Regional Forest Agreement
Encyclopedia
The Regional Forest Agreements are 20 year plans for the conservation and sustainable management of Australia
's native forests, and are intended to provide certainty to commercial forestry operations while protecting environmental values. The 10 RFA's were progressively signed between 1997 and 2001. The RFA process grew out of the 1992 National Forest Policy Statement.
The Agreements relies on a mix of community and industry consultation combined with scientific research. While the Agreements are supported by forestry
industry, they are widely criticized by environmentalist
groups.
In Tasmania, a forestry operation that is undertaken in accordance with an RFA is not required obtain environmental approvals otherwise required by the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, nor to protect rare or threatened species listed in the CAR Reserve System. A conclusive presumption
was added to the agreement in 2007 which states "The Parties agree that the CAR Reserve System, established in accordance with this Agreement, and the application of management strategies and management prescriptions developed under Tasmania's Forest Management Systems, protect rare and threatened fauna and flora species and Forest Communities". That is, the threatened species have simply been declared to be protected without regard for actual circumstances.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
's native forests, and are intended to provide certainty to commercial forestry operations while protecting environmental values. The 10 RFA's were progressively signed between 1997 and 2001. The RFA process grew out of the 1992 National Forest Policy Statement.
The Agreements relies on a mix of community and industry consultation combined with scientific research. While the Agreements are supported by forestry
Forestry
Forestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...
industry, they are widely criticized by environmentalist
Environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
groups.
In Tasmania, a forestry operation that is undertaken in accordance with an RFA is not required obtain environmental approvals otherwise required by the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, nor to protect rare or threatened species listed in the CAR Reserve System. A conclusive presumption
Conclusive presumption
A conclusive presumption is a type of presumption used in several legal systems.-England and Wales:...
was added to the agreement in 2007 which states "The Parties agree that the CAR Reserve System, established in accordance with this Agreement, and the application of management strategies and management prescriptions developed under Tasmania's Forest Management Systems, protect rare and threatened fauna and flora species and Forest Communities". That is, the threatened species have simply been declared to be protected without regard for actual circumstances.
Regions
There are currently 10 regions covered by RFAs:- Western Australia,
- West Victoria,
- North East Victoria,
- Central Highlands Victoria,
- Gippsland Victoria,
- East Gippsland Victoria,
- Tasmania,
- Southern New South Wales,
- Eden New South Wales,
- North East New South Wales