Less than two months from the next election, the Queensland Labor Government has vowed to establish a Greater Glider Forest Park after Leanne Linard, the State’s Environment Minister, announced that 54,000 hectares of forests in the southeast will be set aside for habitat – with 7,400 hectares to be used as an offset for the controversial Borumba Pumped Hydro project.
“This Government has committed a record $262.5 million over four years to grow our protected areas—the single most significant investment of its kind in Queensland’s history, according to Ms Linard, the State’s Minister for the Environment, the Great Barrier Reef, Science and Innovation.
Since 2015, around 1.88 million hectares of land has been added to the protected area system, increasing from 13.1 million hectares to almost 15 million hectares protected.
Leanne Linard, Queensland’s Minister for the Environment, Minister for the Great Barrier Reef, and Minister Science and Innovation on Friday, the 30th of August 2024.
Wood Central understands that the Greater Glider Forest Park areas will expand and link existing but fragmented protected areas near Conondale National Park in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland northward to Cordalba National Park (near Childers) to conserve core Greater Glider habitat.
The commitment comes after Wood Central revealed that Steven Miles, Queensland’s Premier and Cameron Dick, Treasurer, will invest $200m as part of the 30-year Queensland Sustainable Timber Industry Framework.
“I know how important Queensland’s timber industry is to our state’s housing and building sectors,” said Bruce Saunders, Assistant Minister for Train Manufacturing, Regional Development and Jobs: “That’s why the Miles Labor Government is supporting timber workers and the industry in continuing to build our state while increasing our protected area estate.”
“The terms of reference we released in June mapped out our priorities as a government, including environmental protections,” he said, “a Greater Glider Forest Park is an important step towards supporting this iconic endangered species, the forestry industry and sustainable development.”
The Queensland Government’s $200m timber hand
Under the new Queensland Sustainable Timber Industry Framework, the government will invest in expanding plantation resources, ramping up private native forestry education and extension services, subsidising state and crown land forest harvesting across the state to meet supply levels and developing accreditation and certification services – helping timber from private forests enter supply chains.
According to a statement provided by the Premier’s office, the new Framework will be in place by mid-2025 (after the next election). It will be finalised subject to support from a stakeholder advisory group.
- To learn more about the Queensland Sustainable Timber Industry Framework, the terms of reference and the $200m support package, visit the Queensland Cabinet and Ministerial Directory.
