‘Irreplaceable’: Calls to protect Blue Derby mountain bike trails from potential logging

There are fears tourism in Tasmania’s north east could take a hit as a result of the potential logging of ancient forests in a popular town surrounded by mountain bike trails. LATEST >>

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There are fears tourism in Derby could take a hit as a result of the potential logging of ancient forests in the tourist town.

Advocate group Blue Derby Wild said logging around the Krushkas and Atlas forests could affect trees hundreds of years old.

“Once we’ve lost these ancient Gondwanic forest ecosystems, you cannot grow them back,” Blue Derby Wild campaigner Louise Morris said.

“These irreplaceable Gondwana native forests need to be protected for their biodiversity, climate change values and for the opportunities that they bring for the north east of Tasmania.

“These forests are worth more standing.”

Located in temperate rainforest in North-East Tasmania, the Blue Derby Mountain Bike trails encompass some of the most stunning landscapes in Tasmania. Image: Stu Gibson.

Mountain bike rider Stephe Wilks said he’d often stop to see the trees on his rides.

“I’ve been off the trails and off the Krushkas, it’s a beautiful part of the world,” Mr Wilks said.

“We stop at a tree called big mama on the Krushkas trail, that tree itself, I’m assuming is very old but it’s a substantial tree and that is on the ridge line of krushka.

“That’s the sort of forest where chopping it down is like vandalism.”

Mr Wilks said Sustainable timbers Tasmania should instead log plantations.

He believed some trees in the logging coupes were more than 300 years old.

“These are beautiful tress that don’t exactly grow back in ten years, they grow back in 300 years.

Located in temperate rainforest in North-East Tasmania, the Blue Derby Mountain Bike trails encompass some of the most stunning landscapes in Tasmania. Image: Stu Gibson

A 50 metre buffer zone is in place between the mountain bike trails and logging operations.

But Ms Morris said the community would still be affected.

“The whole community is affected by logging as the forests are where we ride, hike, walk and in many cases guide visitors to see forests found nowhere else in the world,” Ms Morris said.

“The tourism experience is severely impacted.

Blue Derby Pods Ride, Tasmania Credit: Adam Gibson e

“The noise from logging will be audible in the surrounding valley and log trucks are an ongoing danger through the main streets of Derby.”

Sustainable Timber Tasmania General Manager Suzette Weeding said mountain biking trails won’t be affected by the logging.

“The mountain bike trails are entirely outside of the proposed harvest area,” Ms Weeding said.

“Substantial measures are being put in place to protect the trails from forest operations.

“Sustainable Timber Tasmania continues to work alongside the Dorset Council, tourism operators and the mountain bike community to deliver and foster both forestry and tourism industry objectives.”