Dear fellows
re: Lake Johnston [Mt Read] Draft Management Plan

The following is an important political request for support from you to help
prevent the destruction of a very valuable dendro-resource for the global
community: Huon pine at Mt Read

All you need do to show your support for conserving the remarkable and
unique Huon pine trees at Mt Read is to send a message to [log in to unmask]
containing your name and affiliation by 1 October 1999.

Please also forward this message on to anyone else who may be interested.

More details are presented in the following three short paragraphs. This
complements other information provided by Kathyn Allen (University of
Tasmania, Australia) posted earlier this month. Please contact Kathy or
myself for further information

Indeed, contact the Dept. Primary Industires, Water and Environment (DPIWE,
see details at end) primarily,

Minister for Primary Industries, Water and Environment,
Mr David Llewellyn

e-mail: [log in to unmask] (David Llewellyn)
cc: [log in to unmask]
Fax :   (03) 6224 0617


Huon pine is a long-lived conifer species (Lagarostrobos franklinii) endemic
to the west coast of Tasmania, presently exposed to the Southern Ocean in
the Southern Hemisphere. An important stand of approximately 300 stems on Mt
Read (1123 m a.s.l.) is unique because it is near the species' upper
altitudinal boundary, all Huon pine trees are male (vegetative propagation)
and genetically very similar, it is responsive to temperature, it has been
cross-dated to construct a dendrochronological record extending back over
2500 years, it complements other Huon pine dendrochronological records
including one extending back over 12 000 years at Stanley River..., and it
is now under serious threat by the Local Government's proposal to make it a
tourist park.

The Local Government is clearly not aware of the scientific value of this
particular stand of Huon pine trees. As a tourist attraction, as "the 10 500
year old tree" it is a fraud. As scenery it is less splendid than other Huon
pine sites at lower altitude. High correlation between Huon pine tree-ring
width and the longest available instrumental records of temperature (<200
years) indicates the high value of, in particular, this stand of trees as a
palaeo-thermometer. This should be much more than enough reason NOT to
destroy it. Personally I have used samples from these stems to build
coherent records of 13C/12C and  18O/16O records to infer long-term
physiology over the interval AD 1800-1994. I can vouch that this is a
remarkable site with long-lived Huon pine that represent a very precious
resource with great potential to provide foreseen and perhaps unforeseen
benefits to the global community. The Local Government is making a mistake
and they believe incorrectly that weakly-substantial economic benefit now in
the short-term is the way to proceed, largely to secure votes for the
political future of one or more individuals.

We as a local group of people (concerned scientists /conservationists) who
believe in the potential of this site to provide to the wider community much
more than the Local Government realise and refuse (doggedly) to acknowledge,
now need the support of the international community. This fragile but
important site will not tolerate up to "700 visitors per year" without
serious impact to it. Judging by long-term variations recorded by tree-ring
width and isotopes, this stand of Huon pine has recorded atmospheric and
climatic variations for thousands of years. Additional impact planned by the
Local Government is not only a threat to the continuation of these records
but a threat to the site and the conservation of these trees.

I again urge you to please show your support by sending a message to
[log in to unmask] containing your name and affiliation by 1 October 1999.
Importantly, please also forward this message on to anyone else who may be
interested in showing support.

Contact details for DPIWE are:
Minister for Primary Industries, Water and Environment,
Mr David Llewellyn

Secretary for Primary Industries, Water and Environment,
Mr Kim Evans

DEPARTMENT of  PRIMARY INDUSTRIES, WATER and ENVIRONMENT
Head Office, Hobart
Marine Board Building, 1 Franklin Wharf
HOBART TAS 7001
Telephone +61 3 6233 8011
Fax +61 3 6234 1335
e-mail: [log in to unmask] (David Llewellyn)
cc:     [log in to unmask]
Fax :   (03) 6224 0617

Mr David Llewellyn
Offices:
1 Franklin Square Hobart
Ph.    (03) 6233 6454
Fax : (03) 6224 0617
148 Gilbert St. Latrobe
0418 122 048
1 Byatt Court Scamander
(03) 6372 5399
2 Circle St. New Norfolk
0418 122 048
After Hours:
11 Corinth St. Howrah
(03) 6247 9699
Mobile
0418 122 048
-----
Requests for copies: Lake Johnston [Mt Read] Draft Management Plan
Steve harris at [log in to unmask] [cc: [log in to unmask]]

David A. Pepper
School of Biological Sciences
The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
Phone +61 2 9351 3078, Fax +61 2 9351 4119
Email [log in to unmask]