Conservationists want better tree blasting guidelines
Conservationists want better tree blasting guidelines
20 March 2008
published by www.abc.net.au
Tasmania, Australia — The Wilderness Society has called for forestry procedures to be tightened after a bushfire in Tasmania’s south-west caused by tree blasting.
Fire fighters are still working to contain the fire, which has burned about 20 hectares of bush between Strathgordon and Mount Field and is a kilometre from the World Heritage Area.
Forestry Tasmania says the blaze started during the removal of dead standing trees using explosives.
The Society’s Geoff Law says the trees should not be removed at all.
“But if they are going to blow them up for safety reasons – because they can be very hazardous things to cut down with a chain-saw – if they are going to blow them up then the guidelines need to be tightened,” he said.
“Because this is not the only example of a fire being started by blasting recently.”
