1. business and industrial
2. agriculture and forestry
3. forestry

A PUBLICATION OF THE INSTITUTE OF FORESTERS OF AUSTRALIA
APRIL 2015
F E AT U R I N G :
ANZIF conference news
Congratulate new Fellows
Member profile Ruth Ryan
Forestry pioneers – Swain and Le Gerche
Forestry education updates
2
Updated 14 April 2015:
National President
Rob de Fégely
Board of Directors
Stuart Davey, ACT
Lachlan McCaw, WA
Bob Gordon, TAS
Neil Byron
Hans Drielsma
Hilary Smith
Chief Executive Officer (Acting)
Bob Gordon
Chief Operating Officer
Sarah Paradice
Contents
page
2
In my Opinion Rob de Fégely
3
Editor’s Notes – Invitation for Articles
Denis O’Bryan
5
ANZIF Conference summary Rod Keenan
7
ANZIF Conference resolution Rod Keenan
8
ACT and Qld Divisions News & Events
9
An overview of kauri pines emphasising
Queensland species D. Garth Nikles
11
Recently awarded Fellow memberships
IFA Secretariat
17 A baptism of fire in the forestry industry –
Ruth Ryan Liz de Fegely
Contact
PO Box 576
Crows Nest NSW 1585
P: 02 9431 8670
F: 02 9431 8677
E: [email protected]
www.forestry.org.au
18 A pioneer forester memorialised Peter Fagg
Patricia Chew
All submissions
As above
The Forester is a newsletter published by
the Institute of Foresters of Australia.
Advertising and sales enquiries should
be directed to [email protected].
19 John La Gerche – the back story Denis
O’Bryan
21 A Faustian Bargain? Terry Beath
24 A Tribute to E.H.F. Swain P.V. Holzworth
25 Edward Swain – the back story Denis
O’Bryan
26 Vale Emil Peter Johnston
28 University of Melbourne News
Gerd Bossinger
29 ANU News Cris Brack
The views expressed in this publication and
in any inserts are not necessarily those of
the Editor nor The Institute of Foresters of
Australia.
Registered by Print Post
Publication No. PP299436/00103
ISSN 1444-8920
Design & desktop publishing:
Philippa Lawrence, Sprout Design
Cover photo: A mature stand of Corsican
Pine (Pinus nigra) along the La Gerche Track.
The understorey is mainly Irish Strawberry
(Arbutus unedo). Photo by Peter Fagg.
In my opinion
Rob de Fégely, President of the Institute of Foresters of Australia
8TH ANZIF CONFERENCE – ‘BEYOND TENURE –
MANAGING FORESTS ACROSS THE LANDSCAPE’
Creswick April 14-15 2015.
I was deeply moved by the diversity of age and forest management
experience that made up the nearly 300 delegates that attended the
8th ANZIF conference at Creswick on the 14th and 15th of April.
The spread of experience from Australian, New Zealand and
international forest managers, researchers and students working in
urban forests to plantations and National Parks created a wonderful
web of ideas, contacts and concepts to improve not only forest
management in Australia but also around the world.
A message from His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales urged
delegates to think not only about the conference theme of ‘Beyond Tenure’ but to embrace the
world and assist those countries less fortunate than us to achieve sustainable management of their
forests. This was a very timely reminder that tenure and national and international boundaries are
artificial and our forests are natural systems that are oblivious to these human constructs but they
need our management expertise to ensure their survival and the life that depends on them to survive
in perpetuity.
Professor Ross Garnaut reminded us that we are entering a new era where developed countries are
running out of economic steam and one of our great challenges is to lift the living standards of the
billion people on earth who still live in abject poverty. Newly industrialised countries like China he
mentioned will be a critical part of our future as will increasing development in continents like Africa.
Professor Kerry Arabena reminded us of the challenges confronting our Indigenous communities
and their strong interaction with their forests, of which they own or manage 30% of the Australian
forest estate. She challenged us to articulate a shared value with Indigenous people by incorporating
their songlines and dreaming tracks to develop a truly shared vision for forest management in
Australia.
The wonderful autumn weather seemed on queue to allow delegates to contemplate some of the key
messages from the two days that included: there are 2 billion hectares around the world that could
be planted to trees without any loss of agricultural production, if you increase the crown cover in an
urban environment you can lower the temperature by 4 degrees and are we happy that Australia as
the third most forested country in the world on a per capita basis, remains a net importer of forest
products particularly from countries that have far less forest than we have?
3
INTRODUCTION
Editor’s Notes –
Invitation for articles
Denis O’Bryan
Alison recently invited me to take over from her as editor. I said OK, it
will be a bit of fun. She said it is fun when you don’t have to chase articles.
Don’t worry, I said, I will stir them up. She said good luck with that. We
thank her for her past work in IFA and wish her well in her CEO role at On
Track Business.
This edition includes entrees into some great stories from past foresters, thanks to the two Peter’s.
But we need to hear a lot more. I am hoping to tap into the pool of talent and experience out there,
to inspire us all. Why? Because inspired forestry people make forestry relevant, make it part of the
solution and make things happen to improve life and environment for our population.
This is why I fleshed out the Swain and Le Gerche stories. I wasn’t familiar with them, but they show
how foresters made things happen, from the top level to the grass roots level. They had a vision,
addressed problems, found solutions, had struggles and made achievements. Along the way, they
were troublesome to the bureaucracy and the politicians and their peers. But they made forestry
relevant and they made a difference. They were not aware they were making history. They simply
identified the problems and applied forestry principles to fix them. But we know they made history.
So get active and you will get into the Australian dictionary of Biography or your local town will make
a memorial of you. So let’s have a bit of fun as we make our great forestry profession relevant again.
Let’s get controversial but stay professional with the best arguments. Read Rob’s presidential note
about the inspirational conference. We will help him turn ideas into action.
This is a call for your stories and thoughts - academics, researchers, field foresters, retired
members, current and past administrators. I encourage you to communicate you ideas and
thoughts and stories about forestry stuff. Particularly the field guys.
Why the field guys? Because you are at the coal face, you make decisions and you solve problems,
but you have no publication to make your story known. But your story is important. This is how
I see it. I have been a field forestry manager and a head office forestry manager. I have not been
a professional researcher but I rely on their work as a back up. The researchers are experts in the
subject of their research, which is sometimes narrow and they publish it in a scientific journal like
Australian Forestry. But I find they are reluctant to venture written opinions beyond their expertise.
So often, the forestry manager has to make decisions without scientific back up. I want you guys to
share your stories, your successes and your failures. Let us share your story – tell us the problem,
your theory, your solution, your struggle, your outcome (success or failure).
A few other things to think about:
(1) I am dismayed how media savvy and lobby savvy adversaries are still
trying to crush forestry in Victoria and other states as we go about our work
honestly. Their claims are false and they have gone unchallenged for too long.
A couple of examples:
• Leadbeater possums are nearly extinct, they live in mountain ash regrowth, therefore ban logging. Not
so. When I was in Fisheries and Wildlife, I was only on the fringes of this push but I could not
believe that the content of “expert” reports and recommendations was being accepted without
scrutiny. • Foresters are in bed with loggers. Not so. If anything, loggers are in bed with politicians and
field foresters are holding the line but the adversaries do not let truth get in the way of a juicy
accusation. A personal story illustrates this. I arrived at a new District and the first thing a
colourful local sawmiller said to me was this – I am here to get away with what I can. I said – well
John, I am here to make sure you don’t.
Maybe we should have exposed their anti-human philosophy earlier– that Nature is pure and
wholesome and humans are intruders and anti nature, and that flora and fauna welfare is higher
value than human welfare – or similar. Anyone who understands ecology knows real life Nature is
mercilessly brutal and selfish, eg, hide or be eaten, run faster or be eaten, grow more roots to suck
more water and destroy your neighbour. Anyone with any knowledge of evolution, which is also
Nature, knows that humans are number 1 on the adaptation to environment scale and that they can
do what other similar animals can do, but they bring a fair bit more to the table - thinking, justice,
compassion, planning for future (which includes conservation of habitat dependent flora and fauna).
(2) Swain’s legacy was the foundation he established. He was a forester in
charge of forestry. That is becoming more uncommon. Departments and
big businesses are now run by professional administrators. Foresters have to
contend with competing voices – they are just one of many pressure groups.
• Within the public service, they are specialists hired to do a specialist job according to approved
plans that are consistent with the policies of the political party that most electors voted for.
• Within a business, they are specialists hired to do a specialist job according to approved plans
that are consistent with the Board’s objectives that will achieve adequate ROI for shareholders
Foresters should get access into all these levels – operations on the ground, plan preparation, policy
development, lobbying, etc. and sell our message of science, skill, experience and common sense.
How do you do this now?
When laws and policies apply or make use of forestry knowledge that is incorrect or misinterpreted,
we should expose them as flawed and lobby to correct them. Do you have any examples or have you
had successes in changing flawed ones?
4
INTRODUCTION
(3) I want to hear from younger foresters. You might be up against a hurdle, or
have some insights and stories.
(4) What is our unique selling point (USP)?
We are the experts on forests and their environment – the trees, the land, the water, the roads, the
boundaries, the flora and fauna and the biodiversity and ecology of forests.
Specifically, we manage the harvesting of forest products, we manage forests for specific harvestable
products, we improve genetic quality of trees for specific purposes, we regenerate forests after logging,
we manage forests for conservation or recreation, we measure the forests, we manage bushfires in
forests, we establish forests on denuded land, we protect forests from pests and diseases and damaging
or illegal activities. Do you agree?
We should set ourselves up to be relevant and influential because we are pro humanity and pro
community and have common sense, logical argument, emotional appeal and scientific accuracy.
We can re-establish ourselves as a solution in positive, humanity-focused, good-for-Australia issues
including sustainable timber supply (but why not self sufficiency and export?), bushfire management
that actually protects people from damage, arrest the decline in biodiversity in national parks, arrest the
decline in rural and regional communities. What are the other areas of concern?
We need to fix Australia up as we help out in other countries. Rob mentioned a few things.
(5) Big vision
Every now and again, a government leader with vision adopts the big ideas because they want to make
history. We should be ready. To get you thinking, I have two that have a forestry tinge. One is to
eliminate the bushfire problem in Australia and export the method to the rest of the world. The other
one is to make Australia drought-proof by redistributing the monsoon water that runs to waste each
year.
Big visions attract big visionaries who usually have deep pockets. Even though our stake in the scheme
might be minor, we are influencing the future of Australia in a positive way and preventing wasteful
investments, eg, Victoria is paying $600M each year in penalties or loans for a completed desal plant
whose water we are not using and do not need.
Here are a few ideas to stimulate your articles for the next few editions of the Forester. Send us your
stories or voice your concerns and achievements by early May for the next Forester.
Send them to IFA or directly to me at [email protected]
Follow up
Nick Cameron’s article last month about poor quality red gum forest management causing a decline
in forest biodiversity and health as well as local population and economy is a symptom of the anti
human philosophy of our adversaries. I spent three years of my career actively helping Districts on the
Victorian side with red gum forest management. Such a big chunk of highly productive red gum forest is
unique in Australia (Barmah – Mathoura) by virtue of a low fault line choking the Murray floods.
The forestry adversaries are wrong to believe that the condition of the forests prior to settlement is
irrelevant to forest management policies today. The pioneers could also ride a horse and cart through
the grassy understorey of beneath the mountain ash and alpine ash giants, and now they are dense
scrubby regrowth we can’t crawl through, but under forestry, they are producing benefits for the locals
and the state.
A guiding policy for local forestry has always been about providing product and benefit to local
community in a sustainable way. It seems management by National Parks has alienated the local
community interests and is leading to a mega area of weed infested fire hazard and rural population
decline. Clearly, our adversaries have won this battle with the politicians and wrested this battleground
from forestry (broad focus) and put Parks (narrow focus) in charge, but without giving much thought to
the consequences.
Why can’t forestry now mount a counter attack with a visionary campaign that will win the war for local
needs and national benefit?
Let’s also look more broadly. I know in Victoria, half of our public land forests are now managed by
National Parks. My personal concern is that they tend to focus on tourism centres, people and vehicle
management and PR at the expense of on-ground biodiversity works, eg, broad area burns. What is
happening in other states? Is there any evidence of improvement or decline in local rural communities
since the change of management from Forestry to Parks? If forests are declining, we should be
concerned.
ANZIF 2015 – GOLD CONFERENCE PARTNER
Do you import or process
timber products?
Legislation to promote the trade in legally logged timber is now law.
If you are a business importing timber or timber products into Australia
or processing domestically grown raw logs, you need to be aware of your
new responsibilities.
From 30 November 2014, you need to undertake due diligence to minimise
the risk that the timber you are importing or processing has been illegally logged.
The department recognises it may take time for some businesses to transition
to the new requirements. For this reason, for the 18 months following the
regulation’s commencement, the department’s focus will be on helping importers
and processors to comply with the regulation requirements.
To find out more visit agriculture.gov.au/illegallogging or call 1800 657 313.
