Implementation of the Tasmanian Regional Forest Agreement 2007 – 2012 Prepared by the Tasmanian and Australian Governments for the third Five-Yearly Review of the Tasmanian Regional Forest Agreement March 2015 Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 5 Summary of progress towards meeting commitments ............................................................... 6 Acronyms ................................................................................................................................. 26 PART 1 Report on Implementation of RFA Commitments and Milestones ........................... 27 Extension of RFA ................................................................................................................ 27 Introduction of Legislation .................................................................................................. 27 Action to Establish and Manage Reserves ........................................................................... 28 National Estate ..................................................................................................................... 28 Threatened Species and Communities ................................................................................. 29 World Heritage ..................................................................................................................... 32 Monitoring the Agreement ................................................................................................... 33 Five-Yearly Review ............................................................................................................. 33 The Comprehensive, Adequate and Representative (CAR) Reserve System ...................... 34 Public Land .......................................................................................................................... 34 Private Land ......................................................................................................................... 39 Maintaining a Permanent Forest Estate ............................................................................... 39 Ecologically Sustainable Forest Management (ESFM) ....................................................... 39 Protection of priority species ............................................................................................... 40 Consultative Mechanisms .................................................................................................... 41 Employment and Industry Development ............................................................................. 42 Other Forest Uses ................................................................................................................. 42 Indigenous Issues ................................................................................................................. 45 Competition Principles ......................................................................................................... 45 Research ............................................................................................................................... 45 Data Use and Access ............................................................................................................ 45 Sustainability Indicators ....................................................................................................... 46 Forest Management .............................................................................................................. 46 Databases and Confirmation ................................................................................................ 49 Review of sustainable high-quality sawlog supply levels ................................................... 51 Review of pricing and allocation policies for commercial Government-owned forestry operations ............................................................................................................................. 51 Financial Assistance ............................................................................................................. 51 Attachment 1 – Protection and Management of National Estate Values ............................ 53 Attachment 1 – Table 1 Additional agreed actions under the Tasmanian RFA .............. 55 Attachment 6 – The Comprehensive, Adequate and Representative Reserve System on Public Land ......................................................................................................................... 57 Attachment 8 – Program to Protect CAR Values on Private Land ..................................... 60 Attachment 9 – Maintaining a Permanent Forest Estate .................................................... 65 Attachment 10 – Improvements to Tasmania’s Forest Management Systems .................... 69 Attachment 11 – Public Reporting and Consultation Mechanisms .................................... 81 Attachment 12 - RFA Forests Employment and Industries Development Strategy ......... 85 PART 2 REPORT ON IMPLEMENTATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE 2002 FIVE YEAR REVIEW ....................................................................................... 98 Land Use .............................................................................................................................. 98 Implementation of the Tasmanian RFA 2007 - 2012 2 Ecologically Sustainable Forest Management ................................................................... 102 Wood and Wood Product Industry Development .............................................................. 111 Wood Resource Security .................................................................................................... 113 Other Forest Uses ............................................................................................................... 113 Monitoring and Reporting .................................................................................................. 114 APPENDIX 1 – LIST OF RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS 2007-11 ............................. 115 PART 3 REPORT ON IMPLEMENTATION OF TASMANIAN COMMUNITY FOREST AGREEMENT COMMITMENTS AND MILESTONES .............................. 180 Relationship to the RFA ..................................................................................................... 180 Strengthened protection of Old Growth forest ................................................................... 181 New public land reserves ................................................................................................... 181 Changes to elements of the reserve system ........................................................................ 189 Reporting and data access .................................................................................................. 190 Private land reservation ...................................................................................................... 190 Forest Management ............................................................................................................ 192 Oldgrowth silviculture on public land ............................................................................... 192 Intensive Forest Management ............................................................................................ 195 Reserve management ......................................................................................................... 195 1080 use ............................................................................................................................. 196 Wildlife management ......................................................................................................... 197 Special species timbers and leatherwood honey resource ................................................. 198 Native vegetation clearing and conversion ........................................................................ 198 Forest Industry Development and Revitalisation ............................................................... 199 Industry retooling and new plant investment ..................................................................... 199 Management of harvest residue ......................................................................................... 201 Infrastructure development ................................................................................................ 201 Pulpmill approvals ............................................................................................................. 201 Softwood industry .............................................................................................................. 202 Skills and training .............................................................................................................. 203 Other elements supporting sustainable environmental and industry outcomes ................. 203 Financial commitments ...................................................................................................... 205 PART 4 - Report on Implementation of Recommendations from the 2007 Five-yearly Review ................................................................................................................................... 207 Forest Practices System ......................................................................................................... 207 Monitoring activities