The forestry profession is under siege from an increasingly aware society motivated by deep concern over the possible environmental effects of logging native forests. The profession lacks the confidence and trust of the wider community. Consequently, forest management and related land-use decisions are surrounded by controversy, conflict. confusion and confrontation.This paper describes the challenge to the profession, its focus on native forest management, its political and scientific setting in south-eastern Australia, and the potentially pivotal importance to a besieged profession of recent co-operative research initiatives.Co-operative action is required if the forestry profession is to win the challenge of balancing sustained wood production and ecosystem conservation in the native forests of south-eastern Australia. In particular, the profession should initiate, and expedite, an open investigation of the adequacy of resources (people, operating funds and organisational arrangements) presently allocated to native forest management (planning, operations, research, monitoring. review and re-development}. If resources are inadequate and cannot be increased, even by re-deployment, then existing high community expectations based on the new management strategies. codes. etc. must be reduced, perhaps sharply! Continued action is needed to develop a national strategy based on integrated education and development action; a nationally coordinated program of native forest research; and increased community involvement in identifying management priorities and in accepting the risks associated with strategies and practices adopted.
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