THE Victorian Greens said today their forests policy, which would end logging on native forests, was a pragmatic business plan aimed at saving trees and the industry.
The plan, unveiled today ahead of the November 25 Victorian election, would cost an estimated $20 to $30 million, the Greens said.
It includes the end of logging in native forests and the creation of one million hectares of new conservation reserves across the state.
Greens forests spokesman Marcus Ward said Victoria's pine plantation industry was booming, while the hardwood logging industry was in freefall despite government bailouts, and the market would eventually force a transition.
But he said 8 per cent of Victoria's old growth forests was unprotected and would be logged in the next three to four years without a change in policy.
"So that's all we are doing, trying to accelerate that move into plantation," Mr Ward said.
"We are confident that within ten years there will be no logging in native forests in Victoria – so we could just sit back and say `let's just let it happen'.
"But what we've done is put together a business plan that will save the forests and save the industry at the same time."
The Greens' policy would create more than 1,000 jobs in the plantation timber industry, as well as manufactured timber and saw mills, although many would be in different regions, Mr Ward said.
It includes funding for job retraining, relocation costs, redundancy payments and money for hardwood mills to retool to process softwood sawlogs.
"So there will be some discomfort, but let me say that is unavoidable – if we do nothing,
