Speculation over the future management of the Barmah State Forest has raised questions for the people of communities like Picola, which they would like answered.

The Victorian Environment Assessment Council wants to see Barmah transformed into a national park in a draft report released recently.

The small farming community of Picola is just a short distance from the edge of the Barmah forest.

National park status would remove grazing cattle, place tighter restrictions on camping and end timber harvesting.

To restore river red gums to better health up to 4000 Gl would be needed to simulate natural flooding along the Murray River.

"I question the 4000 Gl," Picola farmer and councillor David McKenzie said in disbelief.

"Where is it going to come from?

"Our irrigators?

"What is it going to do to our shire?"

He is also concerned at how the park management would control weeds and feral animals.

Picola Hotel publican Paul Walsh worries about how tourists will see changes to the park.

"With this business the trade through the year just pays the bills," Mr Walsh said.

"To get a decent return you need the Christmas and Easter trade passing through."

He said thousands of people head into the bush over the school holidays to enjoy fishing and camping.

Tighter regulation could turn some away.

"If you're going to be camping six feet away from the next tent you might as well go to Sorrento."

Picola's sole mechanic believes the cutback of the timber industry in the Barmah forest will have flow oneffects throughout the surrounding communities.

Picola garage owner Steve Hurst said the loss of timber cutting would have flow-on effects for businesses like himself who get a substantial amount of work from the industry.

Mr Hurst estimates 25 per cent of his business to come from timber cutters, including fixing equipment such as swing saws and vehicles and fears this business will be lost if timber cutting is restricted.

"If there is nobody out there breaking gear I'll have nothing to fix and I'll lose a quarter of my business," Mr Hurst said.

In the draft proposals paper, VEAC recommended that the available timber harvesting area be reduced by 40 per cent.

The report acknowledged this would significantly decrease the volume of wood produced and the size of the river red gum timber industry.

Mr Hurst said he believed the timber industry had played an important role in the sustainability of the Barmah forest including keeping fire hazards to a minimum for more than a century and saw no reason for its exclusion.

Mr Hurst said he also believed the state of the forest had been "severely misrepresented".

"From what we've seen and heard over the years it's very sustainable," Mr Hurst said.