5
IFA NEWS AND EVENTS
Beyond tenure: managing forests across
the landscape
Opening speakers (L-R) Geraint
Richards (Duchy of Cornwall), Prof
Rod Keenan (Chair of Conference
Organising Committee), Senator
Richard Colbeck, Prof Kerry Arabena,
Prof Ross Garnaut, Rob de Fegely
(President of the IFA)
Summary of the 8th Joint Conference of the Institute of Foresters of Australia and the New Zealand
Institute of Forestry (ANZIF), Creswick, Victoria, 13–15 April, 2015
Professor Rod Keenan, Chair of the Conference Organising Committee
From 13-15 April 2015, over 270 professional forest managers, related professionals and students
from across Australia, New Zealand, the Asia Pacific region and beyond descended on Creswick,
Victoria in balmy autumn weather. Smoke from controlled burns lingering in the evening air and calls
of Australian birdlife ringing across the hills provided a fitting environment to explore new horizons
for forestry in the 21st Century.
Kevin Harding (President of Australian Forest
Growers), James Treadwell (President of the
NZ Institute of Forestry) and Rob de Fegely
(President of the IFA) cutting the birthday cake
to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the IFA
Forests and trees provide many benefits for the community: water, biodiversity conservation, scenic
values, agricultural production, timber and firewood, land and soil conservation and jobs in timber
production or tourism. The conference theme was built around the idea that with more active
management across the landscape we can do better at meeting the many expectations that the
community holds for forests and trees.
In opening the conference, Senator Richard Colbeck, Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture in
the Australian Government called for foresters to become more active participants in the national
debate over forests and for the use of science-based knowledge to explore new approaches to forest
management and new innovations in forest products and services. President of the Institute of
Foresters of Australia, Rob de Fegely questioned whether Australia, with one of the highest levels of
forest per capita globally but being a net importer of wood products, was pulling its weight in relation
to international wood supply.
Setting the global scene, keynote speaker Professor Ross Garnaut indicated that we are going
through an unprecedented period of change in the global economy and the global environment.
We have the possibility of achieving universal economic development and sources of capital for
investment are shifting from the developed to the developing world. However, this is coupled
with prospect of unprecedented environmental change, particularly in the global climate system.
Sustaining economic growth without undermining the environment on which we depend will require
a fundamental shift in energy systems and investment in forest-based carbon sinks.
Indigenous health leader, Professor Kerry Arabena, presented a future of forests from an Australian
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspective. Kerry argued for forests as venues for mutual
respect and relationship building. Rather than being places of conflict, forests can become
‘landscapes of reconciliation’ in which we articulate a shared vision for country, built on ideas of
holism from indigenous cultures and exploring different science-based methods of engaging with
forests. Head Forester of the Duchy of Cornwall, Geraint Richards, brought a message from Prince
Charles about the opportunities for international collaboration to improve skills and the status of
forests globally.
Rob de Fegely and Sarah Dickson-Hoyle
winner of the inaugural Ron Hateley
Award for young forester of the year.
Dr Hans Drielsma, NW Jolly Award winner
6
IFA NEWS AND EVENTS
Presenting the Max Jacobs Oration, former Director of Conservation and Land Management in Western
Australia, Dr Syd Shea,focused on the integration of timber plantations with agriculture and conservation
and the potential to utilise residual wood as biochar for soil improvement and carbon storage. He argued
that there was a ‘harmonic convergence’ in the growing international demand for wood fibre, new products
and new forest growing technologies, expanding capital savings in sovereign wealth funds, pension and
superannuation funds and the need for land rehabilitation. These can be brought together to restore forest
functions at landscape and regional scales.
Other leading speakers at the conference included Dr Tint Lwin Thaung, Director General of the
international Centre for People and Forests based in Bangkok, who addressed the challenges of climate
change, illegal logging and trade, reforestation and effective forest governance in the 18 percent of the
world’s forests in the Asia Pacific region and the need for professional foresters with skills in stakeholder
engagement, business management and leadership.
Former Head of Fire Management in the US Forest Service, Jerry Williams, gave an impassioned plea to
rethink forest fire management in response to megafires. Despite more and more funds being spent on
fire suppression in the western USA, larger areas are being burnt each year, more houses and even whole
towns are being destroyed and experienced fire fighters are losing their lives. The solution lies in treating fire
as a land management problem – anticipating future risks, reducing fuels and managing people to behave
differently in fire prone parts of the landscape.
In cross-cutting panel sessions on ‘transforming thinking’, ‘resilient systems, ‘market-based approaches and
‘community-based approaches’, there was active discussion around the conference theme. Presentation
sessions ranged across indigenous forest and land management, international forestry, carbon forestry,
urban forestry, integrating forests and agriculture, forests products supply chains, innovation, markets and
certification, forest fire management and conserving forest biodiversity across the landscape.
Drs Andrew McEwen (NZ, L) and Don Gilmour (Australia,
R) winners of the Commonwealth Forestry Association
Regional Foresters Awards
ANU forestry students Anna Reboldi
(L) and Ruslin Richards (R)
Dr Tint Lwin Thaung
(Director General of
RECOFTC, the Centre
for People and Forests in
Bangkok)
Wrapping up the conference final keynote speakers, Professor Andrew Campbell from Charles Darwin
University spoke about the role for foresters in the transformation required to meet growing global demands
for food and fibre in a changing world and inaugural winner of the Ron Hateley Award for young forester
of the year, Sarah Dickson-Hoyle, looked to the future, focusing on the role of the youth network, IFSA,
and the skills that will be required of the 21st Century forester – with the keys being collaboration, wider
engagement and communication skills.
Other highlights were the presentation of the IFA’s highest award, the NW Jolly medal, to well-known
forester Dr Hans Drielsma and Commonwealth Forestry Association awards to Dr Don Gilmour from
Queensland and Dr Andrew McEwen from New Zealand. In a presentation to the dinner, market researcher
and Planet Ark Board member Howard Parry-Husbands presented positive messages from his research –
that people love trees and forests, love using wood, that foresters are equally as trusted as ENGOs in their
views on forest management.
Participants left with a feeling that future prospects for the profession are bright. Foresters provide the
professional capacity to manage trees across all types of public and private ownerships but we need new
ways of thinking about forest management. Foresters need to stop fighting the battles of the past and focus
on the challenges of a fundamentally different and uncertain future. Designing a new future for forests and
foresters will require imagination and collaboration. Our greatest enemy is public ignorance of the profession
and our role in future forest management and the requirements for active forest management. The challenge
is to take these positive messages from the conference ‘beyond the room’ to the wider community.
Oliver Raymond launching a book
on fire management.
Keith Maplestone and Dr Antanas
Spokevicius (University of Melbourne
at the conference exhibition
7
IFA NEWS AND EVENTS
Institute of Foresters of Australia and New Zealand Institute of Forestry
ANZIF 2015 Conference Resolutions
Professor Rod Keenan Chair of Conference Organising Committee
SUPPORT FOR INDIGENOUS FOREST MANAGEMENT
The conference recognises the traditional rights of Indigenous people to access and care for their
forests and understands the significant potential these forests can make to their environmental,
social and economic development. The Conference notes the substantial number of individual
initiatives and projects and strongly endorses the scientific expertise within the ANZIF network that
can enable these communities and their forests to achieve their potential.
FOREST FIRE MANAGEMENT
That the IFA and the NZIF form a forward looking position in relation to fire, involving a strong focus
on proactive land management mitigation measures balanced against an operational fire response
focus and that both organisations:
•
•
•
•
review current fire-related policies,
endorse the National Bushfire Management Policy Statement for Forests and Rangelands,
endorse the National Research Priorities to 2020 and Beyond for bushfires, and
encourage Australian Federal and state and New Zealand governments to provide adequate
funds to reduce the fire risk which shall reduce the cost of fire response and hence the total
expenditure on fire.
CARBON FORESTRY
The Conference supports the role of forests and forest products in addressing climate change
and acknowledges the Australian Government efforts to facilitate public and private investment
in innovative and flexible carbon forestry activities. Given the profound collapse in research and
development to underpin these initiatives the Conference urges that a component of the Emission
Reduction Fund be allocated to research to support the credibility and evolution of carbon forestry.
FORESTRY WITHOUT BORDERS – ASSISTANCE TO ASIA PACIFIC
COUNTRIES
Consistent with the theme Beyond Tenure and the resolutions from the 2011 ANZIF
conference in Auckland, the 2015 ANZIF Conference considers that sound forest management
should be Beyond Borders and in particular to the Asia Pacific region. The Conference supports
and endorses the work of the Foresters without Borders and their first project to assist Vanuatu
Forestry and the Vanuatu community.
We ask for continued support from ANZIF Members and supporters by donating through
www.chuffed.org/projects/rebuilding-Vanuatu-Forestry
INTEGRATING FORESTS AND AGRICULTURE
Farmers make land management decisions that affect more than 70% of Australia. Much of this
land has been cleared of trees for pasture and cropping. Strategically planted and managed trees and
forests can support agriculture (shade and shelter), underpin the resilience of the farming landscape
(land degradation control), reduce off-farm environmental impacts (improved water quality),
enhance wildlife habitat and diversify farming incomes (e.g. timber, bush foods, carbon payments).
Research and practice suggests that, in many landscapes, as much as 20% of the agricultural
landscape could be planted to trees without having any negative impact on agricultural production.
To help realise this low risk – high return opportunity, forest scientists have much to offer by sharing
their knowledge and practices in the design, management and utilisation of multipurpose forests.
COLLABORATION WITH DUCHY OF CORNWALL TO ENHANCE
SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY WORLDWIDE
We are grateful to His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales for his message of support to the
conference. We resolve to work with His Royal Highness via his representative at the conference,
Geraint Richards (Head Forester, Duchy of Cornwall) to explore opportunities and develop
initiatives in order that our organisations and Institutes - and others such as the Canadian Institute of
Forestry – can work together for the good of international sustainable forest management.
8
IFA NEWS AND EVENTS
ACT DIVISION
QUEENSLAND DIVISION
Annisa Choiriatun
International Day of Forests / IFA 80th-year celebration, Sherwood Arboretum, Qld, 21 March 2015
The ACT Division held a BBQ at University House,
ANU to celebrate International Day of the Forest.
Members were able to meet with forestry students
and member Benjamin Finn gave a presentation on
his recent walk from Victoria to Canberra through the
high country.
Stephen Walker
On 21st March some 30 Queensland
Institute of Foresters (IFA) members
met with family and friends at the
Sherwood Arboretum in Brisbane to
celebrate International Day of Forests.
The event also included celebration
of the Sherwood Arboretum’s 90th
Birthday, the IFA’s 80th year and the
awarding of IFA Fellow Membership to
Ernie Rider.
The Sherwood Arboretum, at Jolimont
St, Sherwood is significant as far as
arboreta are concerned in that it
focuses on native Queensland species,
with over 1000 specimens planted.
The most notable planting is the Sir
Matthew Nathan Avenue of 72 Kauri
pines, some of which were planted
by notable foresters EHF Swain and
V. Grenning. In the 1920’s the then
Forest Service played an important
role in the planning and planting of
the Arboretum, with both Swain and
Grenning local residents at the time.
ANZIF 2015 – SILVER CONFERENCE PARTNERS
As part of the Sherwood Arboretum’s
formal program of the day a memorial
grove of 15 trees was planted. The
IFA, represented by Queensland
Chair Stephen Walker, planted a
narrow-leaved bottle tree (Brachychiton
rupestris) within the memorial grove,
prior to Lord Mayor Cr Graham Quirk
planting a replacement Kauri pine in the
Sir Matthew Nathan Ave.
(left to right): Glenn Dale, Garth Nikles, Bob Thistlethwaite, David Wood, Stephen
Walker (Chair of the Queensland Division), Michael Ngugi, Keith Jennings, Carol Neal,
Kerrie Catchpoole, David Doley (hidden behind Kerrie), Russell Haines, Eric Keady, Len
Sivyer (Deputy Chair of the Queensland Division) and Gary Bacon.
The day also marked a very special occasion for current-day notable forester Ernie Rider
who travelled down from Gympie to be awarded Fellow Membership of the IFA. His
citation highlighted a valued career in the field of forest management, conservation,
botany and landcare. Ernie enjoyed the company of the day with a large family
contingent and the camaraderie of fellow foresters. Ernie’s Fellow certificate was
presented to him by Stephen Walker, Chair of the Queensland Division of the IFA, with
IFA Fellows Gary Bacon and Bob Thistlethwaite in support. The presentation was made
under the Grenning Kauri pine.
Ernie Rider joins Peter Kanowski Senior, David Doley, Gary Bacon, Bob Thistlethwaite,
Keith Jennings, David Gough and David Wood as Fellows of the IFA in Queensland.
Saturday’s event was very ably organised by Kerrie Catchpoole, a local Sherwood resident
and former Chair of the Queensland Division of the IFA. Kerri presented a brief overview
of the history of the Sherwood Arboretum based on material provided by IFA member
John Huth. Legendary Queensland tree breeder Garth Nikles also provided the group
with an informative overview of the significance of the Kauri pine.
The event was very well timed, finishing about half an hour before the heavens opened up
and two inches of rain fell on the the newly planted trees in the memorial grove!
