Tasmanian Boat building timber availability

[dopeydriver]

Reading a comment by AD on a boatbuilding thread about the availability of Celery top pine , I'm wondering what effect the locking up of the Tasmanian forests will have on the highly prestigious Tasmanian wooden boat building industry.
Regards Rob J.

[bloggs1968]

Interesting query Rob and one that I am attempting to get answers for at the moment.

Last year Forestry Tas (FT) had a Special Timbers Strategy in place that was going to allow for long term harvesting of minor species timbers such as celery, myrtle and blackwood on very long rotations (180 years for myrtle alone). This strategy allowed for 500 cubic metres of myrtle, huon, and celery to be available per annum for many generations to come. Of the 500 cubes of celery, they estimated about 200 cubes would be boat grade timber with the rest furniture grade and craftwood. Figures for blackwood were 10,000 cubes per annum. see New special timbers zone to deliver resource security « Forestry Tasmania

At a recent high level meeting I was pretty much told that future access to celery was "not looking good" as a result of the peace deal. Many areas that were set aside were now being given up. Some of the environment groups are strongly stating that we can move into a plantation based craft industry so there is no problem.......... Plantation celery????? sure but we need 400 year old trees to get a decent boat log out of.

It is extremely frustrating with the state government ministers saying "well what can we do?" When I have spoken with some of them they have not even realised the size of the boat building industry here so the horse may have already bolted. I doubt that a minority government situation will ever be looked upon favourably again down here - most people I have spoken to are furious.

Whilst I am against clearfelling of old growth forest, there is more than enough timber here to selectively log for tens if not hundreds of generations to come. The boatbuilding industry alone adds nearly $50 million per annum to the state economy. Without access to special timbers we will lose our iconic status and will be forced into doing what other countries have done - import timber from dodgy sources to build our craft......

It will be very interesting to see where it leads.

regards,

AD

[dopeydriver]

Oh Gawd , what a debacle !.
My heart weeps , it is such an iconic industry , small , but so valuable to Tasmania , Australia , indeed , the world !.
And the plans that WERE in place sounded so sensible , and right !.
What can we do Andrew , what can we ALL do !.
Regards Rob J.

[m2c1Iw]

Just hope the industry can last long enough to see off the loopy Greens and get a more sensible policy in place.

"Whilst I am against clearfelling of old growth forest" as any thinking person is AD but somehow the Greens have convinced/blackmailed the minority governments into accepting their agenda no matter how crazy and blinkered it is.

[dopeydriver]

Mike , I don't like to see clear felling either .
I saw enough of it in the 90's , while trekking in WA , and the woodchipping industry there.
I've seen it in Tassie , I'm living with it here.
But I also know men who have selectively logged since the '40's , with bullock teams . They do a great job , and leave virtually no trace of their logging.
What AD described sounds great , the management plan that has been in place , responsible , sustainable , and productive.
Common sense , I call it.
But when did common sense stop , and this strange "lock it up" mentality start ?.
It must have been before the last election (Tas or Federal).
Its got me tossed.
A perplexed Rob J.

[dopeydriver]

Any further update AD ?.
Regards Rob J.

[bloggs1968]

Hi Rob.

There are many people down here trying to make sure that we can still acess some timber but it is very frustrating as a business owner to not be able to get a straight answer on resource supply from the government ( am I really expecting too much here???).

Timber "hoarding" by businesses due to unrealiable supply has been identified some years ago as the major impediment to the value adding industry freeing up cash, expanding and providing a much needed boost to the local economy.

Time will tell I guess. We'll just keep on fighting the good fight......

AD

[dopeydriver]

I'm hoping and praying for some common sense AD , and that the state AND FEDERAL governments will help and support local industry , instead of putting impediments in front of them .
And boat building IS an iconic Tasmanian industry , building quality boats with the outstanding local timbers , the state and FEDERAL governments should be doing everything to help the industry.
Regards Rob J.

[b.o.a.t.]

Unfortunately, public opinion has mostly never set foot in a forest, let alone
an intelligently & sustainably logged one. In my view & jaundiced experience,
the agenda is being driven by extremists who use the media to lie. Brazenly.

