Download Climate change policies must include protection for native forests

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South East Regional Conservation Alliance Inc.
www.serca.org.au
[email protected]
www.serca-online.org
CLIMATE CHANGE IS HERE
Australia needs to change
forest policies to sustain a
new low carbon economy
SERCA’s PROPOSALS
PUBLIC NATIVE FORESTS
MANAGED FOR CARBON
SEQUESTRATION, AND WATER
AND BIODIVERSITY VALUES
PRIVATE NATIVE FOREST OWNERS
GIVEN INCENTIVES TO CONSERVE
FOREST AREAS
EXISTING PLANTATION SUPPLIES
USED FOR VIRTUALLY ALL
AUSTRALIA’S DOMESTIC AND
EXPORT USES. NO NEW
PLANTATIONS ARE NEEDED
NO NATIVE FOREST PRODUCTS
FOR WOODCHIPS, ELECTRICITY
GENERATION OR BIOFUELS
GOVERNMENT POLICY
DISTORTIONS REMOVED
GENUINELY CLEAN, GREEN
INDUSTRIES DEVELOPED IN THE
REGIONS, WITH NEW INDUSTRIES,
NEW JOBS AND JOB TRAINING
South East Region Conservation Alliance Inc
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A rare survivor in the Mumbulla State Forest,
scheduled for logging in 2009
this change is good for Australia,
and it’s not difficult
our Governments can make it
happen, and quickly
the public does not like wood
chipping our forests and is horrified
at proposals to log and burn them
for electricity generation
Australia has more than plentiful
supplies of plantation wood that
can substitute for native forest
wood for almost all our timber
needs, without additional plantings
new clean, green industries in the
regions as well as the cities will make
Australia’s new low carbon economy
even stronger
2
www.serca.org.au
[email protected]
PO Box 724 Narooma NSW 2546 AUSTRALIA
Climate change policies must
include protection for native
forests
Twenty percent of Australian net annual carbon
dioxide emissions come from cutting down and
degrading our native forests.
Yet almost all of our political attention is going
towards cutting CO2 emissions from fossil fuels.
SERCA Inc an alliance of conservation groups from
the south coast of New South Wales, is focussed on
forests: natural native forests - essential solutions in
climate change, water and bio-diversity.
developed nations, in Australia’s tropical and
temperate natural native forests.
SERCA also calls for the cessation of all native
forest industrialized logging practices for
woodchipping and bio-energy and for their
permanent protection as stores of carbon, water
and bio and genetic diversity.
Australia is the oldest continent: its ecology is
unique and its forests are ancient. The monetary
value of the ecosystem services provided by our
natural native forests is enormous. A means of
financing the permanent protection of these forest
ecosystems needs to be established as a matter of
urgency.
Why?
By sequestering CO2 as ‘green carbon’ (carbon
stored in natural forests), by producing oxygen and
water vapour, in the supply of clean water, in
stabilizing soils, absorbing radiant heat, for their
diverse species, and for their resilience in adapting
to changing conditions.
Native forests, left intact, do what they do best;
along with the plankton of the oceans they are the
lungs of planet earth.
Like the rest of the world, in Australia only half of
the forests remain; only 25% of the original
woodlands remain. The forests of South East
Australia are degraded, at 60% of their natural
carbon carrying capacity.
If left alone, these eucalypt forests, as selfregenerating systems, would sequester an extra 2
gigatonnes of carbon. This is equivalent to avoided
emissions of 24% of our 2005 carbon emissions
across all sectors for one hundred years.
Since the 2007 UN Climate Change Conference in
Bali the international community has recognised
the need for reducing emissions from deforestation
and forest degradation (REDD) as a vital
component of a comprehensive solution to the
climate change problem. However negotiations
are currently focussed on REDD in developing
countries only.
SERCA calls for full accounting of carbon uptakes
and emissions in the Australian forestry industry
