Levelling The Playing Field
This white paper, Levelling the Playing Field, was commissioned by Environment Tasmania from CSDev Associates, as part of Environment Tasmania’s work and efforts in helping to find a solution to the forests conflict in Tasmania. There has been increasing polarisation and division in our community over forestry, with an increasing tendency towards claim and counterclaim, and increasing feelings of disempowerment amongst our membership and the broader community about the management of our native forests.
We commissioned an independent report by experts in the field to examine the rules surrounding forest decision-making in Tasmania to allow for a clear articulation of the concrete problems in forestry governance in Tasmania, and what practical solutions may exist.
This white paper articulates;
Where there are real and perceived problems in Tasmania’s forestry governance and regulatory system;
A series of proposed core recommendations and other recommendations to outline practical steps that can be taken to; fix these problems, create an environment in Tasmania that is more conducive to a forest solution, allow our timber industry to operate in a conflict-free environment and restore Tasmanians’ trust in the way our forests are managed.
This paper has been released as a white paper to stimulate discussion. Due to the exceptional complexity of the stakeholder environment, we were not able to circulate a draft of the white paper to all stakeholders for comment prior to public release as Environment Tasmania and CSDev Associates had originally anticipated. However, instead, we have opted for a period of soliciting comment from all stakeholders, as well as the general public, for a period of three weeks.
This will give us the opportunity to address all stakeholder comments equitably, and to rectify any errors, or information that has been over-looked before the publication of a supplementary report.
Environment Tasmania has invited public submissions on the report. These will inform the supplementary report that will be prepared by CSDev Associates.
What we are particularly looking for in submissions includes:-
Any real or perceived factual errors contained in the report;
Any problems or needed reforms that the report has not yet taken into account;
Any further evidence of problems from your personal or organisational or business perspective or circumstance which you believe haven’t yet been taken into account or would strengthen the case for reform;
If you agree or disagree with the reports’ findings and recommendations, and if so, why?
DOWNLOAD THE REPORT HERE
Submissions will be treated as strictly confidential unless otherwise expressly indicated, and can be forwarded to:
Forest Governance,
Environment Tasmania,
PO Box 1073, Hobart 7001.
Or emailed to: [email protected]
Submissions close Tuesday 2nd March 2010.
03 6224 6319 or [email protected] for more information.