Here is our chance to have a say on the next Forest Management Plan from 2024 to 2033!
There is good news but also issues with destructive mining expansions, so we all have to show how much we care by making a submision.
Kind regards, Steve Gates,
President, NRPG Bushcarers
The draft Forest Management Plan (FMP) for 2024-2033 has been published and we are on track to ending native forest logging and protecting at least a further 400,000 ha of the South West’s forests. When logging finally ends in WA in 14 months time, we will have: Prevented 6500ha of ancient, wildlife-rich forest being logged every yearProtected over 400,000ha of forests that otherwise would have been logged, for climate, biodiversity and the future,Protected nesting hollows, food supplies, roosting sites and other habitat for a huge number and diversity of forest wildlife, andPrevented more than 60 million tonnes of CO2 from being emitted over the next decade.This is an incredible achievement that would not have been possible without the work that everyone in this forest community has done over the years. And we want to say a massive thank you and congratulations 🌳💚⭐ The next step is to secure a robust and reliable forest protection plan for 2024-33.
We have been working hard since the announcement to make sure that the government policy is turned into real action for the forests, and we are delighted now to let you know that the draft FMP commits to four major tangible breakthroughs: Ending native forest loggingSecurely protecting at least a further 400,000ha of forest in National Parks and other protected areasSecuring the protection of the 320,000+ ha of National Parks and other protected areas promised under previous FMPs, andEntering into cooperative and joint management agreements with Traditional Owners across the forests. As we’ve been saying ever since the policy commitment to end native forest logging was announced, the work continues from here, and that is evident in this draft plan. The proposals for thinning and fire management, and the conspicuous lack of proposed protection for the Northern Jarrah Forests covered by out-dated and outrageous bauxite mining State Agreement Acts, are unacceptable and must be changed before the FMP is finalised. The draft FMP is open for public comment until the 18th of December, giving us all plenty of time to read and digest the document, talk to friends, colleagues and experts and to make considered and robust submissions. You can find the draft plan and associated information on the DBCA website here.This is our best chance yet to protect what’s left, and the future of the forests and their wildlife are depending on us acting now to get this right.
We will be releasing a guide and hosting a number of events to share information and support you in writing your personalised submissions over the next few weeks. Join us on Tuesday 15 November at Perth City Farm to hear from scientific, mapping and campaign experts about what the draft FMP does and doesn’t promise, and how we can work together to secure a forest protection plan we can all celebrate.
We’ll also be presenting a number of submission writing sessions. Stay tuned for details. In the meantime, you can sign on now to endorse our submission for the full and secure protection of the South West’s forests.
Yours for the forests, Jess Beckerling
wafa.org.auWe acknowledge and pay our respects to the traditional owners of the southwest forests across the Noongar/Bibbulmun nation. This always was and always will be Aboriginal land.