Tasmanian Beekeeping Association president and Australian Honeybee Industry Council chairman Lindsay Bourke said further leatherwood loss would be dire.

A significant reason for declining leatherwood is past farming practices, he said.

“Now farmers are trying to work with us. We’re pleased Tasmania is going to expand with agriculture, and hopefully our industry will keep pace, but we need our one and only honey crop not to be cut down or damaged,” Mr Bourke said.

Tasmanian leatherwood availability was threatened further when the trees could not be accessed after the 2016 floods damaged roads and bridges.

“Some beekeepers in the South [of the state] claim they’ve lost 80 per cent of all leatherwood,” Mr Bourke said.

It cost Mr Bourke thousands of dollars to fly hives into inaccessible leatherwood areas earlier this year.

“We need bees to pollinate our stone fruit, brassicas, seed crops and vegetables. Tasmania can’t afford to lose more leatherwood from the rainforest,” he said.

Tasmanian beekeepers have not had a good season for the past five years and were hoping this year would be better, but a cold, wet and windy February hit.

“We have no more than 60 per cent of our normal crop. That’s going to cause problems because we’ll have no stock,” Mr Bourke said.

A state government spokesperson said there was regular contact with the association.

“Positive progress is being made on putting in place protocols between Forestry Tasmania and beekeepers. The government is also working on how it can assist the industry to identify and access leatherwood,” the spokesman said.

This situation is one up for discussion at the association annual general meeting on Friday in Hobart.