Protect our native forests
Nathan Trushell claims that there is “no evidence from recent major bushfires in Victoria to suggest younger forest burns with greater severity than older forest” (“Native timber harvesting vital to economy”, Bendigo Advertiser, January 18).
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This claim is based on cherry-picking a highly questionable report (Attiwill et al, 2013) whose conclusions have been challenged by the very scientists (Price and Bradstock, 2012) whose data Attiwill used.
Their letter to Conservation Letters July/August, 2014 bluntly states, “Attiwill et al, 2013 have erroneously reported our results”.
Extensive studies following the 2009 fires by scientists from Melbourne University (Chris Taylor and Professor Michael McCarthy) and ANU (Professor David Lindenmeyer) led to a very different conclusion.
They found that the risk of “crown” fires (the most dangerous) are greatest in mountain ash forests that have been regrowing for about 15 years and were rare in 100 to 300-year-old trees.
They go on to say: “Remaining unburnt mountain ash forests are now more important than ever. They not only serve as refuges for wildlife in an extensively burned landscape, but provide areas that carry a much lower risk of crown fire.”
Mr Trushell’s claim that “Without native timber harvesting we would add pressure on developing nations to supply our timber needs” is disingenuous. The alternative to logging native forests is to develop the far more jobs rich local plantation industry, not to import timber. Even in 2012-13, 87 per cent of all logs harvested in Australia were from commercial plantations, with only 13 per cent from native forests.
It is difficult to find any justification for continuing to log our native forests.
Rosemary Glaisher, Golden Square
Council seeking feedback
I write regarding Bill Collier’s letter to the editor on Wednesday. The Community Plan, previously known as the Council Plan, is an important document for council.
I encourage residents to take this opportunity to have their say about the future direction of council and the work it will undertake on your behalf. How do you want to see your suburb and wider community developed? Where should council invest ratepayer money? What issues are most important to you?
This is a genuine consultation process and all feedback is welcome and will be considered. Like you, councillors are also residents and ratepayers and will be looking at the development of the plan through a personal lens as well.
There are many ways that people can have their say and going online is just one. City staff members have been and will continue to attend a range of community events in the coming weeks.
For more details, people can visit the city’s website or contact the Strategy Unit directly by phoning 5434 6000.
Under the community engagement guidelines set out by the Essential Services Commission, council is required to consult with community members about their preferences and priorities and the “trade-offs” they believe council should make when setting budget priorities. This is the rationale for the format of the questions.
Finding out about residents’ circumstances will help council to identify the needs of various age groups in the community.
Greater Bendigo is an important catchment area in central Victoria for employment opportunities, healthcare and education, while the visitor economy is also critical to the municipality’s success.
Anyone who lodges a written submission to the Community Plan will have the opportunity to make a presentation to council. Two community workshops on the plan will be held in February.
At the end of March a draft Community Plan will be released for the community to review and have further input into.