9
IFA NEWS AND EVENTS
An overview of kauri pines emphasising
Queensland species
For International Day of Forests-IFA 80th-year celebration, Sherwood Arboretum, Qld, 21 March 2015
D. Garth Nikles
The name kauri, among others used locally in Asia and the Pacific, is widely applied to species of the
genus Agathis. It derives from the Maori name for the New Zealand species, A. australis. The generic
name is from a Greek word meaning a ball of string, an allusion to the form of the cones. (Thanks to
Ernie Rider for bringing this information to my notice). Agathis is one of the most impressive and one
time commercially valuable tree genera in the world. Most of its species were heavily exploited for
their excellent mature timber and gum.
The Qld smooth-barked kauri (A. robusta ssp robusta), at least, is light demanding and natural
regeneration generally occurs only on rainforest edges and in gaps in the canopy caused, for
example, by cyclones or logging. Keith Gould observed this effect of logging during part of the 1970s
and 1980s on the Windsor Tableland, N Qld where abundant regeneration of kauri pine occurred.
Bill McDonald noted that such regeneration is also associated with most natural stands in SE
Queensland.
The genus occurs from the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia through New Guinea and
Queensland, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji and New Caledonia to New Zealand. The number of
species recognised has varied, e.g. Whitmore 1977 – 13 spp, Farjon 2010 – 17 spp, Wilcox 2009 –
21 spp. Last year, the first fossil species of Agathis discovered outside Australia was described from
Patagonia, Argentina (A. zamunerae). It is thought to date from the Eocene around 55 million years
ago which is much younger than Wollemia nobilis (Wollemi pine) that is dated from the Jurassic
around 160 million years ago. Agathis probably had a Gondwana origin and the oldest may predate
the Eocene. Trees may live for about 800 to maybe 1000 years.
The kauris can reach great heights and diameters. New Zealand kauri is the largest tree species by
volume in that country; the largest recorded specimen measured 8.54m in diameter. In NQ at Lake
Barrine a kauri exceeds 3m in DBHOB. Another, logged in the 1930s, gave five logs totalling 84m3
in under bark volume. When logs were being shipped to Cairns by rail, an upper size limit had to be
set so that the rail wagons would fit through the tunnels on the Kuranda Range. This limit was 22
feet (6.7m) in girth. In SE Qld, ‘Bell’s kauri’ grew near Kin Kin until it was blown down in 1918. It had
a clear bole length of 23.8m, a centre diameter of 1.85m and a calculated volume of 64m3. Peter
Holzworth records a Kin Kin kauri tree of 90m3. Some logs were so large they had to be milled near
Maryborough as wagon loads could not pass through rail tunnels on the Brisbane route.
There has been confusion in the past about the nomenclature of Qld kauris. There are three species
– the smooth-barked Kauri of NE and SE Qld; and the bull kauri and the blue or black kauri of NE
Qld. Bernie Hyland’s 1977 revision of the Australian species formally recognised the following:
A. microstachya (bull kauri) of limited range, e.g. around the Atherton Tableland crater lakes; A.
atropurpurea (blue/black kauri) (distinguished by Bernie as a new species) with a larger range in NE
Qld; and A. robusta (smooth-barked Kauri) incorporating SE Qld and NE Qld forms, the latter
previously known as A. palmerstonii. To complicate or elucidate matters, two ssp of A. robusta are
now recognised (see Farjon 2010) – ssp robusta of Qld, and ssp nesophila of PNG where it occurs in
the Eastern Highlands, Owen Stanley Range and New Britain. The NE Qld form of A. robusta spp
robusta occurs widely in lowland and upland rainforests between the Herbert River near Ingham and
the Big Tableland near Cooktown. According to recent checking mainly by Ian Bevege and Ernie
Rider, the SE Qld form has wide eco-geographical occurrences summarised by Ian as: along the
major waterways of the Wide Bay rivers; in coastal areas from around Hervey Bay to the mouth
of the Mary R; on sand masses of parts of Fraser Island and Cooloola; from Noosa through Kin
Kin to Cooroy and Tinana Ck; and as western outliers at St Mary, Broowena and Woowoonga (NE
of Biggenden). This very highly disjunct distribution of A. robusta in PNG and, in NE and SE Qld
similarly to bunya (Araucaria bidwillii), suggests it is a relict species.
The excellent timber of the Qld kauris gave them many uses in Qld and the southern states where
much was imported. Availability of logs, the last from private lands, dwindled through to the 1990s.
In New Zealand, kauri was also a highly valuable timber. And its gum, that had many local uses and
internationally in the manufacture of varnish, glue and linoleum, was Auckland’s main export in the
second half of the 19th century, sustaining much of the early growth of the city. Between 1850 and
1950, 450,000 tons of kauri gum were exported. In N Qld, kauri gum was harvested from the midto late-1940s.
The good features of A. robusta attracted attention for commercial planting in NE and especially SE
Qld. It had excellent wood quality, tree form and natural branch shedding along with good growth
on suitable sites. Ex Conservator of Forests Vic Grenning stated in 1957 “Every effort is being made
to increase the area of kauri plantations as this species is capable of producing at least 100% more
high-quality, defect-free timber than pruned hoop pine on a rotation of 50 to 60 years, without
any expense of pruning”. By 1964, 780 ha of plantations had been established, 624 ha in the Mary
Valley and 120 ha in N Qld, the rest in the Mackay and other districts.
10
IFA NEWS AND EVENTS
A factor limiting extension of plantations was the unreliable seed supply. This led to attempts to
exploit the fact, noted by Reg Doggrell, that tubed nursery stock can be multiplied from root shoots
obtained by severing roots below the stood-down tube. The several plants obtained as root shoots
from a single seedling comprise a clone. Hence, a small, good stand planted with stock from root
shoots in 1939 in the Mary Valley, shown in my 2009 paper, probably constituted the first clonal
plantation of a native forest tree in Australia. However, from 1959 there was a loss of trees then
whole stands in the Mary Valley plantations due to attack by the native kauri coccid and secondary
insect and fungal pests as documented by Neil Heather and Brian Schaumberg. Control measures
were impractical. Fortunately, most affected areas could be salvaged and were replanted successfully
with hoop pine. Attempts by my team to develop a resistant breed based on the rare survivors of
good growth, form and branch shed failed as their grafts succumbed also. The NW provenances of
SE Qld might have been better adapted in the Mary Valley plantation areas.
As an exotic, Agathis has only achieved moderate success. But timber plantations have been
established with A. dammara in Java and A. philippinensis in the Philippines.
Like hoop pine, kauri trees have separate female and male flowers on the same tree. However,
within season, those of kauri either shed pollen long before female flowers on the tree are receptive,
or the reverse. This may be a mechanism to limit self-fertilisation. A couple of populations I have
monitored, including the Sherwood Arboretum avenue, have roughly half of each category. Again
like hoop, kauri exhibits orthotropism and plagiotropism meaning that plants propagated vegetatively
from main stem sources reproduce the upright habit, while propagation via branch tips results in
trees with the branch habit. This phenomenon and its effects on flowering have been exploited in
seed orchard development with hoop pine.
Kauri is notable for its stately and ornamental appearance and is used fairly extensively in specimen,
group, avenue or line plantings where its habit and mature size make this appropriate. Examples in
Australia include in some large home allotments [e.g. the one in Chelmer, Brisbane where E. H. F
Swain once lived and planted kauris (as well as hoop pines and many other tree species) in the early
1920s that remain today]. Also in parks, Botanic Gardens (e.g. Rockhampton), arboreta (e.g. here at
Sherwood), other public or private lands (e.g. the Indooroopilly golf course and UQ St Lucia), some
roadsides throughout eastern Qld, and in some places with moderate climates in other States. There
has been a resurgence of planting in the last decade in Brisbane streets, roadways, parks and even in
the CBD. Most of these trees are very vigorous and healthy.
In relation to conservation, there are scattered, often remnant natural stands and individual trees
of A. robusta ssp robusta protected in National Parks and in the Wet Tropics World Heritage area in
NE Qld, and in various reserves in SE Qld. These in situ occurrences render its conservation status
as of ‘LEAST CONCERN’ in Qld, but ssp nesophila is ‘VULNERABLE’ in PNG under the IUCN
Red List. The other two Qld species are rated ‘NEAR THREATENED’. (The IUCN Red List has
six ratings running from ‘LEAST CONCERN’ through ‘NEAR THREATENED, ‘VULNERABLE’,
‘ENDANGERED’, ‘CRITICALLY ENDANGERED’ to ‘EXTINCT IN THE WILD’).
A.robusta ssp robusta and A. microstachya are represented in the Sherwood Arboretum. They are
healthy and vigorous in well-drained areas with heavy production of male flowers at least. However,
I have not seen regeneration. A. atropurpurea has a wider ecological range than A. microstachya so
it too might flourish in the Arboretum where, however, soils are generally poor. I suggest it (and
Wollemi pine) should be considered for introduction.
If woodlot or larger commercial plantings of kauri are ever considered for SE Qld in the future, I
would suggest prior trials of the many natural provenances of A. robusta, and of the co-latitudinalregion species of New Caledonia, Fiji and Vanuatu. There is substantial past research with A. robusta
to guide any new endeavours.
Notes
Ed - Garth sent me a scanned copy of his 2009 paper. If you want a copy, email me on
[email protected]
He quotes Swain’s assessment of its timber - light, white, soft, tough and non aromatic.
Nikles, D.G. (2009). Aspects of the biology and plantation establishment of kauri pine (Agathis
robusta C. Moore ex F. Muell.) in Queensland. Pp 323-331 In: Bieleski, R. L. and Wilcox, M.
D. (eds) The Araucariaceae. Proceedings of the 2002 International Araucariaceae Symposium,
Auckland, New Zealand, 14–17 March, 2002. The International Dendrology Society, Dunedin, New
Zealand. 546 pp.
I ask this question – have we tried hard enough to grow this once popular specialty timber?
ANZIF 2015 – GOLD CONFERENCE PARTNER
To view a full range of FWPA
webinars please visit
www.fwpa.com.au
11
RECENT FELLOW MEMBERSHIPS
We congratulate the five people who have been recently awarded
Fellow membership.
FRANK BATINI
BARRY DEXTER
ERNIE RIDER
JERRY VANCLAY
RON WILSON
IFA HQ has supplied us with citations and pictures for four.
Ron’s will appear in the next Forester.
Frank Batini
between catchment management, bauxite mining, dieback protection, forestry and agriculture in
this area and no mechanism for integrated planning. It was Frank Batini’s job to represent forestry
interests on the study team, but because he was also experienced in all aspects of disease and
bushfire management, catchment protection and outdoor recreation, he was a prime contributor
to the study. The final report of the DRSG was considered a milestone in multiple use integrated
planning in WA.
When the WA Forests Department was incorporated into the Department of Conservation
and Land Management (CALM), Frank Batini was appointed Manager of the Department’s
Environmental Protection Branch. In this position he oversaw interactions with a wide range of
agencies and industries, including the pastoral, mining and tourism industries, across the whole state.
It was significant that he was able to bring to bear forestry and land use planning principles in this
work. Throughout he ensured he presented a positive image of foresters, a profession where practical
solutions to land management and environmental problems could be developed without sacrificing
good science.
During the period in which he worked for CALM he was seconded on a number of occasions to
advise other agencies, including the WA Environmental Protection Agency.
Following retirement, Frank Batini has worked as a consultant to government agencies and mining
companies on catchment protection, land management, restoration ecology and land use planning.
Most notably he developed the Wungong Catchment studies to demonstrate the value of forest
thinning and fire management to water production and forest conservation.
NOMINATION OF FRANK BATINI TO BE INVITED TO BECOME A
FELLOW OF THE INSTITUTE OF FORESTERS OF AUSTRALIA
Frank Batini is one of Australia’s longest-serving members of the Institute of Foresters
and one of Australia’s most notable foresters.
Education
Frank Batini graduated with a BSc (Forestry) from the University of WA in 1964, with a Diploma of
Forestry (with Honours) from the Australian Forestry School in 1962, where he shared the Schlich
Medal with John Wardle, as the most outstanding students in the class. He was also awarded an MSc
from Oxford University when he studied at the Commonwealth Forestry Institute at Oxford in the
early 1970s. He has travelled widely, studying forestry in Europe and North America.
Professional career
Following graduation from the Australian Forestry School, Frank Batini was appointed as a
forester to the professional staff of the WA Forests Department. He worked as a research officer,
undertaking important research into the management of jarrah dieback disease (in association with
Dr Frank Podger of FRI), and then in forest inventory, where for a number of years he was Officer in
Charge of the department’s Working Plans Branch at Harvey.
After his return from Oxford, Frank Batini was seconded to the Darling Range Study Group
(DRSG), an interdisciplinary research and planning group (reporting to the Premier) developing
a land use framework for the northern jarrah forest. At that time there were emerging conflicts
He also acted in a voluntary capacity as an Adjunct Professor at Murdoch University where he
helped and mentored graduate students working on forestry-related research projects, and lectured
in environmental management undergraduates. For several years (before it became defunct) he
Chaired the University’s Centre for Excellence in Forest Health, and was active in encouraging
participants to take forestry principles and history into account in their research.