sector. We believe that such an account would
reveal the importance of a REDD scheme for
South East Region Conservation Alliance Inc
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A New National Alliance: the Australian
Forests and Climate Alliance
Over 70 representatives of 21conservation groups
have formed a new alliance to press for new forest
policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and
mitigate the effects of climate change through
protecting water, biodiversity and natural
ecosystems.
Vision
Protecting Australia’s native forests and woodlands
and making deep cuts in fossil fuel and industrial
emissions are vital to reduce greenhouse gases in
the atmosphere.
3
www.serca.org.au
[email protected]
PO Box 724 Narooma NSW 2546 AUSTRALIA
Native forests play a crucial role in the long-term
storage of carbon. Protecting forests from logging
and clearing is an essential part of any credible
climate change policy.
An immediate end to clearing, industrial scale
logging and woodchipping of native forests
(deforestation and degradation) will make a
critical contribution to mitigating climate change
and will protect biodiversity, water and natural
ecosystems in Australia.
climate and biodiversity priority and endorse a
hierarchy of mechanisms to achieve this. Such a
hierarchy will recognise a continuum from
maintaining intact forest and other natural
ecosystems through degradation to
deforestation/de-vegetation.
It comprises, from most to least desirable:
1.
Protection of native forest and other natural
ecosystems
In achieving this vision we expect Australian
governments to take international leadership roles
in advancing these policies.
2.
Restoration / ecological recovery of disturbed
or damaged forests and other natural
ecosystems
Principles
To make deep and rapid cuts, which is
fundamental to stabilising global temperature rise
to avoid dangerous climate change, prioritisation
of policies and mechanisms to prevent and
reduce GHG emissions from the destruction and
degradation of natural ecosystems, particularly
forests, is crucial.
3.
Ecologically appropriate re-afforestation and
re-vegetation
Ruling out:
1.
Conversion of natural forests and other natural
ecosystems to plantations
2.
Deforestation and De-vegetation
3.
Carbon credits for harvested wood products
4.
Bioenergy, biochar and biofuel from native
forests and other natural ecosystems
Consequently the next UNFCCC global climate
treaty must include international rules that protect
forests and other natural ecosystems1.
5.
Mandatory Renewable Energy Targets
eligibility for bioenergy from native forest and
other natural ecosystems
We also urge accounting methodologies which
cover all anthropogenic sources and sinks and
which disaggregate emissions from sequestration.
In developing a new framework, any international
mechanism must enhance and not adversely
affect the rights and interests of Indigenous
peoples.
6.
The inclusion of plantations native forests and
revegetation in emissions trading
Emissions from deforestation alone are estimated
to be at least 18% of total global emissions, and
emissions in the same order of magnitude can
likely be attributed to forest degradation,
especially logging.
Policy adopted by Australia should mandate
retention of carbon in natural ecosystems as a
1
This means that we urge rectification of LULUCF
perversities, prioritization of REDD in a way
that avoids carrying the LULUCF perversities into this
arena, harmonization of REDD and
LULUCF to the same strategic approach, and
recognition that biodiversity protection is a core
benefit to the ultimate objective of the UNFCCC.
South East Region Conservation Alliance Inc
make green carbon count
4
www.serca.org.au
[email protected]
PO Box 724 Narooma NSW 2546 AUSTRALIA
For effective climate change
policies, Australia must have full
carbon accounting
The Kyoto Protocol does not distinguish between a
centuries old native forest and a newly established
plantation.

