The increased emphasis on improved environmental performance was reflected in the Forest Practices Act 1985 (Tas.), the first such legislation of its kind in Australia.
This legislation, along with the Forest Practices Code, governs forestry operations on public and private land while it provides for Forest Practices Officers to enforce forest environmental standards, the major emphasis of the legislation on education and training.
The Forest Practices Code (FPC) provides a set of standards to protect special values during forest operations such as logging and road construction. The Code is regularly revised as a result of operational experience and research findings and is managed by a separate body, the Forest Practices Board. Under the Forest Practices Act, Forest Practices Plans must be drawn up for commercial forest harvesting operations before they are allowed to proceed. In 2002-03, a total of 35,320 hectares of native forest was brought under Forest Practices Plans.
AREAS OF NATIVE FORESTS COVERED BY FOREST PRACTICES PLANS, Certified in 2002-03 |
|
 | State forest | Private land | Total area |
| | | |
| ha | ha | ha |
|
| Clearfelling to be followed by: | | | |
| Regeneration by seeding | 4,820 | 1,360 | 6,180 |
| Plantation | 3,230 | 2,490 | 5,720 |
| Non-forest land use(a) | 100 | 2,600 | 2,700 |
| | | |
| Partial logging(b) | 10,120 | 10,600 | 20,720 |
| | | |
| Total | 18,270 | 17,050 | 35,320 |
|
(a) Clearing, primarily for agriculture and infrastructure, including roads.
(b) Thinning, retention of advanced growth, seed trees, or shelterwood; or group or single tree selection.
Source: Forest Practices Board, Annual Report 2002-03. |
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