IFA
Frank Batini joined the IFA in 1963 and has been a member since, including serving on the State
Committee. He is a responsible and active member, attending meetings and field trips, organising
field trips, drafting submissions and letters and putting forward comments on forestry issues.
He has attended interstate IFA and ANZIF conferences where he has presented papers and
contributed to seminars, and has published papers in the Journal and articles in The Forester.
Personal
Frank Batini is an exemplary representative of the forestry profession. Throughout his career he
has been recognised for his quiet and serious demeanour, for his preference to argue on the basis of
science rather than emotion, and on his courteous relations with others.
He is held in the highest regard by his peers in the fields of forestry, environmental protection and
catchment management, not just in WA but across Australia.
He is proud of his profession and of his membership of the Institute.
We recommend that he be invited to become a Fellow of the Institute.
Submitted by Roger Underwood and Jack Bradshaw
October 2014
12
RECENT FELLOW MEMBERSHIPS
Barrie Dexter
SERVICE TO FORESTRY IN GENERAL
River Red Gum silviculture and management
Barrie Dexter conducted detailed research into the
flooding and regeneration of the River Red Gum
(Eucalyptus camaldulensis) in the Murray River
area. He elucidated the silvics and silviculture of this
forest type, which were documented in his M. Sc. For.
thesis and later published articles. He gained a deep
knowledge of the flooding regimes need to maintain
the health of these forests, and is still acknowledged as
a leading expert on the River Red Gum forests of the
Murray River valley.
He has maintained a strong interest in red gum forest management from 1961 right through his
public service career and up to the present. In recent times he has prepared authoritative material
on this topic (see Publications below) such as (together with Mark Poynter) a major submission to
the VEAC River Red Gum Forests Investigation. This was undertaken on behalf of timber industry
bodies and local community groups.
Barrie was also a key member of the Rivers and Red Gum Environment Alliance which represented
24 groups concerned about the direction of VEAC’s River Red Gum investigation. He was the
principal instigator of their report, Conservation and Community – A Community Plan for the
Multiple Use Management of Public Lands in VEAC’s River Red Gum Investigation Area which
attempted to provide VEAC with alternative management options.
Fire research and management
At least two innovations in fire use and management are attributable to Barrie. One was electrical
ignition, using jellied petrol and wires, of slash heaps and windrows created after reforestation work
in native forests or after clearing for pine plantations. The other was the adaptation of the “Speedy
Moisture Meter” for rapid measurement of fine fuel moisture content in order to guide fire lighting
operations. In his time as FCV Fire Research Officer, Barrie also studied factors affecting bushfire
behaviour and the planned use of fire.
In retirement, Barrie has been a member of Forest Fire Victoria Inc. (2002–2008) which provides
independent expert opinion on forest fire management. In this role he was the lead author of three
substantial rreports (see list below) recommending changes aimed at returning Victoria to its former
status as a premier forest fire manager on public land.
General forestry
Barrie recognised and championed the value of light aircraft in forestry for spraying, fertiliser
application and seeding. He was always looking to innovate to improve the effectiveness and
economics of forestry operations. Barrie, together with John Jack and David Flinn, pioneered
aerial application of herbicides for the defoliation of silver wattle stands to assist the ash eucalypt
reforestation programs, and in wattle control in the establishment phase of young pine plantations.
Dharnya Centre
During 1983-91, Barrie chaired a Ministerial Advisory Committee that oversaw the planning,
construction and subsequent operation of the Dharnya Centre. The aims of the Centre were to
facilitate a greater community understanding of: the values, uses and the ecology of red gum forests
and the importance of their conservation; the uniqueness and need for preservation of aboriginal
culture in the area. This interpretive centre, located within the Barmah Red Gum forest, now jointly
managed by the Yorta Yorta Nation Aboriginal Corporation and Parks Victoria, was an initiative that
was ahead of its time.
Von Mueller Institute (VMI)
In 1984-86, Barrie was a major proponent and the inaugural Director of the Von Mueller Institute,
a new initiative of the State Forests and Lands Service of the Dept of Conservation, Forests and
Lands. The VMI brought together traditional forest research areas with botanical research conducted
by Melbourne’s National Herbarium and the Royal Botanic Gardens. Although VMI was short-lived
due to a departmental restructure in 1986, it was then one of the nation’s largest forest-related
research and development groups. Barrie went on to become the manager of the Forest Research
and Management Branch.
Policy development
In the mid-1980s Barrie became heavily involved in the development of what was to become
Victoria’s Timber Industry Strategy and the associated Code of Forest Practices for Timber
Production. Both initiatives proved to be national fore-runners and subsequently had major
influence on the development of Australia’s National Forest Policy.
Service to the IFA
Barrie Donald Dexter joined the IFA in 1958.
He contributed papers to Australian Forestry, and papers to at least 3 IFA Conferences – 1965
(Hobart), 1968 (Perth) and 1974 (Colander). In consultation with other IFA members, Barrie
developed IFA Policy Statement 5.1.5: “Riverine red gum forests of the Southern Murray-Darling
basin”, published in early 2013.
He represented the IFA on a Victorian committee charged with the development of an ecological
management strategy for the Active Forest Health Program in the new red gum National Parks
resulting from the VEAC process.
RECENT FELLOW MEMBERSHIPS
PAPERS AND PUBLICATIONS
Dexter, B.D. (1960). Seed supply and field germination in the natural regeneration of Eucalyptus
sideroxylon A. Cunn. MS, School of Forestry, University of Melbourne, 47 pp.
Dexter, B.D. (1965). Regeneration of Eucalyptus camaldulensis, River Red Gum. IFA 4th General
Conference, Hobart, May 1965.
Dexter, B.D. (1966). Management of Riverain Forests. IFA Melbourne, July 1966.
Dexter, B.D. (1967). Man’s Influence on the Water Regime and its Effects on Red Gum Forests in
the Murray Basin. 39th Congress of ANZAAS, Melbourne 1967.
Dexter, B.D. (1967). Flooding and regeneration of river red gum, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Dehn.
Bulletin 20, Forests Commission, Melbourne, 35 pp. 9th Commonwealth Forestry Conference
1968.
Dexter, B.D. (1967). Problems associated with Aerial Seeding and Spraying in Forested Areas.
Symposium conducted by the Operational Problems and Human Engineering Section of the
Australian Aeronautical Research Committee on the theme, “The Need for Aeronautical Research
to Support the Role of Aircraft in the National Interest of Primary Production”.
Dexter, B.D., and May, F.J. (1968). Reforestation techniques for poorly stocked areas in the central
highlands of Victoria. Proc. 5th Conf. of the Institute of Foresters of Australia, Vol. 2, Perth,
W.A.
Dexter, B.D. (1969). Handbook of Aerial Spraying. No 1 Copper-base Fungicides. Miscellaneous
Publications. Forests Commission, Victoria.
Dexter, B.D. (1970). Regeneration of river red gum, E. camaldulensis Dehnh. M.Sc. For., University
of Melbourne.
Dexter, B.D. (1971). The Role of Agricultural Aircraft in Victorian Forests. 13th Annual Symposium
of the Australian Aerial Agricultural Association, Hobart.
Dexter, B.D. (1973). Riverain Red Gum Forest. To Flood or not to Flood. Victoria’s Resources, Vol
15, No 1, May 1973. Wetlands Forum, Natural Resources Conservation League of Victoria.
Dexter, B.D., A. Heislers and T. Sloan. (1973). A History of the Mount Buffalo Fire, 14 – 26
December 1972. Forests Commission, Victoria. Miscellaneous Publications.
Dexter, B.D. (1974). Fire in the Forest Environment. Third Fire Ecology Symposium, Monash
University, March 1974.
Dexter, B.D. (1974). Fire Management in National Parks in South Eastern Australia Sclerophyll
Forests. IFA 7th General Conference, Caloundra, Queensland, August 1974.
Dexter, B.D. (1975). From Fire Control to Fire Management. Victoria’s Resources, Volume 17, No
1, March 1975.
Dexter, B.D., and Opie, J.E. (1975). Aerial application of granulated superphosphate. Forest
Research Report No. 61, Forests Commission Victoria, 47 pp.
Dexter, B.D. (1976). Fire Protection and Management Policy for Victoria’s National Parks. Eco-Fire
Symposium, National Parks Association of NSW, May 1976.
Dexter, B.D., and Williams, D.F. (1976). Direct field estimation of fine fuel moisture content.
Australian Forestry 39(2):140-144.
Williams D.F., and Dexter, B.D. (1976). An Index for Fine Fuel Flammability. Forestry Technical
Papers No 24, June 1976.
Dexter, B.D. (1978). Silviculture of the river red gum forests of the central Murray flood plain. Proc.
Roy Soc. Vic. 90:175-192.
Dexter, B.D., Rose, H.J. and Davies, N. (1986). River regulation and associated forest management
problems in the River Murray red gum forests. Australian Forestry 49(1):16-27.
Parsons, M., Bren, L.J. and Dexter, B.D. (1991). Riverine forests of the central Murray valley. Chap.
18 in Forest Management in Australia, Eds McKinnell, Hopkins & Fox, Surrey Beatty & Sons
Pty Ltd, in association with the Institute of Foresters of Australia, Western Australian Division.
Squire, R.O., Dexter, B.D., Eddy, A.R., Fagg, P.C. and Campbell, R.G.(1991). Regeneration
silviculture for Victoria’s eucalypt forests. Silvicultural Systems Project Technical Report No. 6,
Dept of Conservation and Environment, Victoria, 38 pp.
Dexter, B.D. and Hodgson, A. (2005). The Facts Behind the Fire – A Scientific and Technical
Review of the Circumstances Surrounding the 2003 Victorian Bushfire Crisis. Forest Fire
Victoria Inc., 173 pp.
Macleod, D.J. and Dexter, B.D. (2005). Barmah-Millewa Forum. “A Short History of Community
Involvement in the Barmah-Millewa Forest on the River Murray”. Published by Murray-Darling
Basin Commission.
Dexter, B.D. and Poynter, M. (2007). Water, wood & wildlife: Opportunities for the riverain
red gum forests of the central Murray. Submission to the VEAC River Red Gum Forests
Investigation from the National Association of Forests Industries, NSW Forests Products Assoc.
Ltd, Timber Communities Australia Ltd and the Victorian Association of Forest Industries, 123
pp.
Dexter, B.D. and Macleod, D.J. (2010). Inquiry into the impact of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan
in Regional Australia. Submission Number 153 to House Standing Committee on Regional
Australia, Parliament of Australia - House of Representatives.
Dexter, B.D. and Macleod, D.J. (2010). Barmah-Millewa Forest Hydrologic Indicator Site. A
case study for effective and efficient environmental watering and the role of the community.
Feedback on the Guide to the preparation of a draft Murray-Darling Basin Plan. [thebasinplan.
mdba.gov.au].
Dexter, B.D. (2011). Submission to New South Wales Natural Resources Commission – Regional
Forest Assessment – Riverina Bioregion River Red Gum and Woodland Forests. “Fire history
and fire management to conserve social, economic and environmental values in floodplain river red gum
forests”.
Dexter, B.D. (2011). Submissions to Inquiry into Management of Public Land in New South Wales:
Parliament of NSW General Purposes Standing Committee No. 5. Submissions: No 204. 3
August 2012. Supplementary Submission No. 204(a). 15th November 2012.
RECENT FELLOW MEMBERSHIPS
Dexter , B.D. and Hodgson, A. (2012). Forest Fire Management in Victoria – Is
the State Coping? Concerns about the organisational arrangements and related
matters for forest fire management in Victoria, Parts 1 & 2, 76 pp.
Dexter , B.D. and Hodgson, A.AM (2015. “FIRE MANAGEMENT ON PUBLIC
LAND – VICTORIA BURNS WHILE IT’S BUREAUCRACY FIDDLES. Will
Recent Legislative Changes to Crisis and Emergency Management Improve Fire
Management on Victoria’s Public Land?
ISBN 978-0-9942531-0-1 (Spiral bound with Part 3 CD)
ISBN 978-0-9942531-1-8 (Compact Disk)
KEY DATES IN THE CAREER OF B. D. DEXTER
1952 Entered the Victorian School of Forestry at Creswick for the 3-yr fulltime course
1954 Awarded the Associate Diploma of Forestry (Creswick), gaining 3 prizes in
his final year, including the APM prize for silviculture
1955 Began work with the Forests Commission Victoria (FCV) in the
silviculture laboratory
1960 Graduated with B.Sc. (For.) from the University of Melbourne
ANZIF 2015 – GOLD CONFERENCE PARTNER
Supporting the ANZIF
The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) is continuing its support
of the Australian & New Zealand Institute of Foresters.
• DELWP, (formerly DEPI), supports the portfolios of
environment, climate change, water, local government
and planning.
• DELWP is tasked with creating liveable, inclusive and
sustainable communities.
• We focus on caring for and protecting the environment
and helping to respond to climate change through risk
mitigation and adaptation strategies.
• We recognise the link between the built and natural
environment in the quality of our lives.
• We work to accommodate population growth while
maintaining world class liveability and protecting our
heritage for future generations.
• We assist local governments to support people,
communities and growth at the local level.
