Is Tasmania an international pariah, or is it in fact a saint? Good question Alan Ashbarry.

“Great to see you have joined the 85% of Tassie voters that also see the Tasmanian Community Forest Agreement as an achieved balance in forest management for conservation and every day timber needs”.

Bas, I never disagreed with our RFA process or this latest commonwealth handout but I do confess to standing in the way of the HEC on the mainland over lost timber resources.

Also anything I say today is not about you, the TCA or a sentimental old bugger like me. It’s about the seventh generation (and their children) who lived for a time with me in old towns like Zeehan where one uncle cut and laid thousands of sleepers and slept on the track. Other uncles retrod the Balfour track, drained the NW swamps, opened the NE and Central Highlands looking for these forests and other resources.

Owen; cont: My keen interest began with using local timbers as a boy. Later we had a 100 + year old timber beach side cottage that required an electric drill to make holes in studs for new nails. Damn those old blue gums (and their pulp) along with that weed P radiata, what about the rest of our eucalypts and their timbers?

Early forestry here was the European traditional farming at its worst being applied where everything had to be shackled in squares before they recognised it as a crop.

Ignoring the emotion on many sites after a Google on “Irby” (re early pine plantations) finds this fascinating story on blue gum research. Although the practice of planting blues all over the world is old the research is quite young.

http://www.gianttrees.com.au/pdf/potts_et_al_aveira_iufro.pdf

Without these RFA processes we would have been minding only fire wood towards the end

Ev

As a forest worker I can ensure you that my industry provides a worthily livelihood for many thousands of Tasmanian families whether they be a tree faller, skidder driver, log grader, truck driver, sawmill benchman, timber racker, seed collector, seedling nursery hand, forest planner, research scientists the list goes on and on right through to a book binder.

Also please don't put down AMP because that’s my super fund so I do very much hope they are doing very well from their shares in our very own Tasmanian timber company Gunns,

Also I'm sure you will be pleased to know that our industry injects $1.3 billion directly into Tasmanian's economy annually.

Also the Monash University has estimated that our pulp mill will generate $91 million a year in State and commonwealth taxes, now don't you agree that’s a nice little earner for a few extra nurses, teachers even perhaps a few university lecturers or perhaps fix a few roads, Oh sorry yes I know we should go back to riding bikes, so guess I better sell the Land Cruiser. But can I keep the boat, please, Ev

Taz great to see you getting into the detail about present day forest management.

Our next subject perhaps could how be the greens view democracy and how it is such an annoying thing to them when people do not do what is right!

The Greens have not taken any responsibility, nor acknowledge their policies may be wrong. It is all because those Christians and business crashed the party and dragged people to the voting booths and made them vote against the Greens. Shame on those voters.
I have sympathy for the Greens, I mean, how can anyone develop a welfare based economy if business keeps operating and employing people? As for those Christians - everyone knows that our society is being undermined by promoting families, understanding, compassion and harmony.

So it is obvious that this State's welfare based economy potential is undermined by the Tasmanian democratic system.

Bas, you said: '..or perhaps fix a few roads, Oh sorry yes I know we should go back to riding bikes, so guess I better sell the Land Cruiser. But can I keep the boat, please, Ev'

Not sure what you really mean here mate, it's totally up to you if you want to have a Landcruiser and boat. But I reckon you will probably sell it for something smaller within 5 years (petrol prices and all that).. A Subaru will do the trick. Maybe it won't pull your boat.. oh well, if not might have to get a smaller boat too. Nevermind.

As for the roads, the ones who damage them the most should be the ones who pay the most to fix them. That's fair, don't you reckon?

And why not invest your money directly into Tas rather than going through the AMP middle man? Again though, up to you of course.

Personally I'd like to get a nice private forest going with all different types of high grade timber, that's my ideal nest egg. I've got the patience to wait for it to grow.

And who's going to benefit from my private forest? - all those you've mentioned: tree fellers, skidder drivers, log graders, truck drivers, sawmill benchmen, timber rackers, seed collectors, seedling nursery hands, forest planners, research scientists, etc.

Ev
Thanks heaps you have done me a great service regarding putting my super funds to best use. I am now going to roll mine over to our timber industries super fund TISS.

As it looks like you are keen to become involved in growing forests for timber perhaps you could follow me in making the change.
The TISS web sit is www.tissuper.com.au. You would have to agree that having its own super fund is a pretty good indication that the Australian (including Tasmania's)forest and timber industries are major employers providing sound long term careers for families and underpinning regional communities throughout this great country.

Now to the other bit of great news you offered about wanting to grow trees. Here in Tas there is a joint government / private body called Private Forests Tasmania that could help you achieve your very worthy goal, they also have a web site www.privateforests.tas.gov.a

Bas, just about the links, if you put the full address (ie. with http:// in front of the www) then anyone reading your post can just click on the link and go to the website, for example:
http://www.privateforests.tas.gov.au/ like that.

I already have a copy of the Farm Forestry Toolbox which I got from them about 2 years ago. I'd like to see a more modern version but hey it's free so no complaints.. In addition I've done a fair bit of other research re plantations, including using multiple species in the same lot to reduce insect damage among other benefits. This includes integrating Acacia species into the lot during the earlier years when the taller trees are still small. I do not want to follow the 'mono-culture' style used all over the place. The Acacias of course can also be utilised for timber and with a shorter turnover than say, eucalypts and casuarinas.

I can't tell if you are being sarcastic regarding super. I had a look at who TISS's major shareholders are. What you do with your super is your own business, as is mine my own.

The thing I care most about in life is being content. Call me simple or old-fashioned, but I just don't need heaps of crap.

The more someone wants, the more they want.

A good day to you.