>Natural forests have many uses and can be managed for multiple-use. Even >plantations of exotic or natural species have many uses and can be managed >to take advantage of them. Eucalypt plantations in Australia, for example, >continue to provide unpolluted water, modify water table levels, are used >for picnic and recreation sites, provide habitat for many native animals >(even koalas are NOT worried by the trees being planted in rows etc), as >well as providing fibre for paper production or wood for other potential >products. > >Cris Brack, While I agree with much of what is in this e-mail, I have to take exception to the comments about wildlife habitats. Sure koalas can live in mature plantation eucalypts, but where do they live between crops and while the trees are too small to provide food and protection? To provide continuous koala habitat you would need such a mosaic of age classes that I am sure the Australian forest industry would not cooperate. There are also many native birds and animals that rely on dead and damaged trees, that do not occur in plantations, for their habitat. In Australia we need plantation forestry to allow conservation of native forest, not as a replacement for it. ****************************************************** Charlie Bell Phone 06-2818324 (International) +616-2818324 CSIRO Fax 06-2818312 (International) +616-2818312 Division of Forestry E-mail charlie.bell@cbr.for.csiro.au PO Box 4008 QVT Canberra ACT 2600 Australia ******************************************************
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