1961-65 Study of the silviculture of River Red Gum in Barmah Forest District
For more information:
1966-70 Forest research (FCV) - focussing on aerial operations in silviculture
involving fertilisation, pest and weed control in pine plantations; and direct
seeding following harvesting in native forests
Visit www.delwp.vic.gov.au
Follow DELWP at: Twitter/DELWP_Vic
and linkedin.com/company/department-of-environment-land-water-&-planning
1970 Awarded M. Sc. For. by the University of Melbourne
1971-75 Fire research (FCV)
1975-76 Chief Park Management Officer (National Parks Service)
1977-80 Chief Forest Research Officer (FCV)
1980-85 Chief Silvicultural Officer (FCV/DCFL)
1985-86 Director, Von Mueller Institute for Forest Research (Dept Conservation,
Forests & Lands) (DCFL)
1986-89 Assistant Director, Lands and Forests Division [OIC Forest Management
and Research Branch (DCFL)]
1989 July - Retirement from DCFL
1990 to present - Project work, mainly on a voluntary basis
ANZIFad-A5.indd 1
13/01/2015 2:39 pm
15
RECENT FELLOW MEMBERSHIPS
Ernie Rider
IFA Queensland Division
NOMINATION OF ERNIE RIDER
FOR FELLOW OF THE INSTITUTE OF
FORESTERS OF AUSTRALIA
Citation:
Ernie Rider was raised as a tee-totalling Puritan
spending many long holidays on the dairy farm
of family friends. After completing a Bachelor’s
Degree in Forestry (Honours) at the University of
Queensland and the Australian National University from 1961 to 1966, he spent the majority of his
notable 50-year career in forestry based initially at Beerwah, north of Brisbane, then since the early
1980’s at Gympie, the core centre of forestry in Queensland.
He has first-hand experience in most forest types in Queensland, including North Queensland
rainforests, western cypress and hardwoods, South-East Queensland rainforests and hardwoods,
Central Queensland forests and woodlands, and coastal and wallum vegetation. The first two
decades of his career were spent working with the then Department of Forestry as a tree breeder,
compiling and managing extensive trials. Over the subsequent three decades he worked with various
other State agencies, branching into broader land and catchment management disciplines.
Ernie’s concern for and grasp of land management as a whole, of which forestry is but one facet, is
impressive to say the least. His infectious enthusiasm and personal involvement has contributed
significantly to forestry management in Queensland, helping foresters, land owners and interested
others take a wider view of the contribution of forest science to practical, environmentally sound
land management. He has contributed to a change in mindset by many on forest values beyond the
standing crop. His high standing and recognition in this space is demonstrated by him currently
being the President of Gympie and district Landcare, Regional Weeds Co-ordinator for the
Queensland Herbarium and a long-term member of the Mary River Catchment Co-ordinating
Committee. Ernie has personal experience of establishing and managing his own small hardwood
forest and grazing area near Gympie.
He is extremely knowledgeable in a host of forest based disciplines, including history, silviculture,
ecology and genetics. He is rated by colleagues as a forest taxonomist of the first rank. Over the last
10-years this capacity has been demonstrated time and again when working with Griffith University
as a pro bono reference botanist/ecologist and colleague on a range of Industry, ARC and University
funded projects. He is a practical, accessible man in the field, and thus considered a most useful
colleague when accompanying research scientists in testing environmental conditions.
From 1999-2002 Ernie was on a four man committee that ran the Mary Valley Sunshine Coast
Farm Forestry association, a combined native forest extension and research project covering the
Mary and Burnet catchments that was housed at the then Queensland Forestry Research Institute
based in Gympie. Over time, this group morphed into Private Forestry Service Queensland
(PFSQ), which in addition to providing a wide range of native forest and plantation services also
manages the Gympie Woodworks Museum and Interpretive Centre. Ernie joined the Board of
PFSQ in 2009 and is still there.
Worthy of particular mention, is Ernie’s contribution at a local level to the Wide Bay Branch of the
IFA, where he volunteered to take on the leadership role at the turn of the century, and successfully
kept the IFA active among forestry professionals, and so provided Branch stability and long-term
service to the IFA. His direct participation in the planning and conduct of a number of field days
were highlights for members and guests who attended from far afield.
Indeed, many foresters would recall fondly (managers with exasperation) Ernie turning up to field
inspections or field days either barefooted or, if required to wear PPE, arriving with a pair of comfy
sandals on (often in his official capacity as Workplace Health and Safety Coordinator). As recounted
by Sean Ryan, Chief Executive of PFSQ, Ernie’s performances at field days for that organisation
have also been the stuff of high legend. He recalls the first (and possibly only) time he asked Ernie
to talk at a field day on fire management, where Ernie spent half an hour describing an experiment
(subsequently written up in a published paper) by legendary comrades McArthur and Cheney, which
involved throwing 2,000 lighted cigarette butts out the window of a car, and, as none started a fire,
proving that this form of wild fire ignition was difficult. At another PFSQ field day Ernie stood on a
meat ant’s nest until covered with thousands of ants up to his shorts, to prove that meat ants don’t
bite and should be renamed.
Ernie is regarded as a devoted family man second to none. His interests outside of forestry are as
diverse as his interest within forestry, including: native fauna and field naturalist excursions; classical
and folk music, and singing in an A Capella choir; great literature, including modern spy thrillers;
cryptic crossword puzzles; the art and science of driving; training and experience in extension,
including psycho-sociology with both children and adults; and the English language (and how she is
spoke).
While many Queensland foresters have jumped higher and further beyond the boundaries of our
great State, no forester has jumped with more style and conviction in the Queensland context.
It is a pleasure to be able to commend Ernie Rider to the IFA Board Honours Committee for
consideration as a Fellow of the Institute of Foresters of Australia.
Nominated by:
Dr Gary Bacon FIFA – Adjunct Professor, Griffith University; past National President, IFA
Seconded by:
Dr Bob Thistlethwaite FIFA, RPF – past Chair, Queensland Division, IFA
Supported by:
Resolution of the Management Committee, Queensland Division, IFA
Approved for nomination by:
Stephen Walker RPF – Chair, Queensland Division, IFA
15 February 2015
16
RECENT FELLOW MEMBERSHIPS
Jerry Vanclay
Citation: Professor Jerome (Jerry)
Vanclay
The contribution of Jerry Vanclay to
forest science in Australia and across
the world has been outstanding. He
has made profound contributions
to modelling forest ecosystems
and his research has been visionary
affecting the management of
forests in many countries. While his
primary field of work has been forest mensuration and growth modelling, the scope of his work as
described by his publication record is far wider. His research has covered native and planted forests,
forest policy, forests and society, natural resource management, biodiversity, tree breeding, wood
science, sustainability and water management. The size of the collection of published work is equally
impressive exceeding 300 titles including 3 books.
Jerry started his career at the top of his graduating class of 1977 at ANU earning the Schlich medal.
His first professional engagement was with the Queensland Department of Forestry where he
served one year in the Beerburrum plantation, before he was appointed as mensurationist in Forest
Research Branch branch. He benefitted from a 3-month exchange program with the Forests
Department of Western Australia, and from a year at the Oxford Forestry Institute as a recipient of
the Russell Grimwade Prize. On return from Oxford, he was appointed to the Queensland Forest
Service Resources Branch where he established himself as a stand out intellect among a small
group of foresters who were at the cutting edge of developments in computational statistics and
forest growth and yield modelling. In his spare time he contributed other areas such as seed orchard
designs, and developed a program for efficient culling of seed orchards He made a substantial inputs
to the ‘Wet Tropics’ debate in the late 1980s, providing resource estimates, advising the Northern
Rainforest Management Agency, and contributing to the Strategic Conservation Zoning for the
Wet Tropics Rainforest Region.
In 1991 Jerry joined the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Copenhagen as Professor of
Tropical Forestry then in 1995 he moved to CIFOR as a principal scientist overseeing their research
program on Forest Ecosystem Management. Currently he is Professor of Sustainable Forestry and
Head of the School of Environment Science and Engineering at Southern Cross University.
He has been tireless.
Jerry received a doctorate (D.Sc.For.) from the University of Queensland in 1992, was awarded the
Queen’s Award for Forestry in 1997, and the IUFRO Scientific Achievement Award in 2010.
He chaired (2004-09) the Expert Independent Advisory Panel to the Minister of Sustainability and
the Environment in Victoria.
He serves the IUFRO on the International Council and is deputy coordinator of division 4 4.00.00
– Forest Assessment Modelling and Management.
He has been a member of IFA since his graduation. He has served as reviewer of, and contributor to
“Australian Forestry”, has been a member of the Tertiary Forest Education subcommittee, and is a
member of the Tropical Forestry Special Interest Group. He received an IFA service award in 2007
for his contribution towards the biennial conference in Coffs Harbour.
In his current role as educator, researcher and mentor, he serves students aged eighteen to eighty
something and every generation in between. The men and women who are students of forest science
at SCU could not be a more diverse mix of origins connected by enthusiasm for forestry that Jerry
brings to every forum. His leadership is about creating the greatest opportunities for students that
resources can provide, while he continues to push at the boundaries of our understanding.
Most importantly Jerry is universally liked, recognised for his ability to get on with everyone,
greeting everyone with a smile. It is likely this high degree of empathy with others led to his
successful career in education.
Jerry has given outstanding service to forestry and the Institute and the IF has no hesitation to invite
him to become a Fellow of the Institute of Foresters of Australia.
17
MEMBER PROFILE
A baptism of fire in the forestry industry
By Liz de Fegely
Ruth Ryan
In 1940, Ruth Ryan’s father’s farm
at Pyalong in Central Victoria was
destroyed by bushfire. On Christmas
Day, they had received warning and
packed up their most important
possessions into suitcases. They did all
they could to prepare, and then they
waited.
On Boxing Day, the fires threatened the
property. ‘They were fighting the fire at the
bottom of the hill on their property, and
by the time they drove up to the top of the
hill they only had time to get Dad’s mother
and sister in the car and drive it onto a burnt
piece of land. Dad and his brothers returned
to try and save the house, but there was
nothing they could do. Even the cases they had packed were still in the house. So all they had were
the clothes they were standing in.’
The 1940 fire left a lasting impression on Ruth’s father. The house was rebuilt and he ended
up raising his own family on the same property. He taught his family to live with an affinity to
Australia’s natural environment, but also with a keen sense of its dangers. And he instilled in Ruth
the importance of having a fire plan, and being aware: ‘Dad was always saying that we need to be
prepared for fire and to have a good plan’.
An upbringing on the farm gave Ruth a love and knowledge of the rural environment, as well as a
practical outlook on life and work. Her parents ‘opened the door and said you can do anything’,
giving Ruth a confidence in her own decision-making and knowledge of the responsibility of living
and working on the land.
Ruth has always been passionate about the country and knew in High School that she wanted to
pursue a career that combined science with being out on the land. She toyed with the idea of Vet
and Agricultural Science, but a friend’s father was a forester and he soon introduced her to Forest
Science, which was ‘something a bit different’. That forester ended up giving her work experience,
which confirmed for Ruth the desire to study Forest Science after school.
Her interest in fire and risk management was always bubbling away just beneath the surface. In 1983, soon
after she graduated, she moved to work in East Gippsland and experienced a literal ‘baptism of fire’ that
quickly sealed her fate assisting companies and communities protect the land. After a reasonably quiet
January, several bushfires started in the area, which were then multiplied and spread by numerous lightning
strikes. What began as a calm introduction to the industry, soon became an incredibly significant learning
curve as Ruth worked with her team almost around the clock for the next six weeks in an attempt to save
their forest from destruction.
The 1983 fires were hugely influential for Ruth, they ‘really opened my eyes to what good people we had
down there [and] what good ability they had to motivate other people’. It was inspiring for her to see ‘people
being out there in the field and in touch with what was going on’. ‘It also opened my eyes to the importance
of looking after your people. I was in the Bondi fire camp when I took the first phone call which described
the destruction of the Ash Wednesday Fires. We had crews in that camp from Kallista, Anglesea and many
other areas which were badly impacted by the fires.’
From there, Ruth continued to gain a stronger understanding of the land, forest and environmental risk. This
was helped by her keen passion for working out in the field. Her career has taken her from the Errinundra
Plateau in East Gippsland, to red gum forest planning on the Murray River near Echuca. ‘It’s a gorgeous
area, I loved my two years up there. It’s most interesting and fascinating forests,’ she said of her time in the
Murray region.
Orbost was particularly influential for her, in that she ‘gained a lot of experience and had some great mentors
who took me under their wing and taught me a lot about forestry, and fire, and burning. I emerged from
those three years as a fairly competent and good forester’. She believes having strong relationships with
colleagues and good mentors is crucial for any industry: ‘find good people for mentors who you know and
trust, and have the knowledge to pass on’.
These days she’s based in Wendouree, Ballarat, wearing two hats at Hancock Victoria Plantations: Western
Risk Assessment Manager and Corporate Fire Manager. This combination means she is particularly busy
in the lead up to summer, especially with the devastating impact of the Black Saturday fires still resonating
throughout Victoria.
