This recently logged 96 hectare coupe is within an area north of Mount Field National Park (MFNP), that has been recommended to be added, along with the current National Park, to the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (Hitchcock 2012: 128).

The boundary of MFNP in the north is a straight line that cuts across the landscape and topography of the area. Hitchcock states that this is “far from ideal.” (Hitchcock 2012: 136). Hence, these recommended additons would greatly improve the current reserve design.

One purpose of including the lands surrounding the Park is to strengthen the values of the current protected area. A more suitable boundary has been recommended by Hitchcock which takes into account a range of factors including protection of cave systems, catchment areas for those cave systems, connectivity of tall eucalypt forests, and natural features in the landscape (Hitchcock 2012: 135). DU021B is within this proposed extension.

“The ENGO proposed reserves associated with MFNP are an integral part of the larger assessment area and take their high conservation significance from being part of that larger block” (Hitchcock 2012: 132). MFNP has significant world heritage value, including remarkable glacial features and extensive cave systems.

Yet despite these recommendations, logging has proceeded in this area. With forestry operations occurring in such close proximity to the boundary of MFNP, the conservation values of the protected area are put at risk. We are calling for an immediate cessation of logging and roading operations within the forests that are proposed for future reserves.

Please take action HERE to protect Tasmania’s precious forests.

For more information about the ‘A forest a day’ project, which is a collaboration between Huon Valley Environment Centre, Still Wild Still Threatened, The Last Stand, Markets for Change and Code Green, please click HERE.

References:

Hitchcock (2012) IVG Report 5A: Verification of the Heritage Value of ENGO proposed Reserves [View online]