sustainable forest management - Forestry Tasmania

Non-timber values
Honey production
Most of Tasmania’s leatherwood-rich forest is located
within the World Heritage Area, and is largely inaccessible
to beekeepers. State forests are therefore an important
resource for the production of leatherwood and other types
of honey. There are currently more than 360,000 hectares
of leatherwood-rich areas in state forests. Where practical,
forest management prescriptions exclude leatherwood
from harvesting and since 1993, less than three per cent of
leatherwood-rich state forests has been harvested.
Honey production in 2007-2008 was 671,200 kilograms
(Figure 20). Of the 356 sites available, 268 were used,
representing a use rate of 75 per cent, which is lower than
last year’s figure of 84 per cent.
Case Study - Changes to oldgrowth forest management
and the implications for the leatherwood nectar resource
As part of the funding provided under the TCFA for research
into alternatives to clearfelling in oldgrowth forests,
Figure 19. Flowering leatherwood
Hive numbers
Forestry Tasmania undertook to investigate the effect on the
leatherwood nectar resource of TCFA initiatives to expand
the reserve system and to use mainly variable retention
(non-clearfell) silviculture for tall oldgrowth forests in areas
designated for wood production. This study was developed
and supported through input from representatives of the
Tasmanian Beekeepers Association, Forests and Forest
Industry Council, Tasmanian Crop Pollinators Association and
the Department of Primary Industries and Water.
The study involved a spatial analysis of photo-interpreted
forest type mapping that was used to identify the potential
leatherwood nectar resource in Tasmania. This analysis
was applied together with a simulation of planned timber
harvesting over the next 90 years and included clearfell,
group selection within special timber management units,
shelterwood and variable retention harvest systems.
Results from this study showed that 1.09 million hectares
of forest within Tasmania was identified as likely to
contain leatherwood. Of this area, 59.3 per cent occurs in
Figure 20. Honey production and beehive numbers in state forests
12,600
12,400
800,000
700,000
600,000
12,200
500,000
12,000
400,000
11,800
300,000
200,000
11,600
100,000
11,400
0
2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08
Honey production (kg)
conservation reserves (managed by DEPHA), 32.9 per cent
in state forests (managed by Forestry Tasmania), 6.6 per cent
on private land, one per cent on other publicly managed
land and 0.2 per cent on crown land public reserves. Of the
359,000 hectares in state forests, 106,000 hectares (30 per
cent) occurs within areas zoned for wood production.
Of the 1.09 million hectares of forest identified as likely to
contain leatherwood, 696,000 hectares (64 per cent) was
identified to be theoretically accessible and it was calculated
that of this area, 251,000 hectares (36 per cent) was used for
beekeeping.
The study showed that under a modelled scenario that
excluded variable retention (i.e if no alternatives to
clearfelling were introduced), the 106,000 hectares of
leatherwood within wood production areas would be
reduced to 37,000 hectares by 2098. This represents a 6.4 per
cent reduction in the total resource area and a 10.0 per cent
reduction in the accessible resource area. On the other hand,
the inclusion of variable retention predicted that the 106,000
hectares of leatherwood within production areas would be
reduced to 62,000 hectares by 2098. This represents a 4.1 per
cent reduction in the total resource area and a 6.4 per cent
reduction in the accessible resource area.
The application of non-clearfelling techniques in oldgrowth
will lessen the reduction of accessible leatherwood from
10 per cent to six per cent over the next 90 years, providing
some assurance to beekeepers that the majority of the
leatherwood will be secure from harvest operations over the
long-term.
Beehive numbers
Honey Production (kg)
29