Beekeepers And Forestry Tasmania - Working Together At Last

At the initiative of Forestry Tasmania planners, the Southern beekeepers operating in the Wedge block of the Derwent district, have been invited to inspect those areas where harvesting coupes for the next three years, are planned to be situated, and assist in the drawing of coupe boundaries so as to preserve the leatherwood resource.

The beekeepers are also being asked to assist in assessing the leatherwood content of ALL the Wedge block to assist the planners in identifying and setting aside areas of commercial leatherwood in harvesting plans beyond the three years ending 2010.

The beekeepers have been pleading with Forestry Tasmania for this approach for more than 20 years! This is a major breakthrough in dialogue and cooperation between the beekeeping industry and Forestry Tasmania in the Southern forests. The Southern beekeepers have welcomed the initiative and have immediately completed a roster of beekeepers who are willing and able to accompany the Forestry planners, to ensure early inspection of the areas when planners are required to finalise the coupe boundaries for the next three years. As well as permitting/encouraging resource assessment and coupe boundary cooperation, Forestry Tasmania is making available previously "unavailable" details of harvesting techniques and strategies, including medium to long term forest and resource classifications. These will be of great assistance to the beekeepers in understanding what is intended from a harvesting and preservation perspective in remaining leatherwood rich resource areas, when planning their hive placements in future years.

Based on statements by the forestry planners, the beekeepers expect to be involved in the assessment of other blocks in the Derwent district such as Tyenna, Florentine, Styx, etc, in the near future. They are also expecting an invitation in the near future to become involved in the setting of coupe boundaries in harvesting plans for the Huon district. The Huon is the other area in the South of Tasmania where there are some stands of commercial leatherwood remaining, although the majority has now disappeared.

Forestry Tasmania has indicated that in areas where there are commercial stands of leatherwood, they want to complete assessments and the setting of coupe boundaries during the next 5 months and as a result reach agreement with beekeepers as to the best outcome available for both the beekeeping and timber industries.

(Tasmanian Beekeepers Association Newsletter, July 2008)

For more details on the campaign to save the leatherwood resources in Tasmania, please go to www.saveyourleatherwoodhoney.com