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August 2005

Christians in the forests

Dr Hans Drielsma is Executive General Manager for Forestry Tasmania and is a member of St Mary's Cathedral Parish where he and his wife sing in the choir each Sunday. Sheelagh Wegman discussed the connection between his Christian journey and his professional work.

Sheelagh: Hans, what does it mean to you to be a Christian working in the often contentious forest industry?

Hans Drielsma: In much recent forests debate in Tasmania, including that within the Christian churches, I detect a notable absence of any reflection on the genuine Christian people who are involved in the stewardship of our forests, and who seek to deal with the complexities of sustainable forestry so that our environmental, social and economic needs are met in a way that reflects true social justice and equity for all. This includes understanding the degree to which our regional communities, often reflecting the less well off segments of our society, benefit from the employment generated from our forests.

Fundamentally, I believe it is a question of stewardship, of maintaining respect for a wide range of competing values which different people hold, and a focus on appropriate compromise and balance in how we manage our forests. For human communities to just survive on earth, let alone achieve a reasonable standard of living, requires us to grow food, produce materials and fibres for clothing and shelter, and clear areas to live on. This requires compromise every day of our lives between the preservation and exploitation of nature. It is never a question of whether or not, it is simply a question of how. In this there are few absolutes…it is always a question of balance.

Given the strength of the debate there seems to be a perception that it is harder to find this balance in the forests. Do you get a sense of that?

Perhaps…although it ought not to be the case. Forest management is potentially one of the most benign forms of land management. On a sustainable basis, i.e. when the rate of harvest is consistent with growth, and when soils and biodiversity are maintained, it is far more benign than agriculture, mining and urban development.

How does forest management in Tasmania compare to the rest of the world?

This is always a difficult question. I have had the opportunity to study forestry in many parts of the world, and I know that we do it as well here as anywhere; if not better. In forest conservation alone we lead most parts of the world, with about 45% of our native forests in conservation reserves. The international benchmark is about 10%.

That is not to say we do not have a lot to learn from other countries…we do. But equally they can, and do, learn a lot from us.

There is the big question: Is Tasmanian forestry sustainable?

This is a key question and again, links with the Christian ideal of stewardship. Sustainability is a key element of the balance and compromise we must seek to achieve. The main criteria are whether we are maintaining the area of forest and only harvesting at a rate consistent with its growth, whether we are maintaining the suite of plants and animals that live in our forests, whether we are maintaining the soils and water. There are as many answers to this question as there are individual forest owners in Tasmania…although I am satisfied that the regulatory systems in place through the independent Forests Practices Authority ensure that these matters are being dealt with.. I have personally overseen the implementation of an environmental management system for Forestry Tasmania, which has been certified to the international ISO standard, as well as having our forests certified under the Australian Forestry Standard. Our annual Sustainable Forest Management Report reports on the full range of sustainability criteria. I see this as a key element in public accountability and transparency.

We continually hear about our forests being destroyed. What is your response to that?

The only real issue here is to do with permanent forest clearing. About half of Tasmania is forested, compared to the natural level of two-thirds at the time of European settlement. The clearing has mainly been for agricultural and urban lands, although in recent times there has been some clearing for forest plantations. Again it is a question of balance. While there continues to be debate about any land-clearing, recent government decisions mean that broadscale clearing will be phased out in the coming years. Close to half of Tasmania with still remain with natural forest cover.

Again, there is the issue of stewardship here. While native forest harvesting is often portrayed as destroying the forest, these areas are being regenerated back to natural forest. Much scientific work has gone into ensuring that our regeneration practices reproduce functioning natural ecosystems, and our harvest levels are sustainable. This work is ongoing, as we learn more about these ecosystems and the requirements for their conservation, and we refine our practices as research identifies new and better ways to manage them.

What about old growth?

Following the recent Commonwealth-Tasmanian forests agreement, over 1 million hectares of old growth will be permanently protected in conservation reserves. This is a significant conservation achievement by any measure. While small areas of old growth will continue to be available for timber harvesting, it is important to understand the value that these larger trees have for our sawmilling and veneer industries. Again, it is a question of balance and compromise. In this case I believe the balance has been well weighted towards conservation.

Is there room for more improvement?

Of course. The virtue of Christian humility teaches us always to be open to new and better ideas and ways of doing things. It is often said that sustainability is not a destination, but a journey. Our human institutions and systems are necessarily imperfect. We often do not achieve the outcomes we aspire to, and there will always be new things to learn that will help us improve. Forestry is no different from any other endeavour in this regard. However, I believe we must be pro-active in seeking out these opportunities for improvement.

In my own organisation, Forestry Tasmania, we do this through a commitment to scientific research, and the concept of continuous improvement, which is a cornerstone of the ISO standard and the Australian Forestry Standard under which we operate. I remain confident that future generations of Tasmanians will continue to have a wide range of options for their State forests and be able to enjoy a diverse range of environmental, social and economic benefits from them.

Dr Hans Drielsma is pictured in the Southern Forests, on a recent trip with Bishop John.

