Community groups in Derby and Sustainable Timber Tasmania have repeatedly clashed in recent years over a collection of native forest coupes that fall in and around the region's now-famed mountain biking trails.

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Those concerns were not assuaged earlier this week, when Sustainable Timber Tasmania unveiled its Derby Concept Plan, a preliminary outline of how the state's forestry arm intends to navigate the issues it faces in Derby.

The plan was developed in a partnership between Sustainable Timber Tasmania, Dorset Council and the Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service, and arrives ahead of a more substantial masterplan, which is expected following public consultation.

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Speaking on the plan, STT's general manager of conservation and land management Suzette Weeding said the priority for all parties was to "keep the Blue Derby mountain bike trails one of the best Tasmania has to offer".

Under the plan, 930 hectares surrounding the Derby bike trails would be "maintained into perpetuity".

Despite the assurance, the plan has been labelled as an act of "greenwashing" by Blue Derby Wild's Louise Morris, who maintains that the newly enshrined hectares fall outside the current areas of interest for environmental groups.

"The area in Derby that does not have the forests they want to log, and is in the footprint of the old mining activity, where trails criss-cross the town, and would not allow half a bulldozer between each trail," she said.

Meanwhile, in tandem with the release of the concept plan, STT is preparing to partially harvest two coupes CC105A and CC119A, which neighbour the Krushka's, Dam Busters and Atlas mountain bike trails at Derby.

Work could commence as early as next week and sections of the forest are already being cordoned off.

The timeline for harvesting these coupes has been repeatedly pushed, most recently to avoid interrupting the region's busy January tourist season.

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That said, as part of it's community consultation in recent years, STT has stressed that a 50-metre buffer along all the Derby bike trails will help ensure riders remain unaffected by the operations.

While those assurances have been welcomed by some, advocates like the Blue Derby Wild group have also been eager in recent months to outline the potential impact to the natural flora and fauna beyond the 50-metre trail buffer.

STT's more detailed Derby masterplan is expected by the middle of this year.

Those wishing to make a comment on the concept plan should email their comments to stakeholder@sttas.com.au.

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