Poaching

The Pieman River catchment contains approximately 306 hectares of Huon Pine communities (Peterson 1990), but no community information exists for the stand within the Donaldson River catchment (Askey-Doran et al 1992). The Tarkine contains the most Northern reaches of naturally occurring Huon Pine (Lagarostrobus franklinii). Some specimens have been estimated to be in excess of 10,000 years of age. The trees high resistance to rot and golden colour make it a prized timber and as such many accessible stands of Huon Pine suffer from illegal logging. Due to the rarity and high commercial value of the timber from these trees, illegal poaching poses a significant risk to these communities, which is further facilitated by increased access to the stands (Askey-Doran et al 1992). Similarly with other rainforest communities, fire kills Huon Pine, as demonstrated by the dead stands within the proposed Tarkine National Park area (Peterson 1990).