When the 2009 fires first broke out, Ruth initially was responsible for tracking their impact, and
coordinating and moving resources to relevant areas across Victoria. She then spent a week in and around
Marysville trying to establish fire control lines as HVP’s fire commander. Working on the ground she
witnessed again the power of natural disasters and the strength of communities and individuals when faced
with such extreme events. It reinforced the need for good people in the field with a good understanding of
fire, and the ability to go in and assess what the fire’s doing and make practical decisions in response.
Ruth has a lifetime of knowledge of how fires work and is tirelessly devoted to increasing awareness of
preparation and strategies to combat fire. Black Saturday was a wakeup call for us all, it drove home that
‘these things will happen and they will continue to happen’. She insists that the best way to learn in her area
of the industry is to ‘get out in the field and get experience on the ground’. The land will always come first for
Ruth: ‘it’s all about getting out there, getting dirty, getting dusty, getting smokey… this is when you really
learn and gain insight and experience’.
18
MEMBER ARTICLE
A pioneer forester memorialised
Peter Fagg, Vic Division
On 15 November 2014, a memorial statue of the pioneer forester
John La Gerche was unveiled by the Mayor of the Hepburn Shire at
Creswick, “the home of forestry”.
In 1865 the 19 yr-old La Gerche arrived from the island of Jersey, and 17
years later was appointed as Crown Lands Bailiff and Forester of the Ballarat
and Creswick State Forest, a position he held from 1882 to 1897. His task
was to bring order and control to the hitherto uncontrolled cutting mainly of
mine props and firewood for the flourishing gold mining industry, but he went
further than this by his largely successful attempts to restore tree cover to
dug-over and denuded land.
The statue (see photo) was chainsaw sculptured by the talented Rob Bast out
of the butt of a large Californian Redwood tree that was almost dead. The
sculpture is now attached to the stump of this tree, which is close to the old
Creswick forest nursery and at the start of the La Gerche Track. This 2 km
circuit walk, opened in 1999, was the brainchild of the late Ron Hateley,
a senior lecturer at the Creswick campus of the School of Forestry and
Ecosystem Science. The Track, with interpretive signs, tells the story of how
La Gerche pioneered the replanting of areas devastated by gold mining, and
set up trial plantings of several species of pines (see photo), oaks and eucalypts.
By 1889 he had planted over 19,000 trees, many of which still survive. The
pines included Radiata Pine (Pinus radiata), which went on to become the
principal softwood plantation species in south-eastern Australia.
This beautifully- carved memorial was unveiled 100 years after the death of
La Gerche in 1914. The local Bendigo Bank, Parks Victoria, the University of
Melbourne, the Shire Council and various community groups, contributed to
the project.
(The full life and times of La Gerche are recorded in A Forester’s Log – the story
of John La Gerche and the Ballarat-Creswick State Forest 1882–1897, by Angela
Taylor – published in 1998 by Melbourne University Press.)
A mature stand of Corsican Pine (Pinus nigra)
along the La Gerche Track. The understorey is
mainly Irish Strawberry (Arbutus unedo).
John La Gerche fashioned out of Californian Redwood, Creswick
19
MEMBER ARTICLE
John La Gerche – the back story
Ed – I was at Creswick for three years and La Gerche’s story was never mentioned.
Unbelievable. So I went digging. The back story is interesting and inspirational – a
story about the struggles and achievements of a grass roots field forester.
Sources:
Angela Taylor (1998) A Forester’s Log: The Story of John La Gerche and the Ballarat–Creswick,
Melb Uni Press, Vic Aust
Extracts form first chapter in Google books: http://books.goohttp://www.creswick.net/
creswick_people/john_la_gerchegle.com.au/books?id=VxB2tlD355EC&pg=PA17&source=g
bs_toc_r&cad=3#v=onepage&q&f=false
AND
THE PARADOX
The gold mining industry in the late 1800’s caused the short
term destruction of forests but the longer term needs of
mining ensured the protection of the forests.
1879
1882
One battle ground was Sulky Forest between Ballarat and
Creswick. Sawmillers and splitters took the large trees,
firewood cutters took the small trees and settlers stripped
trees of their bark for huts. Such wanton destruction was not
in the long term interests of sawmillers or the mining industry.
Angela calls this the utilitarian conservation ethic of the day –
conservancy through wise and efficient use.
1865
1866
1870
1872
1873
1874
1875
1876
http://www.creswick.net/creswick_people/john_la_gerche
1862
1871
Assistant Crown Lands commissioner Clement Hodgkinson temporarily set aside
reserves from sale to protect timber for mining purposes - 35,000 ac in remaining
timbered lands near the gold fields, including 1000 ac in Sulky forest.
The “Selection before survey” Act accelerated loss of forests. Once treed areas were
cleared, they lost their reserve status.
A report recommended to government that state forest reserves be set aside near
mining centres and that nurseries be established
Permanent state forest reserves began to be established
La Gerche and Dodd bought Wombat Sawmill south of Daylesford.
1883
Bullarook (Wombat) state forest is reserved
Wheeler, who had a large sawmill and was politically influential, claimed exclusive right to 640 acres
of forest where La Gerche was logging via tramline and another mill was logging. They protested
directly to Hodgkinson. He decided that Wheeler did not have exclusive right but then asked them
to reach a gentlemen’s agreement. Such lack of leadership led to a free-for-all environment in the
Wombat. It highlighted that reserving the forests was not enough to protect them. they also needed
strong administration.
Ballarat – Creswick state forest is reserved 13,822 ac
After many petitions from Mining Board and local councils, Ballarat Forest Board established to
supervise timber cutting in the Ballarat mining area. But only 3 bailiffs for Daylesford, Creswick and
Ballarat state forests. Underfunding and local rivalries on the board made it unworkable
Central Forest Board established
La Gerche sawmill closed down
The Argus newspaper reported 10,000 of the 13,822 acres were usable for timber purposes, ie, only
27% denuded. Other forests and timber reserves in the gold fields were fully or nearly denuded.
Local forest boards abolished
La Gerche was one of 16 foresters appointed to the Agriculture Branch of Department of Crown
Lands and Survey. But he was appointed as a bailiff and forester to “supervise the Ballarat &
Creswick State Forest and to take legal proceedings under the 1869 Land Act against all persons
found cutting or removing timber in the forest”. His job was to prevent illegal timber cutting, grow a
crop of trees for mine props and reforest denuded areas.
Bailiffs were unpopular on the gold fields, like parking inspectors are today, but they were
empowered to prosecute for infringements on state forest and crown land. They wore a broad
rimmed hat. Foresters wore a similar hat, but operated on state forest only and did not prosecute.
La Gerche wore a beret. In 1883, he lost a court case on a technicality because he signed off as
“crown land forester” when the Act specified prosecution by a “crown land bailiff”. He always signed
his letters as forester.
La Gerche embarked on the task of restocking the forest. Over the years, he experimented with a
range of eucalypts, pines and introduced species. La Gerche planted each tree by hand. He knew
that if a forest was properly managed, the mining industry demand could be supplied and it was a
source of government revenue.
The fair-minded forester resisted pressure from his superiors in Melbourne to clear the Chinese,
in particular, out of the forest. They were old men, he objected, mostly fossickers and vegetable
growers, and “likely to die off soon”. La Gerche had far more trouble from illegal wood cutters and
wattle bark strippers (selling to local tanneries). They were his “natural enemies”, responsible for a
“great slaughter of saplings”, he wrote. He would often sleep in the forest at night to prevent the
theft of young trees. His diligence, especially in the early years, was not always supported by distant
officialdom and often made him unpopular locally.
20
MEMBER ARTICLE
1887
Premier Gilles invited Frederick D’A Vincent of Indian Forest Service to inspect Victoria’s
forest estate. His report declared its management was puerile and ill conceived. It was so
withering that Gilles did not table it in parliament.
La Gerche showed the South Reserve to him and he said “This is something like a forest”.
Buoyed by this complement, it reinforced his change of priority from policing offenders to
forestry management.
1889
1892
1897
1910
1914
By 1889 he had planted over 19,000 trees, many of which still survive today. La Gerche’s
sawpit gully plantation is a jewel.
State Forests and Nurseries Branch is transferred from Crown Lands to Department of
Mines.
Forests Conservator George Perrin was in a bitter struggle to hold the ground for forestry
against the onslaughts of mining. But he was impressed by La Gerche’s management of
the Ballarat Creswick forest by 1892 that he declared it the most valuable forest land in
Victoria, to be protected at all costs.
La Gerche retired – Age 52Why so young?
Wombat Forest declared a ruined forest
Creswick school of forestry established
Ron Hateley believes there were strong reasons why Creswick was the chosen for the
school. “One was John La Gerche, the first forester who came here,” he says. During the
1850s and 1860s much of the forestry around Creswick had been destroyed in the pursuit
of gold. Mr Hateley says a State Nursery and plantation at Creswick would’ve influenced
the decision to locate the school there. “When John La Gerche arrived, he described it as
a destroyed landscape. So he set up his own nursery in Saw Pit Gully not far away and he
established the plantation starting in 1888.”
ABC interview 2010. http://www.abc.net.au/local/photos/2010/10/15/3039131.htm
John La Gerche died, age 69
21
MEMBER ARTICLE
A Faustian Bargain?
Ed - Terry’s story is a good field example with a thoughtful message.
Terry Beath
Terry raises an excellent point that also concerns me. A basic part of the philosophy of science
is to examine events that do not fit current theory so that new learning and new theories
can be discovered. There are theories based on science and theories based on beliefs of
trusted experts. I can add that a basic part of scientific method is the articulation of theory.
Once stated, it can be tested and refined. It can be used to explain how and why things
happen and predict what might happen. Look at the mature sciences, eg, the theories of
thermodynamics, the economics theories like supply and demand, and the theory of tectonic
plates. Researchers now tend to focus on models and correlations at the expense of theory.
This means they are dallying in the symptom area at the expense of the causal area. They are
reporting coincidental correlations as if they are causal correlations. This is particularly rife in
the bushfire science area.
Forestry relies on drawing on many branches of science to assist in decisionmaking, judgements and to stimulate new research into making existing
theories and hypotheses more applicable to life. We must never forget to also
apply the basic philosophy of science when dealing with its theories: i.e. to seek
instances where the theory DOESN’T apply so that learning takes place and
better solutions are possible in the future and thus avoid the traps of pseudoscience so popular these days. But, sadly basic human psychology means we
often look for confirmatory evidence to shore up our biases.
Terry’s task was to plant pines on grassy farmland. The experts said their theory was - use
herbicide and plant into a hole. It failed. Then they then said use a better herbicide. That failed
too but in the meantime the locals saw evidence of good survival in an unplanned earthdisturbed area. The third attempt eschewed expert advice and they ploughed then planted.
Outcome – survival OK even though it was drought.
I am very concerned that Terry’s “theory induced blindness” is rife elsewhere, eg, in the still
very immature bushfire science discipline, where belief continues to retard progress:
• Project Vesta’s rate of spread model is based on the wind driven mechanism. They
reported that they saw fast fires in low winds that they could not explain, so they deleted
them. Yet I have just completed a study that shows they can be explained by another
documented mechanism.
• Project Vesta denounced McArthur and Peet’s fire spread models because they
extrapolated results from low intensity fires to severe bushfires, but they have done
exactly the same without testing whether their data can be extrapolated.
• McArthur’s belief that rate of spread is proportional to fuel load is still held strongly
despite overwhelming evidence against it and none in its favour. Yet it is still being used by
Australian Standards, and to shape government policy, and to force new home owners to
shell out tens of thousands of dollars in unnecessary protection.
• The belief by Australian Standards, fire agencies, local government and some researchers
that proximity to a tree or forest is a bushfire risk factor. It is another case of belief +
repetition + time = fact. This belief is also costing new house builders thousands of wasted
dollars.
Faust, by the way, is the lead player in a 16th century German legend. He is a successful
but disconsolate scholar who makes a pact with the Devil to exchange his soul for personal
naughties like wealth, pleasure and power. Once the deal is done, the devil gives him 24 years
to enjoy it before he takes him off to hell.
In the professional life of Foresters they are regularly confronted with making judgements in novel situations.
Intuitions cut in as well as the impacts of many psychological influences from their own, and the minds of the
others involved. Here’s one little story:
In March 1977 I was promoted to Forester–in-Charge of a Sub-District with sixty two people working directly
with me as their manager. On arrival a major new challenge was already underway. It is a good an example of
how people develop theories based on a mix of facts and assumptions and when the group accepts and uses the
theories the trap is that “theory induced blindness” steps in.
THE CURSE OF KYWONG
For about a hundred years, Kywong had been a sheep property of 330 hectares, purchased in the early 1970’s
by the Forestry Commission of NSW to plant new Pinus radiata forest and replace the long-established
grazing land use. It was unimproved grassland on Granodioritic soils. The assumptions guiding plantation
establishment were: the soils were so erodible that minimal disturbance in the establishment process was a
given - and no soil preparation was therefore advisable or required; 100 years of grazing had not meant that
soil compaction would be a problem; the grass species present would be susceptible to aerial application of two
herbicides (Atrazine and Amitrole) at relatively low dosage rates; after aerial application of herbicides hand
planting by planting spade would allow successful establishment of a new forest.
