
The environmental aspects of the impact of the dam’s construction have just been submitted to you by the QLD government for your approval and consideration.
I wish to raise my concerns over another aspect of the dams proposed construction.
My concern is that the construction of the Traveston Crossing dam may infringe on the 1999 SEQ Regional Forestry Agreeement.
That agreement locked up large parcels of land and set up conservation reserves. Many of these areas were directly affected by the SEQ Regional Forestry Agreement.
One it’s the stated aims and goals was:
“Providing a Comprehensive, Adequate and Representative (CAR) environmental reserve system”
The major areas protected under that agreement included:
“Wrattens, Kadanga, Mapleton, the Conondales, Belthorp and the D’Aguila, Ranges west of Brisbane - Gympie and significant areas adjacent to Bunya Mountains National Park, Heildon Hills and State forests along the Scenic Rim in the southwest of the region.”
shows areas set aside under the SEQRFA with “Kadanga” ( Kandanga) as well as other areas directly impacted by damming the Mary River at Traveston Crossing included listed “as environmentally protected and of conservational significance.”
The dam when constructed will involve the clearing of about 12, 000 hectares, including native forest, and will have an impact not only on the Mary Valley but on areas downstream including Fraser Island and the Great Sandy Straits, and upstream in the Conondales.
These areas were directly set aside under the SEQRFA for environmental protection.
As a resident affected by the proposed construction of the Traveston Crossing Dam I would appreciate your consideration on this matter and whether there is any breach by the QLD government of the mutually agreed RFA and its stated intentions and objectives.
We have a website which further details our objections and concerns over the Traveston Crossing proposal: http: //swampnews.squarespace.com/welcome/
Thank you for your time
Steve Milson (former QLD Timberworker and affected Mary Valley Resident)
stevem
High resolution version of the above map here: http://www.rainforest.org.au/seqfa_map.htm
Map of the affected area released by QWI 31 OCT 2006.
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Reader Comments (1)
How much of the Traveston Dam footprint is covered in this "environmentally sensitive" and now protected area under QLD legislation?