SUSTAINABLE BEECH MANAGEMENT PLANS

There will be no beech scheme unless it is sustainable, it is economically feasible and it protects the areas of important conservation value in our West Coast forests, State Owned Enterprises Minister Tony Ryall said today.

"Sustainable beech management plans released today have been scheduled for wide release in the next few weeks to give the public full opportunity to comment," Mr Ryall said.

"Just yesterday in Parliament I spoke about the full public comment phase that will take place in the next few months on the sustainable beech management plans.

"Prior to release today, the Government had already instructed the Ministry of Forestry to distribute the sustainable beech management plans in major public libraries and in MAF offices. Timberlands West Coast were planning to put the information on their home page for release on the Internet.

"The papers released today were drafts prepared in February prior to being certified by the Indigenous Forest Unit as meeting the criteria for sustainable management under Part IIIA of the Forest Amendment Act 1993. These rules apply to private companies as well.

"What is proposed is not clear-felling. It is sustainable management of the beech forests, and it is exactly what was agreed to when the Labour government signed the West Coast Accord in 1986."