The operation was already at advanced planning stages by my posting and herbicide application began a few
weeks later. It was all new to me; using agricultural aircraft to spray herbicide was a relatively exciting leap
into the future of planting pines on old farmlands. I didn’t realise how new it also was to the Commission. Pine
planting on purchased farmlands was really quite new to the whole organisation. Previously most had been on
cleared native forest post-logging the bush.
We stood watching as the agricultural pilot did his work overhead, an assembled throng of local forestry folk
and people from higher up the food-chain of my organisation who had been involved in the build-up and
preparations – their theory: my responsibility! Was this a true Faustian Bargain? Had I met with the Devil’s
representative, Mephistopheles? Did I make a bargain as did Faust? By accepting their theory (or hypothesis
into the best establishment method), had I been served with the magical powers to establish a plantation as
hadn’t been done here before; and was the Devil waiting to claim my soul and so have me eternally damned for
24 years, one year for each hour in the day?
Fortunately, not quite as dramatic, but still what you might say: dumped in it.
22
MEMBER ARTICLE
The results were a surprise for all. By the end of the following summer, ninety-nine percent of the
trees had died; only the grass survived! The herbicide regime chosen failed for two main reasons:
One, the most common grass species was fairly tolerant to the herbicides used, especially as it was
relatively dormant at time of application. In hindsight it seems that no one had checked what species
the herbicides didn’t work well with; and two, the rate of application was lower than recommended as
the calculation of application rate confused gross hectares (including roads and tracks etc.) with net
hectares of future plantation, so the active ingredient was spread over wider area.
We later were able to confirm that the main reason for tree mortality was both grass competition for
limited water and slow root development caused by the heavily compacted soil. Physically, the soil
had been compacted by a hundred years of livestock trampling.
However, as I sought out solutions there was another year of disaster. I had accepted that the
erodibility of the soils was such that ploughing was out of the question, so a better herbicide was the
solution. It was Confirmation Bias in action, as I didn’t seek where the theory didn’t apply.
But this was in the face of disconfirming evidence. Psychologically, we reject change unless strong
disconfirming evidenced is accepted. A small area of the block previously had some scrubby wattle
on it and someone sneaked a bulldozer in and cleared the half-hectare. These were virtually the only
surviving trees. So strong was the “erosion theory” that ploughing was not even considered.
So in year 2 we spot sprayed a different herbicide onto the second lot of planted trees: Excellent
grass kill; very poor pine tree survival. The Devil was toying with me!
After two years the only surviving trees were where there had been significant soil disturbance.
Third time lucky, we ploughed against the previous expert advice, used some herbicide and got good
survival. Pity was that the next years were bad drought years, but tree survival was still okay.
The Faustian Bargain curse made in 1977 held though. I changed career in 1980 and moved away.
Late one night in summer a few years later (still within the 24 year curse period) Barry Kurtz phoned
from Bombala office. He advised me that a large bushfire had jumped from a nearby National Park
and cremated all the pines on Kywong!
If I was superstitious, I would have worried about another coincidence. In 1980, just prior to leaving
Bombala, we had six bushfires going and I had been appointed Emergency Controller. One fire had
been from a lightning strike in THAT very National Park and rather than clean the area up with a
broad-scale back-burn I sent in hand crews and dumped about 20 loads of fire retardant from the
air onto the outbreak. My first inclination had been to push dozer trails in around the block and do
a low intensity burn as the area had been many years unburnt due to the National Parks Service
equating “management” with “locking up” and doing zilch in terms of active resource management.
The existence of five other fires, and the pleas from a mate in the Parks to consider “what will happen
to the wildlife if I burn the whole block?” probably swayed me at the time. Although I did say if the
crews couldn’t stop it Plan 2 went ahead and it was everyman (and beastie) for themselves!
THE DEVIL WON!
So what are some of the psychological factors that were operating that meant the solution was some
time coming to the plantation establishment problem?
THEORY INDUCED BLINDNESS AND OTHER SHORT-CUTS
Distinguished psychologist Daniel Kahneman1 has described what he has called “theory-induced
blindness” as being experienced when you accept a theory and use it as a tool to aid your thinking.
It is extremely difficult to notice its flaws. Variances might be explained by assuming that there’s
a perfectly good explanation that you haven’t found as yet, or just missed. So you trust the
community of experts that has adopted the theory and give it the benefit of the doubt. There is a
strong inclination to ignore the inherent or underlying assumptions of the proposal.
In our planning, strategic plans and budgets or often just the more complex decisions we make, there
are always many assumptions underlying the final outcome or plan. My experience has been that
once the plan is accepted or adopted by the organisation, we will regularly see examples of “theory
induced blindness” and the assumptions seem to fade into the background.
Another illusion we have is that of “understanding.” Here we build the best possible story from
what information is available to us, and if it is a good story, we believe it. As Kahneman2 says “Our
comforting conviction that the world makes sense rests on a secure foundation: our almost unlimited
ability to ignore our ignorance.”
An allied bias is the Halo Effect (where we are inclined to match our view of all the qualities of a
person to our judgement of one attribute that is particularly significant).
We are prone to over-estimate the predictability of the world we live in. We have a hunger for a
clear message about the determinants of success and failure in organisations, so look for stories
that offer a sense of understanding, however illusory. Sadly, scientists aren’t immune from these
characteristics and behaviours! Again, Kahneman describes this as: “For some of our most
important beliefs we have no evidence at all, except that people we love and trust hold these beliefs.
Considering how little we know, the confidence we have in our beliefs is preposterous - and it is also
essential.”
The illusion of skill is deeply ingrained in the investment industry. Even though we accept this
type of fact intellectually, it has no impact either on our feelings or subsequent actions. An
important psychological cause of this illusion is that we believe the people are exercising highlevel skills; consulting data and forecasts; evaluating the quality of top management and assessing
the competition. All this is serious work that requires extensive training and experience in using
these skills. Unfortunately skill in evaluating the business prospects of a company is not sufficient
for successful trading, where the key question is whether the information about the company is
already incorporated in the price of its stock. Traders apparently lack the skill to answer this crucial
question but they appear to be ignorant of this ignorance. This subjective confidence of traders is a
feeling, not a judgement. Current understanding of cognitive ease and associative coherence locates
subjective confidence firmly in Type 1 processing (our autonomous or unconscious mind).
The illusion of validity and skill are supported by a powerful professional culture. We know that
people can maintain an unshakable faith in any proposition, however absurd, when they are sustained
by a community of like-minded believers. When you are that good, people start to believe that they
are among the chosen few who can do what they do - oh, and others can’t.
1 Kahneman, Daniel, “Thinking Fast and Slow” Farrar, Straus and Giroux, New York, 2011 –pp89
2 Kahneman, Daniel, “Thinking Fast and Slow” Farrar, Straus and Giroux, New York, 2011
23
MEMBER ARTICLE
In the 1950’s a Stanford (USA) professor of social psychology called Leon Festinger3 introduced
the term “cognitive dissonance” which he described as the distressing mental state in which people
“find themselves doing things that don’t fit with what they know, or having opinions that do not fit
with other opinions they hold.” He demonstrated that people usually minimised or resolved these
tensions through changes in personal attitudes rather than letting go of the dissonant belief or
opinion. His major observation was that “The more committed we are to a belief, the harder it is to
relinquish, even in the face of overwhelming contradictory evidence. Instead of acknowledging an
error in judgement and abandoning the opinion, we tend to develop a new attitude or belief that will
justify retaining it.”
Although this is one of the most influential theories in social psychology it fails to convincingly
answer why it is so difficult to let go of unreasonable opinions, even in the light of seemingly
convincing contrary evidence.
When such a sense of conviction overrides an obvious logical inconsistency or scientific evidence
what is happening? Robert Burton4 asks: “Is it possible that there is an underlying neurophysiological
basis for the specific sensation of ‘feeling right’ or of ‘being right’ that is so powerful that ordinary
rational thought ‘feels’ either wrong or irrelevant? Conviction versus knowledge – is the jury rigged,
the game fixed by a basic physiology hidden beneath awareness?”
So remember, we all fall for a good story, and perversely, often the less evidence we do have means
we concoct more elaborate stories that would require unbelievable coincidences to line up and lead
to our firm beliefs.
3 Festinger, L., “A Theory of Cognitive Dissonance” Stanford: Stanford University, 1957
4 Burton, Robert A., “On Being Certain” St Martins, New York, 2008
Terry Beath adds:
Late last year, I’ve been approached from a forester from Bombala asking me for my field
notes on some trials I did looking at a problem pine establishment site – only a short thirty
four years ago! The modern day lack of respect for records means the files of the day have
gone missing. You can’t Google what isn’t on a computer base somewhere! We didn’t have
computers.
After a stint as Sub-District Forester at Bombala, I left the NSWFC and went to work
in the newsprint industry at ANM, Albury, involved in mechanised harvesting and
general fibre procurement. Some twelve years later I moved to work at improving the
performance of the mill. Over about a five year period we made many changes and
dramatically improved the operational and financial performance. I was promoted to work
company-wide and shortly after another ownership change took me to New Zealand
with Fletcher Paper. After working on amalgamating Tasman Pulp and Paper with the old
Australian Newsprint Mills, I moved to Kawerau mill in the North Island. Ill-health later
bought me back to Sydney, where I designed and ran a Leadership Development Program,
as well as taking part in a global cultural alignment design and roll-out for our next lot of
owners, Norske Skog. My cancer returned so I retired. When I didn’t die I had to find
something else to fill my days, so became part-time HR Manager for a family-owned
construction company. Since then I’ve researched and been writing, and done a bit of
short term organisational development consulting.
24
MEMBER ARTICLE
A Tribute to E.H.F. Swain
My book, A Tribute to Edward Harold Fulcher Swain
is just that, a tribute to the man, his devotion to
forests and the profession of forestry. He was a
crusader, a maverick and a rebel with a cause for
all things relating to the forests of Queensland
and New South Wales. A ‘one-off’ in the days of
yore. Born in 1883 in Sydney he worked his way
through school, joined the Public Service and in due
course became Director of Forests in Queensland,
Commissioner of Forests in N.S.W. and spent
some time in Ethiopia as adviser to Emperor Haile
Selassie. Swain died in Brisbane in 1970, aged 87.
Swain had an ego the size of the Melbourne Cricket Ground; he was his own man and often
clashed with those who did not share his views. Indeed he made some enemies for life. But
his staff followed wherever he led and they loved him for it.
In the early days of Queensland and New South Wales land was sorely needed for dairying,
pastoral pursuits, forest timber, townships and the like. There were clashes between Swain
and politicians, the press, landholders and developers. Swain held his ground firmly. He
was basically self-taught, but he brought forestry into modernism with his emphasis on
economic reality – forestry was a business, it had to pay its way, mostly through its income
from plantations and native forests.
Book has 108 pages with some illustrations. Cost of book is $25. If postage is necessary,
additional cost is $10.
My contacts are:
Email:
Postal Address:
Phone:
[email protected]
22 Ukamirra Court, FERNY HILLS 4055
07 3851 1936
REVIEW OF P.V. HOLZWORTH’S
“A Tribute to Edward Harold Fulcher Swain”
Let me say at the outset that this is a historical work that very much needed to be
written and placed on the public record.
As a young forester, and indeed throughout my 40+ years of public forest administration in
Queensland, I was constantly aware of the heritage bequeathed to us by an early pioneer of public
forestry in this country. That pioneer was, of course, the unforgettable E.H.F.Swain. Many of the
stories about Swain were handed down verbally, however, and it became difficult to determine what
was fact and what was fiction.
This timely work by Peter Holzworth brings together a wealth of information from the public
record, and from the prolific writings of Mr. Swain himself, to paint a vivid picture of this dynamic
and assertive public official. Importantly, it documents his enormous contribution to the
protection of a large public forest estate, much of which would have been cleared for dairy farms
without his strident input. The extent to which Swain pursued his views on forest protection in the
face of strong opposition from politicians and the senior bureaucracy of the day is abundantly clear
from the public record outlined in this book. The fact that Mr Swain was eventually sacked for his
opposition to the prevailing political climate of forest clearing and agricultural development only
adds to the stature of the man outlined in this book.
Holzworth has also brought out the important contribution of Mr Swain in the field of forest
management in Australia. Mr Swain’s support for forest research and for both an environmental
and economic approach to forest management has shaped the thinking of generations of foresters
in this country.
His book is easy to read and blends a mix of the passion of Swain’s writings with the often difficult
to understand machinations of the dour bureaucracy of yesteryear.
“A Tribute to Edward Harold Fulcher Swain” is an extremely important work in the historical
context of forest management and forest conservation in Australia. I commend it to those who
are interested in these fields and also to those who enjoy the story of a man who had an enormous
passion for his profession and was prepared to stand up and be counted, no matter what the risk.
Terry Johnston, Former Executive Director Forestry, Queensland.
25
MEMBER ARTICLE
Edward Swain – the back story
Ed – I did some digging into Swain’s back story. It is interesting and inspirational. He was a forester in charge of a forestry department.
That is rare now. He had vision, struggles, achievements, battles with peers, bureaucracy and politicians. Swain’s legacy was the foundation he established.
Source: L T Carron (1990) Australian Dictionary of Biography
http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/swain-edward-harold-8723
DESPITE HIS ACHIEVEMENTS:
HE REGAINED HIS MOJO:
He succeeded N. W. Jolly as director of forests in
Queensland in 1918 and became chairman of the
Provisional Forestry Board in 1924.
