International Day of Forests
Announcement posted by Parsec Communications 21 Mar 2016
“In this first year of implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the International Day of Forests focuses on their role in supporting water systems... Investing in forests is an insurance policy for the planet." – Secretary General of the UN Ban Ki-Moon.[1]
The Institute of Foresters of Australia (IFA) is urging all Australians to use 21 March to reflect on the value of Australia’s forests for our environmental, economic and social well-being.
In support of Sec Gen Ban Ki-Moon the IFA strongly agrees that investing in forests is an insurance policy for the planet.
Rob de Fégely, National President of the Australian Institute of Foresters, said, ‘In Australia we are not making the investments that are needed in our forests.
• Our National Parks are underfunded – we cannot manage a National Park for less than $50 per hectare - it should be at least three times that amount.
• Our forests are being subject to increasing numbers of high intensity bushfires which are having a disastrous effect on our wildlife because we are not investing in professional forest fire management involving regular fuel reduction as well as developing and maintaining access and strategic containment lines.
• We are no longer supporting forest research at the levels we used to.
‘Importantly, our politicians have been too focused on forest tenure and not enough on forest management. Simply designating an area as national park does not automatically mean that it will be well managed, and despite the great efforts of our Park Managers if the funding is not available they cannot manage.
‘Our aim must be to develop a management system that links our urban forests with our agricultural areas and our plantations and production forests with our national parks. Only when we establish this linkage of forests across our landscape will we truly develop world class forest management system.
‘Letting foresters manage forests, working with farmers and urban managers to create a landscape that balances community demands will see our forests thrive for future generations’, said Mr de Fégely.
Media contact: Rob de Fégely. Tel: 0415 486 201