FREEDOM of Information documents obtained by The Wilderness Society show the Primary Industries, Parks, Water and the Environment Department declined to attend a swift parrot recovery team meeting in April this year, without providing a reason for the decision.
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The meeting minutes included in the FOI documents refer to rumours of eight major areas of non-compliance in Forestry Tasmania’s bid to receive FSC certification, which ‘‘likely relates to swift parrots based on discussion between (redacted) (FT), Environment Tas and Birdlife’’.
The documents also show that the 2014-15 breeding season was the ‘‘worst recorded’’.
The minutes of the recovery team meeting in May said Forestry Tasmania was only required to retain 5 per cent of a forest coupe for swift parrot habitat protection.
The Wilderness Society national forest campaign manager Warrick Jordan said the actions of the Tasmanian and Australian governments were driving the swift parrot toward extinction.
A spokesman for the Tasmanian government said they were committed to the protection and survival of the swift parrot.
‘‘This work includes liaising with government agencies and other land managers to secure the protection of breeding and foraging habitat – which totals about 968,000 hectares across Tasmania – and working with Forestry Tasmania to develop agreed future management arrangements for the swift parrot within the Permanent Timber Production Zone,’’ he said.
The spokesman did not provide a response on whether the impact of sugar gliders on swift parrot numbers was also being taken into consideration.