Appointed sole commissioner for forestry in New South Wales in August 1935, two years after NW
Jolly retired with impaired health after continual conflicts with government over policy.
He created a professional staff training scheme and
combined the national parks with the State forests
under the board’s supervision.
HIS VISION:
Believing that silviculture—the pivot of forestry—
depended on effective, economic harvesting and
utilization, he established a forest products division to
investigate the properties and uses of local woods; the
resulting Timbers and Forest Products of Queensland
(1928) became a standard reference work.
AND HIS BELIEFS:
A royal commission was appointed in 1931 to inquire into the development of North Queensland.
Mounting strong opposition to settlement of the rainforests, Swain was accused by the commission
of making ‘false statements on oath’, but was subsequently exonerated by the auditor-general.
THEY SACKED HIM:
In September 1932 the Provisional Forestry Board was abolished by the new Labour government
and his services terminated.
SET UP MORE FOUNDATIONS FOR THE FUTURE:
Swain created a professional staff training scheme and a division of wood technology which became
the commission’s major centre for research.
He championed mutual understanding and co-operation of foresters, saw millers and timber
merchants and he founded the Eastern States (Australian) Timber Industry Stabilisation
conferences in 1943
BUT THE BUREAUCRACY WORE HIM DOWN:
Following continual disagreements involving the government and the Public Service Board, he
retired in April 1948.
NOT EVERYONE AGREED WITH HIM:
Although at odds on occasions with his more academically qualified contemporaries, Swain had an
extensive self-taught knowledge of forests and forestry, an enormous capacity for work and a strong
rapport with the bush and its people.
HIS SPIRIT LIVES ON IN OPPOSING GOVERNMENT POLICY:
I know of forestry students at Creswick who wrote a letter to the daily paper opposing mallee
clearance for farmland in the late 1960’s who were nearly expelled for causing embarrassment to the
Minister.
HIS SPIRIT LIVES ON WITHIN A FORESTRY BUREAUCRACY:
I know of assessors and district foresters who argued for reduced log allocations because of overcutting that were sent to Coventry.
26
OBITUARY
Obituary for Emil Peter Johnston
a fellow of the IFA
Emil Peter Johnston, 1920–2015
Emil Peter Johnston passed away in Launceston on 13 March 2015 aged 94.
Emil was born 29 June 1920 and spent his early childhood on the northwest coast of Tasmania at
Burnie and Wynyard before attending St Virgils in Hobart as a boarder for his secondary education.
He completed his secondary schooling in 1938 at St. Patrick’s College in Launceston, where only
about 10 students studied to matriculation level.
Emil began his career in Forestry on the cusp of the outbreak of World War II. Commencing work
with the Forestry Department of Tasmania in 1939, he received a scholarship to undertake a 2 year
general Science Degree from the University of Tasmania. He then went to the original Australian
Forestry School in Canberra in 1942 where he studied for another 2 years to graduate with a
Bachelor of Forestry degree in 1943. It was in Canberra that he met his first love Angela.
His role, on return to the Forestry Department, was in the Planning Branch. Here he was involved
with surveying and assessing areas in north-east Tasmania thought suitable to provide forestry jobs
for servicemen returning from World War II. It didn’t take long before Emil on a trip to Melbourne
proposed to Angela on St Kilda beach. In July 1944 Emil commenced a 6 month secondment to
Canberra (where Angela lived) which was engineered so the two could be together. They married
in December of that year and honeymooned in a forestry hut at Pierces Creek plantation near
Canberra!
In 1946, Emil was appointed Divisional Forester of the North-East Division of the newly created
Forestry Commission based in Launceston. He was just 26 years of age, and was the only graduate
forester in the Division for a number of years. His strength of character and dedication to his
career as a forester was certainly put to the test here, and Emil passed with flying colours. Emil and
Angela started their family here in 1946 living at first in a small flat before moving to the suburb of
Riverside.
His main roles were to: organise and collect revenue from native forest sales; manage and control
fires; and manage the softwood plantation estate, which had commenced in the late 1930s.
Emil Johnston at Smoko Creek in 2005. Emil was Regional Forester at the
time the coupe at Smoko Creek was logged in 1975.
During this time, Emil made an immense contribution to forest management in the North East,
by taking a leading role in assessment of the native forest estate and its sustainable yield. Although
forest assessment was in its infancy, Emil developed a forester’s feel for the magnitude of the
native forest harvesting that was occurring and was of the view that substantial cuts in licences were
required. As a result of his work, the Commissioners were convinced to make massive reductions in
Exclusive Forest Permit allocations in the late 1960s.
27
OBITUARY
In the early 1960s, the North East Division was divided into four districts, (Scottsdale, Fingal,
Launceston and Deloraine) each administered by a District Forester. Emil took on the role of
Regional Forester in this new structure. The closure of several major coal mines in the Fingal Valley,
and availability of Commonwealth loan funding, led to a rapid expansion of the softwood estate
during the 1960s, predominantly employing displaced mine workers. Emil worked hard, with the
District Foresters, to manage a rapidly expanding plantation estate and corresponding workforce
numbers.
Native forest harvesting of sawlog and pulpwood in the Division was in excess of one million tonnes
per year in the early 1960s with an increasing cut of Pinus radiata, exceeding 300,000 tonnes
each year. Emil had a great interest in the regeneration problems of the native forests of the north
east of Tasmania and the various research trials conducted in his region. He was of the belief that a
significant change in the management of the forests was required in order to improve growth rates
and subsequent yields.
Thus when the large-scale export woodchip industry arrived in Tasmania in the 1970s, Emil was keen
to encourage the industry in the North-east forests. He oversaw the development of integrated
harvesting operations to produce 1,000,000 tonnes of pulpwood each year from the North East
Region, in addition to the existing sawlog production. Launceston was one of the focal points of
public animosity toward the export woodchip industry in Tasmania, however Emil handled the
situation well, continually presenting the facts and benefits it afforded the forests in improving
regeneration and growth.
During his time as Regional Forester, Emil was highly respected by his staff, and throughout the
industry. Emil loved his work and loved his forests. He was proud of his staff and their achievements.
Emil was a committed family man based on a strong religious belief, and extended his philosophy to
his staff, with particular consideration of them during the fires season. He was an outdoor man with a
love of the Tasmanian bush taking his family on many weekend and holiday trips through the forests,
camping at Greens Beach, where they later had a house, and on many bushwalks.
In 1974, after serving 27 years in the north east, Emil and family moved to the Forestry
Commission’s Head Office in Hobart. They settled in Lindisfarne on Hobart’s eastern shore just
before the Tasman Bridge was knocked down by the Lake Illawarra. His new role was Chief of the
Division of Forest Operations, where he was involved primarily in budgetary matters. One of Emil’s
new roles was to chair the selection committee for Tasmanian Government Forestry Scholarships.
As a result Emil was responsible for launching the careers of many foresters, sending two students
each year off to the ANU in Canberra with a very generous scholarship to support them and a
secure job when they finished.
After Emil retired in 1982 the family moved back north to Greens Beach for what he said was a very
happy life of golf, gardening and looking after grandchildren. Unfortunately. Angela’s health began
to deteriorate before she passed away in 2001. During that year he struck up a relationship with
Lois who’s husband, a golf partner of Emil, had also recently passed away. Emil and Lois married in
May 2002.
Emil joined the IFA in 1952, and was a Voting Member and then a Life Member. He served on the
Tasmanian Division Committee from 1975 to 1977. He was a regular attendee at IFA meetings and
field trips, and an energetic campaigner in promoting the cause of forestry in the public arena. He
was a regular “Letters to the Editor” writer, and in more recent times, Emil was involved in tirelessly
pursuing the ABC for an apology over the misinformation presented in the 4 Corners program,
“Lords of the Forests” (screened 2004). In 2009 Emil was appointed asa Fellow of the IFA in
recognition of his long and significant contribution to forestry and the Institute.
Life was not all seriousness for Emil though, and he was involved in a range of sports over the
years, particularly golf. Emil is reputed to have had marks on the floor of his office such that, when
standing on these, he could practice a full golf swing of his 5 iron, missing all the carefully arranged
furniture by inches! However he was caught out one day whilst practicing, by an unexpected visit
from the Chief Commissioner. On another occasion, according to reliable sources, he took out an
office light fitting which then landed on his desk and brought down the ceiling as well!
Emil is survived by his wife Lois and children from his first marriage Peter, Eileen, Kerri, Tom and
Cathy. He was to the end faithful as always to his God, to himself, his beliefs. His last words were
“keep well and God bless”.
Vale Emil Johnston.
With thanks to the Johnston family.
UNIVERSITY NEWS
New School boosts Forest Science
Education and Research
Gerd Bossinger
With the establishment of its new School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences (SEFS), the University of
Melbourne is providing what may be the biggest boost to Australian forest science education and research
in decades.
The new School is home to more than 90 academics and professional staff, some 75 postgraduate research students
and a further 75 coursework postgraduate students who use physical, biological and social sciences to study ecosystem
processes and issues related to sustainable land management and resource utilization across a diverse range of
environments from forests and natural systems through to urban and designed landscapes.
The creation of the School follows the move of the University’s Forest Science research and teaching programs into the
Faculty of Science in July 2014. SEFS operates across three Victorian campuses: Creswick, Burnley and Parkville.
The establishment of the School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences coincides with the re-introduction of forestry into
the University’s undergraduate curriculum in the form of a forest science major within the Bachelor of Science as well as
the introduction of industry-focussed graduate coursework programs in Forest Systems Management.
“These new programs complement our very successful Master of Forest Ecosystem Science and our graduate programs
in Bushfire Planning and Management” said Professor Gerd Bossinger, Head of SEFS.
“This provides great opportunities for further education not only for recent graduates but also for career changers or
those that already are well established as forest sector professionals.”
With its extended brief, the School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences is also the custodial School for the Associate
Degree in Urban Horticulture, a Landscape and Ecosystem Management Major within the Bachelor of Environments,
the Master of Urban Horticulture, and commercial courses in Arboriculture, Garden Design and Green Roofs and
Walls.
“The broad skill base of academics in the new School opens exciting new learning experiences that go well beyond
a classical education in Forest Science”, said Dr Antanas Spokevicius, who coordinates the development of a new
integrated land management curriculum for Victoria, a state-funded, collaborative effort led by the new School in
collaboration with Timber Training Creswick, Federation University, and Bendigo, Suni and South-West TAFEs.
“Students coming out of the School’s programs will find they are equipped for a diverse set of careers.”
For more information about the School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences contact the School on
Phone: +61 3 5321 4300.
28
29
UNIVERSITY NEWS
ANU News
Associate Professor Cris Brack. SFHEA, MIFA
Fenner School of Environment & Society
College of Medicine, Biology & Environment
Australian National University
In response to the Commonwealth Government direction that all Masters programs need to be
2 years in duration, the Australian National University has phased out its older programs and has
introduced a new range Masters as of 2015. Most of these Masters programs can be taken as
“Advanced” with 1 year coursework and 1 year full time research, or as predominately coursework
with between 3–6 months research and research training. The new Masters most likely to be of
interest to readers of The Forester include three convened by the Fenner School of Environment
and Society, viz: Master of Forestry, Master of Environment, and Master of Environmental
science. The programs all have a breadth component to ensure graduates understand the basics,
language and issues in the range of environmental fields from policy and governance through to
society and environmental science. The programs also require at least one specialisation, which
in Master of Forestry can be Forest Policy and Management or Forest Science and Methods.
Students with cognate Bachelor degrees can receive credit for up to 6 months of coursework
(or even 12 months in the case of appropriate Honours degrees or Graduate Diplomas), so it is
possible to obtain a Masters in 12 to 18 months if you have the right prior learning. Further details
are on the ANU website - http://programsandcourses.anu.edu.au/2015/program/MFORE or
http://programsandcourses.anu.edu.au/2015/program/VFORE
The initial offering of these new programs in Fenner has been well received with new enrolments
filling all our current graduate student facilities. We are anticipating another 20 new starters for
semester 2, and so are frantically expanding our graduate rooms and other facilities. We have
more than double the number of M.Forestry students enrolled than previous few years!
As well as this increase in Masters enrolments, the length and content of research projects
required has substantially increased. Our Advanced students will have a year of relevant
coursework before entering into a yearlong research project, while our coursework students
in M.For will have at least half a semester of a “research essay/project” after 18 months of
coursework. These increases mean that there is an opportunity for more direct engagement
of Masters candidates with forest agencies, conservation groups and industries in the provision
of data or interesting problems. While one year may not seem much in terms of collecting raw
data in forestry, it is sufficient time to add to existing data held by third parties and complete a
comprehensive analysis and write up. As Associate Director (Postgraduate Coursework) for the
Fenner School, I would be very happy to hear from anyone who has existing data that they could
provide to an appropriately prepared Masters of Forestry or Masters of Environment student to
enrich and analyse.
Collecting long term data at the ANU Research Forest, National Arboretum Canberra.
To be collated and used by future Masters Forestry and Masters Environment in their new
year long research projects.