Glossary

Clearing

The Forest Practices Act 1985 defines clearing as the removal or destruction (by cutting, pushing down, burning or any other means) of native trees, and any seedlings, shrubs or woody plants that have the potential to grow to a height of five metres or more. The controls include forest species planted for wood production but do not include other introduced species such as those planted for agricultural or amenity purposes (e.g. willows).

Conservation covenant

A binding covenant on existing and subsequent owners that travels with the title, where the Minister considers it necessary or desirable to do so for conservation purposes.

Co-regulation in the forest practices system

The combination of forest industry self-management and government regulation.

Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment (DPIPWE)

The Tasmanian Government department charged with managing the state's natural resources.

Development Application (local government)

An application for a development to be considered for approval under the local council planning scheme.

Endangered

Distribution has contracted to less than 10% of original range, or less than 10% of original area remaining, or 90% of area is in small patches and is subject to threatening processes.

Forest

Forest is an area containing trees (Forest Practices Act 1985).

Forest operations

Planting trees, managing trees before they are harvested, harvesting forest products and any related land clearing, land preparation, burning-off, access construction or transport operation.

Forest Practices Code

The Forest Practices Code provides a set of guidelines and standards to ensure reasonable protection of the natural and cultural values of the forest during forest practices.

Forest Practices Officer (FPO)

FPOs are employed either by forest owners or the forest industry to prepare and supervise FPPs. They are trained, authorised, directed and monitored by the FPA. Selected FPOs are authorised to certify FPPs.

Forest Practices Plan (FPP)

FPPs contain prescriptions and a map detailing how the planned operations will be conducted. FPPs must be consistent with the Forest Practices Code and be certified by a FPO before work starts.

Forest Practices Tribunal

An independent body established under s.34 of the Forest Practices Act 1985 that conducts hearings and make determinations with respect to appeals that are lodged by aggrieved parties.

Forest practices

Harvesting and regenerating native forest, harvesting and establishing plantations, clearing forests for other purposes, constructing roads and quarries for the above purposes, harvesting tree ferns, (Forest Practices Act 1985).

Sustainable Timber Tasmania (STT)

The Government Business Enterprise charged with managing state forest.

Native forest

Any naturally occurring forest community containing the full complement of native species and habitats normally associated with that community, or having the potential to develop these characteristics.

Permanent Forest Estate

Set up through the Regional Forest Agreement in 1997 to maintain an extensive and permanent native forest estate on both private and public land in Tasmania.

Permanent Timber Production Zone  

The Forest Management Act 2013 changed the classification 'State forest' to be Permanent Timber Production Zone Land (PTPZL).

Planning scheme (local government )

A set of maps covering the planning scheme area that show the zoning of land and an ordinance that defines the criteria by which development applications will be assessed.

Plantation

Established by planting in the process of afforestation or reforestation.

Private Forest Reserves Program (PFRP)

A voluntary scheme to help protect Tasmania's native forests on private land.

Private forest

Forest on land owned by a private landholder or company.

Private Forests Tasmania (PFT)

Private Forests Tasmania is a Tasmanian Government authority established under the Private Forests Act 1994 to promote the development of private forestry in Tasmania.

Private Timber Reserve (PTR)

An area of private land that must be used only for forestry. Forest practices in PTRs do not require approval from the local Council but do need a certified FPP. PTRs give landowners long-term security that they will be able to harvest their timber in the future.

Property in the forest practices system

A single property is any land recorded as one valuation on the valuation roll under section 23(1) of the Land Valuation Act 1971.

Rare

Total range generally less than 10 000 ha, or total area generally less than 1000 ha, or patch size generally less than 100 ha.

Regional Forest Agreement (RFA)

An agreement between the Tasmanian and Australian governments in 1997 which established around 40% of State forest as reserves and set up a complementary management system for forests outside reserves

Resource Planning and Development commission (RPDC)

Oversees the state's planning system, and state of the environment reporting, assesses public land use issues and projects of State significance, and reviews water management plans

Resource Management and Planning Appeals Tribunal (RMPAT)

An independent statutory body set up under the Resource Management and Planning Appeal Tribunal Act 1993.

Self-management in the forest practices system

The forest industry's self-management is delivered by the FPOs who are employed within the industry to plan, supervise and monitor forest practices.

State forest

Forest on state land which has been designated multiple-use forest by Parliament.

Table of Use (local government)

A provision found under each zone that sets out the policy for permitted and discretionary use in that zone.

Tree

(a) any woody plants with a height or potential height of 5 metres or more, whether or not living, dead, standing or fallen, that are native to Tasmania or introduced into Tasmania and used for the processing or harvesting of timber; and (b) tree ferns.

Vulnerable land

Land which is within a streamside reserve, is steep, is very erodible, contains threatened species, contains karst (limestone or dolomite) soils, contains areas of reserved forest or contains rare, vulnerable or endangered forest communities.

Vulnerable

Approaching greater than 70% loss (depletion), or forest communities where threatening processes have caused loss or significant decline in species that play a major role within the ecosystem or significant alteration to ecosystem processes.

Zone (local government)

An area or district shown on the plans where particular land use policies and standards apply.