Forestry peace deal

Updated Tue Oct 19, 2010 8:11am AEDT

Growing peace: the deal comes after months of secret talks. (ABC News)

Decades of war in Tasmania's forests could end today with environmentalists and the timber industry signing a formal peace deal.

The ABC understands industry representatives and conservationists will sign a Statement of Principles, after months of negotiations behind closed doors.

Premier David Bartlett has refused to confirm the imminent deal but says he is looking forward to the next stage of the process.

"[We need] to ensure we have a robust and vibrant and sustainable forest industry going forward."
It is understood the document commits the parties to immediately protect high conservation areas and to eventually stop logging in native forest.

The parties have also reached a compromise on the key stumbling block of burning wood residues for power, restricting biomass to plantation forests.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/10/18/3041588.htm