	The Anglican Church in Tasmania Search
	a healthy church...transformingLIFE
	Home About Contact us News Issues Parishes Prayer Calendar Youth Resources

				August 2005

		Christians in the forests Dr Hans Drielsma is Executive General Manager for Forestry Tasmania and is a member of St Mary's Cathedral Parish where he and his wife sing in the choir each Sunday. Sheelagh Wegman discussed the connection between his Christian journey and his professional work. Sheelagh: Hans, what does it mean to you to be a Christian working in the often contentious forest industry? Hans Drielsma: In much recent forests debate in Tasmania, including that within the Christian churches, I detect a notable absence of any reflection on the genuine Christian people who are involved in the stewardship of our forests, and who seek to deal with the complexities of sustainable forestry so that our environmental, social and economic needs are met in a way that reflects true social justice and equity for all. This includes understanding the degree to which our regional communities, often reflecting the less well off segments of our society, benefit from the employment generated from our forests. Fundamentally, I believe it is a question of stewardship, of maintaining respect for a wide range of competing values which different people hold, and a focus on appropriate compromise and balance in how we manage our forests. For human communities to just survive on earth, let alone achieve a reasonable standard of living, requires us to grow food, produce materials and fibres for clothing and shelter, and clear areas to live on. This requires compromise every day of our lives between the preservation and exploitation of nature. It is never a question of whether or not, it is simply a question of how. In this there are few absolutes…it is always a question of balance. Given the strength of the debate there seems to be a perception that it is harder to find this balance in the forests. Do you get a sense of that? Perhaps…although it ought not to be the case. Forest management is potentially one of the most benign forms of land management. On a sustainable basis, i.e. when the rate of harvest is consistent with growth, and when soils and biodiversity are maintained, it is far more benign than agriculture, mining and urban development. How does forest management in Tasmania compare to the rest of the world? This is always a difficult question. I have had the opportunity to study forestry in many parts of the world, and I know that we do it as well here as anywhere; if not better. In forest conservation alone we lead most parts of the world, with about 45% of our native forests in conservation reserves. The international benchmark is about 10%. That is not to say we do not have a lot to learn from other countries…we do. But equally they can, and do, learn a lot from us. There is the big question: Is Tasmanian forestry sustainable? This is a key question and again, links with the Christian ideal of stewardship. Sustainability is a key element of the balance and compromise we must seek to achieve. The main criteria are whether we are maintaining the area of forest and only harvesting at a rate consistent with its growth, whether we are maintaining the suite of plants and animals that live in our forests, whether we are maintaining the soils and water. There are as many answers to this question as there are individual forest owners in Tasmania…although I am satisfied that the regulatory systems in place through the independent Forests Practices Authority ensure that these matters are being dealt with.. I have personally overseen the implementation of an environmental management system for Forestry Tasmania, which has been certified to the international ISO standard, as well as having our forests certified under the Australian Forestry Standard. Our annual Sustainable Forest Management Report reports on the full range of sustainability criteria. I see this as a key element in public accountability and transparency. We continually hear about our forests being destroyed. What is your response to that? The only real issue here is to do with permanent forest clearing. About half of Tasmania is forested, compared to the natural level of two-thirds at the time of European settlement. The clearing has mainly been for agricultural and urban lands, although in recent times there has been some clearing for forest plantations. Again it is a question of balance. While there continues to be debate about any land-clearing, recent government decisions mean that broadscale clearing will be phased out in the coming years. Close to half of Tasmania with still remain with natural forest cover. Again, there is the issue of stewardship here. While native forest harvesting is often portrayed as destroying the forest, these areas are being regenerated back to natural forest. Much scientific work has gone into ensuring that our regeneration practices reproduce functioning natural ecosystems, and our harvest levels are sustainable. This work is ongoing, as we learn more about these ecosystems and the requirements for their conservation, and we refine our practices as research identifies new and better ways to manage them. What about old growth? Following the recent Commonwealth-Tasmanian forests agreement, over 1 million hectares of old growth will be permanently protected in conservation reserves. This is a significant conservation achievement by any measure. While small areas of old growth will continue to be available for timber harvesting, it is important to understand the value that these larger trees have for our sawmilling and veneer industries. Again, it is a question of balance and compromise. In this case I believe the balance has been well weighted towards conservation. Is there room for more improvement? Of course. The virtue of Christian humility teaches us always to be open to new and better ideas and ways of doing things. It is often said that sustainability is not a destination, but a journey. Our human institutions and systems are necessarily imperfect. We often do not achieve the outcomes we aspire to, and there will always be new things to learn that will help us improve. Forestry is no different from any other endeavour in this regard. However, I believe we must be pro-active in seeking out these opportunities for improvement. In my own organisation, Forestry Tasmania, we do this through a commitment to scientific research, and the concept of continuous improvement, which is a cornerstone of the ISO standard and the Australian Forestry Standard under which we operate. I remain confident that future generations of Tasmanians will continue to have a wide range of options for their State forests and be able to enjoy a diverse range of environmental, social and economic benefits from them.		Dr Hans Drielsma is pictured in the Southern Forests, on a recent trip with Bishop John.