I first came in contact with this in the disputes in the early 1980s which
led to the creation of the world heritage area - a good result, dishonestly
obtained. The media were carted into the 'untouched & unspoilt wilderness'
on tracks which the Bradshaw family had created & maintained for saw-
logging since the 1890s. However, the media people I later came in contact
with said they were told by turns that these tracks were either the Hydro
preparing to clear-fell & flood, or Forestry Tasmania preparing to clear-fell &
plantate. No mention of "this is what a sustainable resource looks like".

The same extremists went on to try to prohibit over-flights of the heritage
area in the late 1990s because it disturbs the sleep of the wee nocturnal
beasties. (I kid you not!!!)
By that time, I'd had enough of them & left Tassie for good. Fair ripped the
guts out of me to leave such a wonderful place, but healthier in the long term
not having to listen to the garbage any more. I regard them as merely well
dressed & articulate versions of the louts rioting in the UK at the moment.
That's my 2 bob's worth anyway...
AJ

[dopeydriver]

Thanks AJ , for that bit of history.
I could relate similar stories too , but I want to keep this thread focused on this situation as per the thread title , your little bit of history helps me understand the situation.
Regards and thanks Rob J.

[snowyskiesau]

Down at the boatshed the other day, this topic came up.
Seems that not just native forests are affected by this 'deal'. One of the boatbuilders who works on restorations of large ships mentioned a plantation containing oregon, redwood and similar species planted for masts' spars etc. This is now locked up without any consideration that they are imported not native species. Apparently as they are old growth (70 odd years) trees, it's now look but don't touch.

[dopeydriver]

Thanks Geoff .
What more can I say ?.
So , what can be done about this crazy situation ?.
I'll use those 2 words again "Common sense".
Anyone with a modicum of common sense can see that this situation has descended in to the farcical , so , how do we set things straight ?.
How do we get State and Federal politicians to show some COMMON SENSE !.
Regards Rob J.

[dopeydriver]

Thinking more about this overnight.
The Tasmanian government is pinning the economic well being of Tasmania on (besides welfare) the tourist industry.
One of the biggest , if not the biggest event is the WB Festival , which last time enjoyed the support of the government.
I wonder if the hypocrisy of supporting the tourist event , which is really a celebration of Tasmanian boatbuilding and timbers , and the downgrading , or even the destruction of the wooden boat building industry was pointed out , that it might promote some common sense .
I wonder if a column in the Hobart Mercury , of boats and visitors that WON'T be attending the next WBF because of that hypocrisy might wake them up.
How about some more constructive comments , from those people peeping in on this thread !.
Regards Rob J.

[wavedancer]

Rob it is very hard to think of any constructive comments re what to do about the forestry industry in Tasmania other than change the government. I like AJ am an ex Tasmanian who left the beautiful Island in total disgust.
I first met Cristen Milne and Bob Brown at the hight of the Wesley Vale pulp mill debate, A lot of what they said then did not make sense and most was out right lies. They have achieved what they set out to do, no paper mills or wood chip mills left on the NW coast. I was "home" for Xmas and what I saw and felt in regards to the future of Tassy was not good. It is a sad state of affair when a ex school teacher and a few of her greeny mates can hold the country to ransom with just a hand full of votes ( I guess thats democracy). The only constructive thing to do about this mess is hold the major partys accountable (state and fedral) for their quest for power and kick the weak mongrels out at the next election. The union movment is not with out blame, as a shop steward I was instructed to support the labour party of Tasmania in the early 90's even though it was common knowledge that deals had allready been done with the greens before the election, which resulted in the first hung parliment and the greens (Milnes, Brown and three other uneducated mongrels) holding the balance of power. The majority of the Tassy labour party are ex union thugs, I didn't trust them when I worked with them and I still don't.
Maybe one other good thing to come out of this mess will be the value of my Tassy motor sailer will go up because there will not be many more made.
Hang on to what we have got Boys.
Ian L
Wavedancer

[dopeydriver]

It is sad Ian .
I've been to Tassie a few times , looked seriously at old cray boats , and gone logging with old timers , whose families go back over 100 years in the timber industry .Timber , and the bush are their passions.The men I was with started during WW2 , in their early teens.
They are deeply disturbed at what is happening.
I guess the next ballot box will be the time to set things right , but what happens till then ?.
The state can ill afford to lose another industry , and this would be by their own hand !.
I hope things get sorted real soon.
Regards Rob J.