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Aerial surveillance was in force to protect a fire-damaged Huon pine stockpile from poaching, Forestry Tasmania said yesterday. Managing director Evan Rolley said more than half the West Coast pile burnt by bushfire last month was expected to be salvageable.
Mr Rolley said the remoteness of the South-West National Park, with just one access road, was the main reason for the storage site. "The location was not generally known, aside from a few industry people, which was the security benefit of that site," Mr Rolley said.
He said there had already been reports of attempted pilfering of the site. "There is some aerial surveillance and other patrols. We certainly don't want to be losing any to poachers.
"No salvage permits are being issued and we urge people to stay away while the Parks and Wildlife fire control effort is continuing," Mr Rolley said.
The Holley Rd access gate has been locked and a no-public-access policy put in place.
Mr Rolley said Forestry Tasmania would work with West Coast sawmillers, who take part of the stockpile each year, to consider a new site.
With publicising of the site, security was now an issue, while the Hydro would advise on dam levels because the logs need to be kept moist. Estimated to be worth $2-3 million to Forestry Tasmania but many times that after processing, the logs have been held for 20 years at the West Coast's Lake Gordon.
Recriminations flowed after fire jumped the lake and burnt the logs, kept moist at the lake's muddy edge. Mr Rolley said an encouraging early report indicated much more salvageable wood remained than first thought. "A degree of charring has occurred but it may be it has only penetrated a few millimetres into many of the logs. If this proves to be the case across the stockpile, recovery rates will be quite high."
A full report on the damage is expected late next week.