Blue Derby Wild calls for halt on timber logging around mountain bike trails

A small Tassie town has boomed with visitors coming to ride the stunning mountain bike trails. But logging is putting millions of tourist dollars in jeopardy, a community group says. LATEST >>

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MORE environmental protests are looming as logging begins in the forest surrounding Derby’s popular mountain bike trails.

The small North East town has boomed on the back of visitors coming to ride the trails and millions have been invested.

“Over $8 million of federal grants have been sunk into the trail networks around the Blue Derby network,” Blue Derby Wild said on Monday.

“Logging the forests and natural assets that brings so many people to our part of the world is undermining these taxpayer grants and the future of eco-based tourism in the region.

“And it is being done to prop up a loss-making industry that is heavily subsidised by the taxpayers of Tasmania.”

Blue Derby Wild says protest action would be staged if the Tasmanian government allowed the logging to continue.

“The hill that overlooks the town of Derby has three coupes scheduled for logging that surround the Krushka’s, Dambusters and Atlas MTB trails,” the group said on Monday.

It said work had already started in the Krushka’s forest area known as CC119A.

“Despite opposition to logging the forests Sustainable Timbers Tasmania has ignored all community and MTB business feedback,” a spokesman said.

Blue Derby Wild protesting in December.

A protest is planned for March 21 which is International Day for Forests.

“Join us in calling on Premier Peter Gutwein to halt logging of these forests in the hills surrounding Derby and the Blue Derby MTB trails.”

“If you’ve ever stayed with a Derby accommodation business, or travelled with a Derby MTB shuttle bus company, ask them what they are doing to protect the forests that supports their business.

“We need the business owners to get active and protect the forests that are building their wealth base.”

Resource Minister Guy Barnett was confident the government was meeting the needs of the tourism and forestry industries.

The importance of both sectors is highlighted by the Tourism and Forestry Protocol Agreement 2019, which provides a framework for the tourism and forestry industries to continue to work together and to develop and implement mutually beneficial outcomes that support both ongoing wood production and tourism growth,” he said.

“Derby is a leading example around the world of how tourism and forestry successfully coexist and are successfully managed within regional communities for the benefit of those communities and the mutual benefit of both industries.

Guy Barnett.

“Sustainable Timber Tasmania, has been extensively involved with the development of Tasmania’s world class mountain bike tracks, with many trails located on land managed by Sustainable Timber Tasmania.”

Mr Barnett said he had been advised that STT was aware of the value of the mountain bike trails and will seek to develop their forest harvesting plans in consultation with the track managers and local stakeholders

“The coupes located near Derby are located on Permanent Timber Production Zone land that has been agreed by both Houses of the Tasmanian parliament for the purpose of supplying timber to industry,” he said.

Originally published as Blue Derby Wild calls for halt on timber logging around mountain bike trails