Level 5 Primary Industries Building 80 Ann Street Brisbane 4000
GPO Box 46 Brisbane Queensland 4001 Australia
Telephone +61 07 3239 3000
Facsimile +61 07 3211 8199
Email
Dear Mr Macfarlane
The Honourable Dr John McVeigh, MP, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and
Forestry has asked me to reply to your email of 11 May 2013 about protection
of the Eungella honeyeater in the Crediton State Forest.
The Minister recently approved that State forests throughout Queensland can
again be managed as a multi-use tenure under the Forestry Act 1959 for a
range of public uses including, timber production, beekeeping, grazing,
forest recreation and conservation. Following this decision, the Department
of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) is working to finalise a sale
of native forest log timber from part of the Crediton State Forest to help
supply native forest hardwood sawmills in the Mackay region.
In planning this harvesting operation in the Crediton State Forest, DAFF
sought advice from the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS)
concerning known endangered, vulnerable and near threatened (EV&NT) species
are likely to be affected in the harvest area, in order to implement
appropriate measures necessary to protect any such species during timber
harvesting operations. QPWS falls within the Ministerial portfolio
responsibilities of the Honourable Steve Dickson MP, Minister for National
Parks, Recreation, Sport and Racing.
With respect to the Eungella honeyeater (Lichenostomus hindwood1), QPWS
advised that there were potential areas of habitat for this species within
the proposed harvest area. As a consequence, DAFF incorporated a number of
protective measures for the species into the Operational Harvesting Plan,
for the harvest area. QPWS, as custodial manager of State forests under the
Forestry Act 1959, recently approved this harvesting plan, including the
protective measures for the Eungella honeyeater, as well as for other
relevant EV&NT species.
The Eungella honeyeater will be protected under this plan by applying
various procedures including the protection of known nest trees, creating a
buffer zone and maintenance of eucalypt habitat and recruitment trees of
Corymbia citriodora and Eucalyptus tereticornis.
As with all harvest areas for native forest log timber in State forests,
DAFF will manage the area on a selective harvesting basis, that is, with no
broad scale clearing and in strict compliance with QPWS's 'Code of practice
for native forest timber production on State lands 2007' which sets out
operational standards required to ensure that harvesting operations are
conducted in an environmentally responsible manner. This includes the
protection of biodiversity, to mitigate impacts.
The Minister has asked me to thank you for your inquiry on this matter and
trusts the information provided about the proposed habitat protection for
the Eungella honeyeater in the Crediton State Forest will be of assistance
to you.
If you require any further information regarding this matter, please contact
Mr Ross Miller, Manager, North Forest Management Area of the Department of
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry on telephone 07 4837 3314 or email
Yours sincerely
Bruce Mills Chief of Staff
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