Wednesday 16 December 2020
GREEN TRIANGLE’S FIRST FIRE ALLIANCE MANAGER APPOINTED – ANTHONY WALSH
Experienced forest and fire manager Anthony Walsh has been appointed the Green Triangle Fire Alliance’s (GTFA) inaugural fire manager.
With almost 20 years’ experience working in the Green Triangle managing some of the region’s largest plantation companies, Mr Walsh has developed strong relationships with key industry stakeholders to implement the region’s first-of-its-kind collaborative forest fire management strategy.
The Hamilton-based forest manager has held the role of regional manager at PF Olsen Australia for the past decade with previous experience in management roles at Sustainable Forest Management Australasia and ITC Limited.
GTFA chair Andrew Matheson said Mr Walsh was a highly respected industry leader with extensive forest fire management experience.
“All of our members are delighted to welcome Anthony to this new forest fire management role. Anthony has a wealth of industry experience and is a leader in his field. He will be instrumental in delivering the alliance’s objectives of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of fire suppression, detection and prevention activities for our forest owners and managers in the Green Triangle,” he said.
“Anthony has proven experience developing sophisticated fire management systems in his role as a regional forest manager and has extensive on-ground fire experience. He has strong relationships with the key fire agencies and is well connected in the region which will support the alliance to advance its ambitious plans.”
The GTFA, a sub-committee of the Green Triangle Forest Industries Hub (GTFIH), formed earlier this year as a continuation of the Green Triangle Forest Fire Co-operative project which delivered a strategic plan for future forest fire management, focused on cross border harmonisation and decreasing the industry’s exposure to risk from fire.
The work complements the Forest Owners Conference (FOC) which has played a key role in cross border fire and emergency response over the past 40 years which will continue to work closely with the alliance. The GTFA will continue to build on the successful relationships that have been developed between the industry and key fire agencies including the Country Fire Authority (CFA) and Country Fire Services (CFS).
The GTFA membership includes 10 forest companies, drawn from both hardwood and softwood plantation managers in the Green Triangle, as well as ForestrySA.
GTFA fire manager Anthony Walsh
Mr Walsh said he looked forward to working closely with the committee to achieve the work objectives, which come at a pivotal time for the sector.
“I am looking forward to delivering on the key focus areas of this first-of-its-kind industry fire plan which has the potential to transform fire management in the Green Triangle, particularly for cross border communities,” Mr Walsh said.
“The Green Triangle is a powerhouse in the forest and timber sectors and the reliance on our high-quality timber is growing due to the pressures of lost supply on the east coast of Australia during the devastating fires of last summer. More than ever we need to protect this important resource, using new innovations and technologies to futureproof our sector, ensuring our estate is here to support our communities for generations to come.
“The delivery of the FireHawk camera and emergency management system in recent months is just one step in the strategic plan to enhance our response, protecting and supressing the threat of fire more efficiently and safely. I look forward to working with our cross-border agencies and key stakeholders to realise the next steps of this important plan.”
Learn more about the GTFA’s objectives here: Green Triangle Fire Alliance_Business Strategy