Media Release:
23/07/2010
Australia has a huge opportunity to reduce carbon emissions through protecting native forests
Prime Minister Julia Gillard's statement on climate change fails to recognize the urgent need for
climate action.
A quick, low-cost and community-supported means of making deep cuts to Australia’s Greenhouse
emissions is by protecting native forests, The Wilderness Society said today.
"Australia could significantly reduce carbon emissions and increase its current international
commitments by protecting native forests." said Virginia Young, spokesperson for the Wilderness
Society.
Research from the Fenner School of Environment and Society at ANU in 2008 found that around 9.3
billion tonnes of carbon can be stored in the 14.5 million hectares of natural eucalypt forests in
south-east Australia if they are left undisturbed.
“Protecting native forests would help Australia go beyond its commitment at Copenhagen to reduce
carbon emissions by 5%. Few people are aware that Australia has some of the most carbon dense
native forests in the world. In the Styx Valley in Tasmania for example, forests can store 1,400
tonnes of carbon in a single hectare(1). When we log, woodchip and convert native forests to paper
most of the previously stored carbon is released into the atmosphere within 3 years (2).
“We have massive opportunity here to reduce Australia’s overall carbon emissions by protecting our
natural environment.
“And, we can do it now,” Virginia Young from the Wilderness Society said.
For more information please call Adrian Dodd on 0401726476
References:
(1) Dean C, Roxburgh S, Mackey B 2003 ‘Growth modeling of Eucalyptus Regnans, carbon
accounting at the landscape scale’, Australian National University
(2) Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Australia 2004 ‘Australia’s State of the Forests
Report, 2003’
NEWS 
