2019-05-07 Planning & Environment Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                           7 MAY 2019


HQPlantations is in the process of planning its harvesting of the Yurol forest. This will commence
in July this year and last for approximately 6 months. The entire Yurol pine forest (located on the
southern side of Yurol Forest Drive) will be harvested at that time. This will impact on Track 7 of
the Noosa Trail network which will need to be closed in that section for that six-month period
(further details below).

HQPlantations have been outstanding to deal with in this project. They have ensured that their
harvest contractors are taking particular care to leave as much native understory as possible
which will maximise the natural regeneration on the former pine plantation areas.

7     Harvesting of some hardwood area by Department of Forestry

Outside of the Plantation Licence Areas, there are a number of hardwood plantations areas
which, by agreement, the Department of Forestry plans to remove. These are primarily Gympie
Messmate plantations which create mono-cultures that don’t allow native forest to regenerate.
There are good environmental reasons why this hardwood should be removed and all parties are
in agreement in that regard.

The Department of Forestry have 5 years to finalise the harvesting of any of this hardwood area
and again, it is quite likely that most of this will be completed before that five-year period (there is
one block that may not be done until the fifth year).

The Department of Forestry propose to commence removal of some of this hardwood in the next
few months beginning with the hardwood block on the southern side of the railway in Yurol forest.
They will progressively move through other Gympie Messmate areas. The Department of
Forestry is also coordinating with HQPlantations to ensure where they are working in similar
localities, they are sharing information and coordinating regarding traffic management etc.

Council has no remediation obligations for any of these hardwood areas.

8     Communication

The Transition Committee has been developing a community engagement plan as the harvesting
areas will have more impact in the next two to three years, particularly in the Yurol locality around
Pomona. There will be impact on public access to some areas as a result of harvesting of both
pine areas by HQP and hardwood areas by Department of Forestry contractors.

Part of Trail 7 will be closed for up to 6 months as it passes directly through the Yurol Pine Forest
area. Other parts of Trail 7 and part of Trail 8 also pass through some of the hardwood areas
that will be harvested by the Department of Forestry. Shared messaging and support with
signage is being managed through the Transition Committee. Some of the key messaging
includes:
 Both HQP and Department of Forestry contractors have sustainable harvesting practice
   guidelines that they follow. This includes wildlife surveys prior to commencement of harvest
   and also wildlife spotters while the harvest is taking place.
 Harvesting of the pine areas and some hardwood areas in the short term is part of a larger
   environmental project to ultimately create more national park areas in the long term.
 Significant parts of Trail 7 (and part of Trail 8) will need to be closed to the public for safety
   reasons while harvesting is occurring.
 Traffic management plans are being put in place to minimise the impact of forestry trucks on
   local traffic.

Council is taking a central role in the Transition Committee to assist in the provision of
information to our community with support from the other project partners.

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