There will be no native forest logging after next year, as the Victorian government has announced it will exit the practice six years earlier than planned.
Treasurer Tim Pallas said today in his state budget speech that the state government would halt native forest logging by 2024, sooner than its Victorian Forestry Plan's 2030 exit.
"Native forestry has been hit with increasingly severe bushfires, prolonged legal action and court decisions," he said.
"All of that has drastically cut the timber supply we can actually use."
Mr Pallas said Victorian workers had been unable to work in months and they needed a support plan.
"That's why we're stepping up to give these workers - and their communities, businesses, and partners along the supply chain - the certainty they deserve," he said.
He said workers would be matched with jobs across land management and critical bushfire response, while others would be retrained to support their employment in growing regional industries.
"We'll match some workers and their skills to jobs right across land management and critical forest bushfire response.
"We'll retrain others to help them get jobs in growing regional industries - like renewable energy or construction.
"And most importantly, we'll back workers and their families with the financial and mental health support they need throughout this transition."
The transition will start on January 1.
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Eastern Victoria Nationals MP Melina Bath said the state had a world-class hardwood timber industry and the announcement to exit native forest logging sooner meant abandoning timber workers.
She said a highly-regulated native timber industry would remain the best option.
"Timber is the ultimate renewable resource, and its carbon capture and storage properties are widely documented - Labor should be embracing the industry, not ring barking it," she said.
"The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change clearly states that a sustainably managed native forest system which traps carbon and is used in industry mitigates climate change.
"The area of public native forest available for harvesting in Victoria was five per cent and each year only around .03 pc of that area harvested - the remaining 95pc was protected, never to be harvested.
"At a time when state debt has spiralled to levels never seen before - Labor's decision exposes Victoria forcing the state to import all hardwood timber supplies from third world countries."
Meanwhile, forestry ecology researcher David Lindenmayer said he welcomed the decision to exit native forest logging sooner, which would benefit forests, threatened species and the climate.
He said the decision would also generate new jobs.
"This early exit is good, not only for forests and threatened species but also for the economy and the climate," he said.
"The decision shows that the Victorian Government is serious about climate change, with the cessation of logging equivalent to preventing emissions from 730,000 cars every year.
"This decision means Victoria and Australia have a far greater chance of meeting their emissions reductions targets."
Australian National University spatial analyst and forest ecologist Chris Taylor said there had been significant damage and degradation in Victorian forests from clear-fell logging.
"An urgent task now will be to start targeted forest restoration across the state," he said.
"Restoring forests will boost their carbon storage value and provide a large number of jobs for regional Victorians."
Rachel Simmonds
Rachel is an agricultural journalist for Australian Community Media's Stock & Land. She covers all aspects of Victoria's farming community and industry. To get in contact, email rachel.simmonds@stockandland.com.au
Rachel is an agricultural journalist for Australian Community Media's Stock & Land. She covers all aspects of Victoria's farming community and industry. To get in contact, email rachel.simmonds@stockandland.com.au
