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]