The professional challenge of balancing sustained wood production and ecosystem conservation in the native forests of south-eastern Australia

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Summary The forestry profession is under siege from an increasingly aware society motivated by deep concern over the possible environmental effects of logging native forests. The profession lacks the confidence and trust of the wider community. Consequently, forest management and related land-use decisions are surrounded by controversy, conflict, confusion and confrontation. This paper describes the challenge to the profession, its focus on native forest management, its political and scientific setting in south-eastern Australia, and the potentially pivotal importance to a besieged profession of recent co-operative research initiatives. Co-operative action is required if the forestry profession is to win the challenge of balancing sustained wood production and ecosystem conservation in the native forests of south-eastern Australia. In particular, the profession should initiate, and expedite, an open investigation of the adequacy of resources (people, operating funds and organisational arrangements) presen...