![]() CONSERVATION OF FORESTS ![]() The rapid destruction of the world's rainforests is a priority environmental issue for the whole of WWF. For years, conservationists and the timber industry have fought over these forests which are the greatest reservoirs of biological diversity on the earth. At least 50 per cent, and perhaps as much as 90 per cent, of plant and animal species occur in these forests. Tropical forests also play a local, regional and global role in regulating the earth's climate and rainfall cycle. Over 140 million people worldwide depend on them for fuel, firewood and raw materials. Australia is endowed with an incredibly rich and unique flora which has adapted itself to every conceivable niche on this continent. The forests range from the ancient Gondwanan origin temperate rainforests to diverse tropical rainforests with some of the world's most ancient flowering plants. WWF-Australia is seeking ways in which the timber trade and rainforests can co-exist. It believes that there must be a future for sustainable forest management and use so long as people depend on these forests for their survival and income. For this end, WWF-Australia, along with the Australia Timber Importers' Federation, held a conference in Sydney in 1994 called ''Rainforests are our Business'' which explored ways in which companies, conservation groups and consumers can play a role in conserving the world's rainforests and developing an ecologically sustainable timber trade. In 1995, WWF-Australia also began to create a partnership between WWF and local companies determined to play a part in improving the quality of forest management in Australia. This initiative picks up on the growing success of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). With the ongoing concern over the management of Australia's native forests, a commitment to the FSC model is expected to become a necessity for companies wanting to demonstrate their credibility to consumers. On the basis of a project carried out to determine the distribution, status and habitat requirements of owls in relation to forest management, WWF-Australia has been able to have specific conservation measures adopted by forest management agencies.
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