The International Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC) default methodology is to count all
emissions when logging takes place.

The chart below is compiled from official
Australian Greenhouse Office figures for
emissions by sector: it shows total emissions for
the fossil fuel sectors, but not total emissions for
forestry or agriculture. The latter are shown as
net (emission minus sequestration) figures,
hiding the extent of emissions from logging.
For Kyoto, the only thing that counts is “land use”
and the accounting system sees the old forest and
the seedling plantation as “no change” in land use
and is not interested.
While the Rudd Government favours the Kyoto
system, there is an alternative, “full carbon
accounting,” which has significant international
backing and support from climate change adviser,
Professor Ross Garnaut.




United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change (UNFCCC) proposes “full
carbon accounting” and treats “green”
carbon in a much more comprehensive and
accurate way than Kyoto.
The Rudd Government’s White Paper has
proposed that emissions from native forest
logging be deemed “zero” even though its
own official Australian Greenhouse Office
figures indicate they are at least 7% of total
emissions and that emissions from total
deforestation contribute another 11% to 13%.
The White Paper also deems energy
production from biomass to be “carbon
neutral” and this would include electricity
generated from burning native forest wood in
a furnace.
Australia's greenhouse gas emissions by sector
60
50
Tonnes CO2 per year
Now that we know that south eastern Australia’s
native forests have a carbon carrying capacity
averaging 640 tonnes per hectare, a fact
acknowledged by Professor Ross Garnaut, clearly
the Kyoto carbon accounting system is not good
enough.
Stationary energy
40
Transport
30
Fugitive emissions
Industrial processes
20
Agriculture
10
Forestry
Waste
0
1
-10
-20
Source: Australian Greenhouse Office

Inadequate official statistics and obfuscating
deeming provisions encourage industry
misrepresentation of the true situation
regarding native forest logging.

The table on the following page (Margaret
Blakers, Green Institute, Hobart) provides a
more accurate but still not complete picture of
the emissions and uptakes from native forests
and plantations.
Unless we accurately count all our carbon
emissions, including those from logging native
forest, we cannot develop effective policy to
reduce them.
Australia’s National Greenhouse and
Energy Reporting (NGER) draft regulations
propose to exclude “non-energy emissions
from forestry”; in other words corporations
could claim credits for any carbon
sequestration but would not have to report or
be liable for emissions resulting from logging.
South East Region Conservation Alliance Inc
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www.serca.org.au
[email protected]
PO Box 724 Narooma NSW 2546 AUSTRALIA
Australia’s emissions – Mt CO2, 2006
Activity
Fossil carbon
Biocarbon
Green carbon
Emission
Emission
Uptake
Production carbon
Emission
Uptake
429
Energy/industry
Waste
17
Agriculture
90
??
2
-23
2
-4
111
-27
Plantations/reforestation
Native forest clearing
63
Native forests used for logging
31
-57
Other
Non-forest
TOTAL (UNFCCC)
429
??
??
94
-57
Key
Kyoto accounting sectors included in the CPRS
Kyoto accounting sectors not included in the CPRS
UNFCCC accounting – closest to full carbon accounting
??
Unknown
1. There are two international carbon accounting systems: Kyoto accounting (linked to the Kyoto Protocol
targets) which excludes native forest logging; and UNFCCC accounting which is closer to full carbon
accounting but still has major gaps (e.g. soil carbon uptake, non-forest native vegetation). Australia
should adopt full carbon accounting, separating emissions from uptake (just as in cash flow accounts) –
that is what the atmosphere ‘sees’ and is the only sensible basis for policy making.
2. In round figures, fossil fuel emissions (not net emissions) are 430 Mt CO2; green carbon emissions from
native forest clearing and logging are at least 100 Mt CO2 (allowing for the known under-estimates of
CO2 density in native forests); and production emissions (agriculture, waste, logging old plantations) are
around 110 Mt CO2. Emissions from native forest clearing and logging are almost entirely avoidable and
should be eliminated; as these forests are protected and regrow to maturity, they will sequester large
additional quantities of carbon.
3. The government’s Green Paper and Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme are based on Kyoto accounting.
By including reforestation (mainly new plantations) fossil fuel companies have the choice to plant trees
instead of reducing their own emissions. Areas of 40 million hectares are being projected (compared with
less than 2 million hectares currently) with major implications for water and agriculture. In effect,
plantations are targeted for carbon storage while native forests are targeted for wood production. This is
perverse. Emissions trading should be confined to fossil carbon, and sectoral policies (such as REDD Plus)
should be used to reduce emissions and increase uptake of biocarbon.
South East Region Conservation Alliance Inc
make green carbon count
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www.serca.org.au
[email protected]
PO Box 724 Narooma NSW 2546 AUSTRALIA
Existing plantation supplies can
and should be used for virtually
all Australia’s domestic and
export uses. No new plantations
are needed.
See the following chart by Judith Ajani, which
shows clearly the looming glut of plantation
timber.
For two decades or more large areas of
hardwood plantations have been
established, taking advantage of generous
taxation concessions. As a result there will be
a huge amount of plantation wood available
from 2010 that could meet all but a small
fraction of Australia’s highest value wood
needs.
Australia’s Governments have a unique
opportunity to protect native forests for better
resilience against climate change, through
improved carbon sequestration, water supply
and biodiversity protection.
Policy distortions (present and
proposed) that prevent or inhibit the
early transition out of native forest to
plantation use must be removed,
including


