A 3,000-year-old Huon pine and several other ancient trees on Tasmania’s West Coast have survived bushfires that have torn through the area in recent weeks.
Aerial confirmation came this week from a team of natural values specialists from the Department of Natural Resources and Environment.
Senior Ecologist Steve Leonard expressed relief after the inspection confirmed that Huon pines along both the Harman and Wilson rivers remained largely unscathed.
“We were pretty excited after flying through the landscape to come to this island of intact forest and see these magnificent old trees,” he said.
“These Huon pine forests have immense conservation significance, so their survival through this bushfire is a great outcome.”
The only impacts observed were a “handful of scorched trees” on the lower Harman River.
Leonard believes these trees have a “reasonable chance” of recovery.
Parks Minister Nick Duigan said the news was a relief following the extensive damage inflicted by the bushfires, which have consumed more than 100,000 hectares of Tasmanian wilderness.
“I’d like to thank the fire crews incident management teams and all of our support staff right across all three agencies,” he said.
“Our thoughts remain with everyone involved, we appreciate your dedication and commitment to the ongoing response.”
