A proposal to allow logging access to more parts of Tasmania’s wilderness has sparked calls for federal government intervention.

The Liberal resources minister, Guy Barnett, on Tuesday tabled a bill to make an extra 356,000 hectares of forests available for logging, which he says will save 700 jobs as supply of sawlogs runs dry.

“Advice from Forestry Tasmania that obtaining Forest Stewardship Council certification will impact on the quantity of high-quality sawlogs it can harvest underlines the need for this legislation,” the minister said. “Up to 15,000 cubic metres per year of sawlog may no longer be available.”

Conservationist and former Greens leader Bob Brown said the proposal meant wildlife-rich forests were facing destruction, along with rare and endangered species.

“Federal environment minister Josh Frydenberg should use his powers to protect,” Brown said. “The legislation spells doom for a large number of rare species, including Tasmanian devil, wedge-tailed eagle and swift parrot, which are primarily under Frydenberg’s duty of care,” he said.

Thousands of hectares of the land earmarked for logging by the state government is within the sensitive Tarkine region, Brown said.

Tasmania’s parliament will debate the legislation.