Government subsidies for native
forest operations that provide unfair
price competition with plantation
supplies and an effective subsidy
for export woodchipping operators;
and
Provision for carbon credits for
plantation ‘carbon sinks’ under the
proposed Carbon Pollution
Reduction Scheme.
South East Region Conservation Alliance Inc
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The latter will have the effect of giving a
financial incentive, even at low carbon
prices, to plantation owners to keep the
plantations in the ground, while encouraging
even more logging of native forests that are
the superior carbon sinks.
The proposed measure also has no
guarantee of permanent sequestration of
carbon. There is nothing to stop the
plantations being logged at any time, while
still getting credits for sequestration prior to
logging.
Political and community perceptions
that impede an early transition also
need to be addressed.
The regions are no longer heavily dependent
on forestry for economic and employment
survival. The regions are far more diverse than
they were. Newer industries, including in the
timber processing sector, provide the
economic and employment growth areas.
Many newer industries that rely on clean air
and water are disadvantaged by continued
forestry operations.
The influence of the Construction, Forestry,
Mining and Engineering Union on the forest
policies of both the Government and the
Coalition Parties is constraining on necessary
change, by putting sectoral interests above
the national interest.
The current recession will mean jobs losses in
timber industry sectors. The regions need
structural adjustment packages to assist
workers and regions manage the transition
out of native forest logging, and also to train
and retrain for new regionally based jobs as
Australia moves to a new low carbon
economy.
.
7
www.serca.org.au
[email protected]
PO Box 724 Narooma NSW 2546 AUSTRALIA
South East Region Conservation Alliance Inc
make green carbon count
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www.serca.org.au
[email protected]
PO Box 724 Narooma NSW 2546 AUSTRALIA
Regional Forest Agreements:
neither ecologically nor economically
sustainable.
In South East NSW the story since 1998-99 is
one of larger areas logged, yields declining,
and real prices only about half what they
were a decade ago. The Minister has stated
in Parliament that the native forest sector of
FNSW operates at a loss to taxpayers.
These indicators in combination show that
operations under the RFAs, as under previous
regimes, have cumulatively degraded the
forest ecosystems – and hence are
ecologically unsustainable – and by
operating at a loss are plainly economically
unsustainable.
See following page for charts.
Areas logged have increased by 78% in only
four years 2002-03 to 2006-07.
In each of the three areas – Eden, South
Coast/Southern and Tumut – areas logged
have increased, most dramatically in the last
two years for which figures are available
(2005-06 and 2006-07). The greatest
increases have been in South Coast/Southern
and Tumut.
Productivity (tonnes per hectare) has fallen
substantially in all three areas.
In Eden RFA yields at the end of the 1990s
were over 100 tonnes per hectare; in 2005-06
and 2006-07 they were down to 73.5 and 74.8
t/ha. Yields in South Coast/Southern were
steadier, but 2006-07 had the lowest yield in
six years. Yields in Tumut dropped from
86.8.t/ha in 2002-03 to 34.5 t/ha in 2006-07.
FNSW is having trouble sourcing enough
sawlogs and they now often travel from East
Gippsland and Tumut to Eden.
The output of large sawlogs has fallen in Eden
and has remained relatively constant in South
Coast/Southern and Tumut.
Regional FNSW Manager Ian Barnes says that
by 2015 there will be no multi-aged forest left.
Turning all available multi-aged forest into
young regrowth is quite contrary to ESD
principles enshrined in the RFA legislation.
The damage to soils and waterways from
erosion following logging operations, the
plant and animal species that are driven to
near extinction are further evidence of
ecological unsustainability. Fiddling with
operational arrangements has not and will not
make the logging any more sustainable.
Actual prices (royalty rates) for pulp logs
supplied to the Eden chipmill averaged
$11.91 a tonne, and ranged from $6.42 to $16
a tonne. Weighted for volumes the average
price was around $14 a tonne.
Real prices for pulp logs are only half what
they were 15 years ago: if 1992-93 average
rates had been maintained in real terms the
price should have been around $28.
Some of the disparity could be explained by
