THE Tasmanian Greens yesterday praised the forest agreement's potential to deliver positive conservation outcomes, but warned the proof would be in the pudding.But forestry groups and the Liberal Opposition slammed the agreement and accused Premier Lara Giddings of selling out the timber industry.Greens leader Nick McKim said areas of improvement from the Heads of Agreement of a fortnight ago included the protection of the ENGO nominated 430,000ha until the passage of the reserve legislation through the Tasmanian Parliament, the absence of any commitment to legislate the provision of 265,000 cubic metres of peeler billets, the linking of a further $20 million to the passage of the reserve legislation through the Tasmanian Parliament, and the Federal Government statement that no Commonwealth money would be paid to progress Gunns' Tamar Valley pulp mill."This has the potential to be a win for jobs, a win for the environment and a major step forward in the ongoing transformation of Tasmania's economy," Mr McKim said.Australia Greens senator Bob Brown said the agreement provided scope for negotiation."I'm now looking forward to working with the Federal Government to get the heritage outcome here. There's huge potential for the great icon of Hobart, Mt Wellington, to now be linked through world heritage with Cradle Mountain, Federation Peak and Melaleuca," Senator Brown said.The Wilderness Society's Vica Bayley reiterated the positive sentiment. "We do believe it maps out a pathway for protection of our forests. But the proof will be in the pudding, the implementation will be the test," Mr Bayley said."A key part of this agreement is a pathway to deliver the secure protection of unique and important native forests."Phill Pullinger of Environment Tasmania said the agreement made some critical steps forward."We strongly and warmly support the financial support that is being offered to the timber workers as the industry goes through this restructure," Dr Pullinger said."This agreement alone won't deliver peace in our times, the test will be the implementation of the agreement."Forest Industries Association of Tasmania chief executive Terry Edwards expressed anger at the agreement."It is an absolutely appalling sellout of the Tasmanian forest industry and Tasmanian workers," Mr Edwards said."The Labor Party should be ashamed of itself."He said there was probably no future for the timber industry under the agreement."The time for dialogue is over. It's quite clear that the demands of the environmental groups are insatiable," he said.State Opposition acting leader Jeremy Rockliff said the deal bowed to the demands of the Greens."Lara Giddings has spectacularly caved in to Nick McKim on forestry and confirmed once and for all that she is captive to the Greens' extreme anti-jobs agenda," Mr Rockliff said."Make no mistake, this is probably the single biggest act of economic vandalism that Tasmania has ever seen."Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association chief executive Jan Davis said a clause that forces private forestry to reach one of two certification standards was a direct intrusion in the free market."Importantly for farmers, the agreement signals an intention to add another layer of regulation that will further threaten the viability of forestry on private land," Ms Davis said.She said the deal was an effort to appease the Greens by trading off an industry for a "meagre" assistance package.auComments on all stories must now contain your full name (first name and surname) and suburb