Australia’s forest scientists have objected to the Federal Government’s decision to list Alpine Ash and White Ash forests as endangered — objections that a committee established by the Australian Government to determine threatened species dismissed, ignoring the good science on sustainable forest management.
Today, Forestry Australia President Dr Michelle Freeman — whose organisation represents more than 1,100 forest scientists, managers and growers — said the body’s concern is not with the need to conserve Alpine Ash forests, but rather in ensuring any policy supports the active management these forests need.
“These forests face real risks, particularly from repeated fire and climate change,” Freeman said. “Responding effectively requires the best available science, genuine engagement with those who manage these landscapes, and a practical pathway for restoration and resilience-building at scale.”
Freeman said the listing — which took effect on 20 March 2026 under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act — must not constrain the actions most critical to Alpine Ash survival.
“The future of Alpine Ash forests will not be secured through listing alone. It will depend on whether we enable timely, well-designed management actions such as restoration, seed collection, regeneration support, strategic fuel management, road access, hazardous tree treatment where needed, and long-term monitoring.”
Forestry Australia had previously called for fuller engagement with State land management agencies, Traditional Owners, and forest scientists with direct expertise in Alpine Ash ecology, silviculture, and restoration — with Freeman suggesting that public land managers, Traditional Owner groups, researchers, and communities need clarity on how the listing will operate in practice: “We must avoid creating settings where necessary management becomes slower, more uncertain or more difficult to implement in practice,” she said.
95 per cent of Alpine Ash forests existed before European settlement.
Today, Diana Hallam, CEO of the Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) questioned the scientific basis of the listings. “This decision raises serious questions about the evidence presented to the Minister, as the science does not support the listings,” she said. “It’s very disappointing that the Threatened Species Scientific Committee has ignored the feedback from highly respected forest scientists, with the final declaration simply replicating the initial consultation documents.”
iInstead the peak body for Australia’s $23 billion forest products industry cited the DCCEEW’s own Draft Conservation Advice for Alpine Ash forests of mainland Australia — released for public consultation in December 2024 — which recorded that less than 5 per cent of Alpine Ash forest distribution has been lost since 1750, leaving approximately 95 per cent of pre-settlement communities intact across a 720,000-hectare range throughout south-eastern Australia.
“Experts responding to the consultation process were quite unequivocal in their feedback, asserting that the Alpine Ash species was not at risk of extinction given its very large, intact distribution and the species’ resilience following fire,” she said, adding that the vast majority of Alpine Ash communities already sit inside protected areas — warning that a minimalist approach by conservation agencies to fire preparation in those jurisdictions would leave Alpine Ash at even greater risk.
“Ultimately, both the White Ash and Alpine Ash species are at greatest risk from fire, and we fear the decision to list both is likely to lead to worse outcomes for these communities and ecosystems,” Hallam said, adding that the future of Australia’s Ash forests depends on active management — including seed collection and prescribed burning.
- To learn more about the revised Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act and the role that Australia’s commitment to 30 x 30 could play in deciding the future of the country’s native hardwood industry, click here for Wood Central’s special feature from Thursday, 1st of April 2026.