improved technology (much of it subsidised
by RFA structural adjustment grants),
facilitating lower prices, but mainly it appears
to be the monopoly purchasing power of the
chipmill and the failure of the NSW
Government to require prices to reflect costs
of operations, much less any further return for
use of the public forest asset. Providing a
discount for transport costs in setting the
royalty price for South Coast/Southern and
Tumut has exacerbated the uneconomic
result from pulp log supplies.
Uneconomic pricing means that taxpayers
have subsidised the chipmill, arguably by
about $8 million dollars in 2006-07 – which is
over 70% of the chipmill’s before tax profit.
The employment and economic arguments
for subsidisation no longer have much basis.
The growth areas are in the plantation and
further processing sectors.
Rotation times have shortened: currently 1520 years in Eden, less than 20 years in SC/S
and Tumut.
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www.serca.org.au
[email protected]
PO Box 724 Narooma NSW 2546 AUSTRALIA
Area logged: 98/99 – 06/07, hectares
The area logged has risen significantly in Eden, South Coast-Southern & Tumut
Forest Productivity per hectare: 98/99 – 06/07
Pulplogs & Sawlogs (Large + Small + Salvage)
South East Region Conservation Alliance Inc
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www.serca.org.au
[email protected]
PO Box 724 Narooma NSW 2546 AUSTRALIA
Pulp Royalty Rates –
Royalty Payments – Cumulative Difference
Indexed vs Actual 1990-2007
Indexed Rates vs Actual Rates 90/91-07/08
Graphs by Terrence Digwood, based on Forests NSW information supplied following freedom of
information applications.
South East Region Conservation Alliance Inc
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www.serca.org.au
[email protected]
PO Box 724 Narooma NSW 2546 AUSTRALIA
Burning native forest wood is not
sustainable, clean or green
Energy from biomass is only as sustainable as
its feedstock. SERCA does not support power
generation or production of biofuels from
wood that depends on the continued
industrial scale logging of native forests.
The Rudd Government aims to meet its expanded
national Mandatory Renewable Energy Target
(MRET) by redefining energy such as industrial
burning of native forest wood as “renewable.” This
would provide an ongoing rationale for native
forest destruction when factors such as exchange
rates, changing markets and other market factors
threaten the future of native forest woodchipping.
The Eden woodchip mill is embarking on just such a
project.
definition of waste is used, it will inevitably lead
to additional logging.
4. Electricity from native forest biomass is not
carbon neutral and will generate many times
more greenhouse gases than electricity
generation from fossil fuels. Native forests are a
vast store of carbon, sequestered over
millennia. Most of this carbon is stored below
ground or as coarse woody debris. When a
native forest is logged much of this stored
carbon is released. This must be taken into
account when assessing the “sustainability” of
native forest logging and industrial uses of its
“waste” products.
5. Wood fired power is only viable if it is
subsidised as “renewable.”
"Renewable" electricity generation
- comparative costs
The Council of Australian Governments options
paper states:
2.2 Eligible sources “………., the MRET allows native
forest biomass as an eligible fuel subject to this
biomass being a harvest residue or processing
waste, with further conditions around the
harvesting operation. By contrast, native forest
harvesting residue is excluded under the Victorian
and NSW schemes.”
1.
Inclusion of native forest biomass in MRET will
displace genuinely sustainable biomass, wind
and solar energy.
2.
Expansion of MRET to 20% founded upon
simply redefining some highly CO2 producing
energy sources as “renewable” will not
achieve real reductions in greenhouse
emissions. Worse, it may actually add to
greenhouse gas emissions by exacerbating
levels of forest destruction. Only wood from
existing plantations should be used.
3.
Industrial use of forest “waste” means more
trees will be cut. History tells us that whatever
Solar hot water
Landfill gas
Sewage gas
Hydro (large)
Wood waste
Wind
Geothermal aquifer
Tidal
Food, agric wet waste
Solar thermal
Solar PV (grid connected)
PV and PV Hybrid RAPS
500
450
400
$/MWh (2000)
a. Native forest wood is included in
draft legislation to expand the
national MRET.
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
Source: Commonwealth of Australia
6. It has been estimated2 that 38 MJ of energy
are required to produce a litre of ethanol from
