We recognise the potential impacts our activities could have on water quality. All our operations include a site-specific assessment of the risks and associated controls, and operations are monitored closely to ensure that watercourses are not adversely impacted.
Examples of controls used to protect water quality include:
- extensive use of debris retention as an integral part of plantation establishment operations
- water course protection zones that take account of soil erosion, slope angle and length, catchment size and stream power index, and are based on accurate digital elevation models
- machinery trafficking guidelines that limit the extent and severity of permitted compaction and encourage use of preventative techniques such as placement of harvest debris over tracks to reduce impacts
- staff and contractor training that supports changes to guidelines
- selection of machine type or system to mitigate environmental risks
- recognising riparian vegetation of special significance in management planning
- reviewing plantation watercourse protection buffers between crop rotations to recognise and establish new plantations consistent with current guidelines
- managing stock grazing permits and similar agreements on freehold lands to reduce environmental impacts
- pre-harvest surveys for acid sulfate and potential acid sulfate soils in low-lying plantations adjacent to estuarine environments
- suspending log haulage operations during periods of prolonged wet weather or soil-saturated conditions to protect road surfaces and reduce off-site environmental impacts
- designing and constructing watercourse crossings mindful of fish passage requirements.
We work in partnership with various local catchment groups to monitor water quality on a network of permanent sites across our major catchments. Data is monitored for spikes in turbidity, salinity and pH levels above the acceptable water quality guidelines.
We also undertake a chemical monitoring program to ensure the herbicide products we use do not enter into our waterways.