The WA Government has renewed the Regional Forest Agreement with the federal government despite pleas from environmentalists warning it is out of touch.
The agreement was first signed 20 years ago as a way to manage conservation, forest management and logging without the state government having to get federal environmental approval to log or export under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.
A state government spokesperson said the renewed agreement meant WA could continue prescribed burning, forestry operations, timber harvesting and the export of raw materials.
The spokesperson said the agreement recognised WA's processes were already compliant with the provisions of the EPBC Act and that WA sustainably managed its South-West native forests with a comprehensive, adequate and representative reserve system.
"The RFA gives long-term stability to protections for biodiversity and heritage, and surety of resource access for industry, ensuring the whole community can continue to enjoy the many benefits that WA forests provide well into the future," the spokesperson said.
"Well-managed forests support industry, communities and recreation, and provide employment across a long supply chain, generating jobs in forest management, planting, harvest and haulage, processing, and the sale of wood products.
"A recent study from the University of Canberra found WA's forestry industry supports employment for more than 6,000 people, generates around $1.4 billion for our economy and ensures healthy forests for future generations to enjoy."
South West MLC Diane Evers said following the initial agreement the state developed its Forest Management Plan to determine the rules around logging, but there was no federal oversight.
"When your state is not doing very well, you really want the federal government to come in and say, wait a second," she said.
Ms Evers said in the last 20 years, the state government decided to log old growth native forests based on how many stumps could be found in an area.
"If there was a certain number per hectare it was not considered old growth and that meant they could go ahead and log it," she said.
"Over the last 20 years there has been continued logging of certain areas, to what I and other people believe is too much logging.
"We are still cutting very old trees, and it is not uncommon to cut trees which are 300 to 400 years old which are mostly turned into wood chips or wood pulp, around 30 per cent is kept as timber.
"It is incredible all the flora and fauna that are critically endangered or vulnerable species which have shifted into the next category up in the last 20 years," she said.
"We are not doing very well on conservation. A lot of research has been done, but that was 10 years ago, it has like we have given up."
Warren-Blackwood MLA Terry Redman said the agreement established a framework for the sustainable management of forests in the South-West.
Mr Redman said the agreement ensured effective conservation, forest management and the delivery of forest-based industry outcomes.
"The agreement is vital for the long-term economic stability of forest based industries whilst balancing environmental values, including old growth, wilderness and endangered species," he said.
"Without this agreement, hundreds of regional jobs are at risk, adversely affecting the future of families and communities."
WA Forest Alliance convener Jess Beckerling said the agreement was "embarssingly out of touch on climate change and wildlife."
"This dodgy agreement, which provides the logging industry with a special free pass from federal environment laws, has been rushed through in the dying days of the Morrison Government," she said.
Ms Becklerling said the climate had changed dramatically since 1999 and the logging industry had failed to keep up with the science or the impacts of increased temperatures and decreased rainfall on forests.
She called for the state government to get forest conservation and science back on track to better protect forests and wildlife.