an agricultural crop which has an energy
value of 22 MJ/litre. A similar outcome could
be expected using native forest biomass.
2 Dr David Pimentel, Cornell University, 2001
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www.serca.org.au
[email protected]
PO Box 724 Narooma NSW 2546 AUSTRALIA
b. “Waste wood”: in NSW a standing
live tree in a growing native forest
can be classified as “waste.”
Photo of “wood waste” in a National Association of
Forest Industries (NAFI) brochure on wood fired power
1.
2.
Generations of politicians and forestry officials
have stated for over 40 years that the Eden
woodchipping industry uses “waste” wood;
that the “timber” industry of the south east is
sawlog driven with residue, “heads” and
“butts” being chipped. The reality is different.
The chipper can only process whole logs; it
cannot process branches, crowns or butts. Of
logs chipped, about 70 % are from multi aged
forests.
Further, even if, in the unlikely event that
genuine waste from a logging operation were
used (labour intensive and expensive), this
would be a disaster for the long term
productivity and ecological recovery of the
forest.
Continuing soil fertility depends on the return of
nutrients from “forest waste” to the soil.
South East Region Conservation Alliance Inc
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www.serca.org.au
[email protected]
PO Box 724 Narooma NSW 2546 AUSTRALIA
The Eden Woodchip mill:
Its proposed wood fired power station
1.
would require 71% of its input to
come from native forest supplies.
It would still want taxpayer subsidies to
reduce the prices of native forest logs.
2.
It would compete unfairly with
genuinely renewable power sources
like solar and wind.
3.
Why doesn’t the mill give up native
forest woodchipping altogether, and
be a good corporate citizen
generating wind power instead?
4.
5.
Eden chipmill wood fired power station: proposed fuel
Saw mill w aste
(native forest),
10,000 tonnes,
20%
6.
Pine bark fines
(plantation),
15,000 tonnes,
29%
SEFE mill w aste
(native forest),
5,000 tonnes,
10%
7.
8.
The South East Fibre Exports (SEFE) power
station will run on 71% native forest wood. This
material is only available because SEFE is
woochipping and exporting 1 million tonnes of
native forest trees a year. It aims to supply
electricity to power the chipmill and feed the
excess into the grid.
The Eden chipmill is located in one of the best
sites in Australia for wind power and could
produce the same amount of power for just
over half the price.
As markets for low quality Eden woodchips
become less secure, especially with an
unstable $A, there is every chance that the
entire woodchipping industry could end up
feeding a forest furnace.
This energy will be very wasteful (75% heat is
lost) and expensive and local residents will not
thank SEFE if they had to pay its full price.
It can only be viable if it is classified as
renewable energy under the expanded NRET.
In those circumstances it would be competing
with genuine renewables such as solar and
wind power, not coal.
The furnace would generate 20MW, of which
25% would become electricity. Thus 5MW
would be generated (i.e.; 75% wastage).
Toxic particulate emissions may affect the
town of Eden.
Wood fired power is expensive, a fact
recognised by Professor Ross Garnaut in his
final report.
“Dead koala” electricity
Hardw ood fines
(native forest),
21,000 tonnes,
41%
1.
Pine bark fines (plantation)
Hardw ood fines (native forest)
SEFE mill w aste (native forest)
Saw mill w aste (native forest)
Eden chipmill fuel sources. Native
forest and plantation
Plantation
w ood 15,000
tonnes, 29%
Native forest
w ood (all
sources)
36,000
tonnes, 71%
South East Region Conservation Alliance Inc
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2.
3.
While it may be legal to describe it as
“renewable” wood fired electricity is not
“Green Power”. Electricity retailers have
been reluctant to include them in their Green
Power schemes. It is known in the industry as
“dead koala” power because retailers are
aware that the public will not buy this power.
SEFE calls its proposed plant “Green” power,
but it is questionable whether legally they can
use this term.
Extract from the Green Power website (“a joint initiative
of ACT, NSW, SA, QLD, Vic and WA government
agencies”)
http://www.greenpower.gov.au/home.aspx
“… only sustainable plantation forestry sources are
acceptable under the Green Power Program GreenPower is not sourced from old growth forests or
regrowth native forests.”
14
www.serca.org.au
[email protected]
PO Box 724 Narooma NSW 2546 AUSTRALIA
Bio-diversity:

