Blueprints for forest sustainable management

Interested stakeholders across NSW have the opportunity to comment on new blueprints for ecologically sustainable management of the State’s forests in the west and Riverina areas over the next eight weeks, Chief Executive of Forests NSW, Nick Roberts, said today.

Forests NSW has released draft ecologically sustainable forest management plans for the coming five years for native forests in the Riverina and Western forest management regions.

"The public now has the chance to review and comment on the documents before they are adopted," Mr Roberts said.

"The draft management plans reflect agreed objectives and policies for the future of Australia’s public and private forests outlined in the National Forest Policy Statement.

"They set out the broad strategies, performance indicators and measurable outcomes for native forest management in each region over the next five years.

"This includes the strategies that Forests NSW will put into practice to achieve objectives in key areas of forest management through our Environmental Management System and also to meet the requirements of the Australian Forestry Certification Scheme."

"These key areas include natural heritage, Aboriginal cultural heritage, non-Aboriginal cultural heritage, protected areas, forest health, sustainable timber supply, economic development, social development, forestry operations, consultation, monitoring and reporting.

"The plans will be reviewed within their five-year lifespan and remain in force until such time as they are replaced.

"Forests NSW is primarily accountable for achieving ecologically sustainable management on State forests, but to be fully effective we need to work in conjunction with the community and other relevant agencies.

"Stakeholders and the public now have the chance to comment on all or part of the plans and let Forests NSW know their reactions by the end of the display period on 23 November."

Copies of the plans can be found on the Forests NSW web site http://www.forest.nsw.gov.au/esfm/default.asp, or in hard copy by contacting Forests NSW regional offices.