12 October, 2010

Managing the trees

Nathan Trushell and David Walsh, VicForests, Melbourne
The Age (letter), 12 October 2010

Judith Wakeman (Letters, 11/10) quotes from Victoria's State of Forest Report 2008, which stated that 9470 hectares of forest are harvested in Victoria each year. This figure is correct, but relates to harvesting between 2002 and 2006.

VicForests harvests and regenerates about 5500 hectares of forest each year. This significant reduction highlights the efforts of the native timber industry to ensure our forests are managed sustainably.

The letter also refers to figures in the Department of Sustainability and Environment's annual monitoring report of 2007-08. Since then, VicForests has regenerated almost 10,000 hectares across Victoria.

VicForests also completed its largest aerial-seeding program in 2009-10, aimed at regrowing forests, including areas affected by the Black Saturday bushfires.

VicForests appreciates more than anyone the need to harvest and regenerate our forests at levels that are sustainable.

It is the trees we plant today that will sustain our industry for future generations.

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