PROFESSIONAL foresters are saying much of the debate around forest management is unnecessary.
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Chair of the WA division of the Institute of Foresters of Australia (IFA) and professional forester John Clarke stressed the IFA was not part of any government agenda and worked purely for the health and wellbeing of forests.
He was disappointed in what he believed to be the "myth-making" by conservation activists and protesters.
"There are 2.4 million hectares of native forest in the South West," he said. "Approximately 65 per cent cannot be harvested, leaving 35 per cent available for timber production on a sustainable basis."
He said logging was not widespread and occurred on a needs basis.
"It amazes all the IFA members how much fuss is being made of the approximately 0.5 per cent of total forest mass which is harvested each year," Mr Clarke said.
He said logged forests were regenerated and protestors needed to understand what little was logged was done to produce products humans needed.
"I guess it is just that some people cannot handle a tree being felled, just like some people find it hard to witness or think about cattle, pigs, chooks or fish being killed," Mr Clarke said.
Mr Clarke said Western Australians were rightly pleased much of the old growth was reserved from timber harvesting.
However, he said many of the forest now much admired by residents and tourists were not all old growth.
"The Boranup forest, now a national park, isn't old growth," he said.
"The forest we admire is 100 per cent regrowth.
"It was clear-felled late in the 19th century, a testament to the regenerative power of our native forests.
"Many areas of forest are similar. Consider the magnificent jarrah regrowth forests stretching through Kirup and Balingup, Bridgetown and Nannup.
"These forests have been harvested for timber on more than one occasion."
He argued fauna and flora were adaptable to change. Despite what conservationists said about the threats to endangered species such as numbats and cockatoos, Mr Clarke said no species had been lost.
"Plots examined 40 years after disturbance show biodiversity is indistinguishable from virgin forest," he said.
He said 5000 people were employed in the social and economic fabric generated by the timber industry.
He refuted threats to species in forests sectionally logged such as Warrup, Hester, Yabberup and Arcadia.
"The real threats to our species are well known," he said. "Habitat loss happens when forest is permanently cleared, not when it is sustainably harvested.
"Foxes and cats are the predators, not chainsaws."
He said the real issue was climate change and everyone should focus on this.
"The option of doing nothing in the face of climate change will be a death sentence to many of our unique species," he said.
He said protestors needed to drop the 'antics' and engage in conversation.
"The mantra needs to be commonsense alongside good science," he said.