Climate change may well affect the
health of existing higher quality habitat
through increased impact of bell minor
associated dieback and other forms of
dieback.

Species that are already under stress from
human-induced factors (such as fire and
ecosystem fragmentation), will be placed
under even greater stress as the effects of
climate change begin to bite more
deeply.

Some species will become locally and
regionally extinct: in SE NSW this could
well include the koala, both species of
potoroo, and species (such as the large
forest owls) that require large home
range areas.

The very basic services that ecosystems
supply to us – especially water – are also
under threat from climate change,
especially where, in many areas, our
current utilisation is at unsustainable
levels. The greater the level of impact of
climate change, the less these reservoirs
of ecosystem services will be able to
supply resources upon which we depend
for our livelihoods and even our
existence.
Better protection of native forests will
give us greater resilience against
climate change.
Ecosystems are major determinants of
climate, regionally as well as globally, and the
more we damage or change them the more
the climate is likely to be affected. Thus we
have to consider the role of ecosystems in
both mitigation and adaptation strategies.

It is well known that large areas of
unmodified natural ecosystems are best
able to withstand environmental variation
and extreme events, such as fire, storms
and drought – all of which are expected
to significantly increase in frequency in
South East Australia.

It is essential not only to protect existing
protected areas such as national parks,
but also to ensure that other large
contiguous areas of native vegetation
remain in or are allowed to recover to the
best possible ecological condition – and
for native forests that rules out intensive
logging, post-logging burns, and
increased habitat fragmentation.

Many species will find their habitats
changing as a result of climate change,
and thus will need to move to new areas,
which are suitable for them.

If we are not to lose even more species
from the forests of SE Australia, many
species will require larger ranges in which
to move and adapt to climate change.

Some species will need to translocate
across the landscape and thus all
linkages and corridors between larger
wild areas will assume even greater
importance than presently.

Part of species’ adaptation to climate
change will involve movement not only
across the landscape, but also
altitudinally. Thus linkages and continuity
of high-quality habitat will be required
between the hills of the escarpment and
the coast, and higher to the mountains.
South East Region Conservation Alliance Inc
make green carbon count
Climate change will significantly change the
regimes of many of our waterways. Not only
are flows likely to dramatically decline, but
water quality may also become degraded if
we see increased fire severity and frequency,
and consequent soil and nutrient loss.
15
www.serca.org.au
[email protected]
PO Box 724 Narooma NSW 2546 AUSTRALIA
Forests Supply Critical Water

Because so many of our water catchments
are in forests, implementation of policies to
improve the sequestration capacity of carbon
in native forests will also improve the quantity
and quality of our freshwater supplies.
SERCA recommends that carbon
sequestration in Australia’s native forests
should be adopted immediately to improve
the quantity and quality of water supplies
AND as a major strategy for climate change
mitigation.

The lost opportunity costs of both carbon
and water from logged native forests in
NSW alone have been estimated by
researchers at nearly $800 million per
year. To put these figures in perspective,
Forests NSW receives $5 to $6 million
annually for its sales of pulplogs, which
comprise over 90% of all native forest logs
taken from in the Eden Regional Forest
Agreement area.

Intensive logging of native forest has
adverse effects on stream-flow, flow
duration (especially in summer and during
droughts), soil water content, and water
quality. For example, soils in 14 year old
regrowth forest lose water at a rate of
2.2mm a day, in 45 year old forest at
1.4.mm a day, and in 160 year old forest
at only 0.8 mm a day. As with carbon
sequestration, recovery rates are
generally many decades longer than
logging cycles permit. In Victorian native
forests supplying Melbourne’s water it
takes 150 years after logging for water
run-off to return to pre-logging levels.

The annual cost of water loss in logged
forests in SE NSW has been calculated at
$18.56 million. And this water will increase
in value as scarcity and quality issues bite
harder in a hotter and drier southern
Australia.
South East Region Conservation Alliance Inc
make green carbon count
For example, parts of SE NSW are
expected to suffer significantly less rain,
especially during the critical spring
growing period. Heavier summer rains will
exacerbate erosion after logging, leading
to further sedimentation of already silted
creeks and rivers.
Water supplies drop byup to 40% in wet
forests during the early growth years, i.e., up
to 75 years.

Species that depend upon our
watercourses will therefore be
deleteriously affected by any such
changes. Impacts will follow in our
estuaries and marine species breeding
grounds as the effects move
downstream.
16
www.serca.org.au
[email protected]
PO Box 724 Narooma NSW 2546 AUSTRALIA