Which rivers have dried up? I think the above statement is very much hyperbole. The proportion of native forest on public land that is and will be converted is less than 5%. Not a great deal when there is a huge reservation system for forests in Tasmania.

I am always amused by the statement about “monocultural” tree plantations. What about monocultural grass paddocks, poppy fields, vineyards, fish farms, potato fields, apple orchards, herds of dairy cows etc. etc.? Are they any better? In fact, a plantation has more genetic diversity than the trees in a native forest because breeding techniques have combined genes from a wide range of source material to introduce greater genetic diversity in one forest. However there is no doubt that there is much less species complexity, but that’s a price we have to pay if we want the trees to grow faster.

Personally, I like to deal with facts. Those who make statements which can be proven to be untrue in the public arena should be prepared to wear criticism or correction. Otherwise people will continue to promulgate lies and if there is no counterpoint the community will undoubtedly believe those lies. The same old cliche about throwing mud, I believe.

Brian Green was right to defend the timber industry and communities. Those of us who work in the forest industry have a high level of integrity. If RF and his friends think we are corrupt, I dare him to name those who he thinks fit this category. Perhaps we could then test his allegations in the courts. Personally I am sick and tired of the innuendo and insults aimed at me and my timber community colleagues. And if you say, “Oh, it’s not personal”, that’s like the classic gangster holding a gun to a victim’s head and saying the same line.

RF’s article does much damage to our community, it is rubbish like this which causes division and hatred in our community, values he says he despises. I can remember some attacks he made on some artists over their refusal to join his boycott last year! Was that encouraging a freedom of choice, free speech and true democracy, values he says he holds dear? What has RF done to bring us together? He appears to be very good at throwing mud, but then again he did play footy down at the Uni oval, so he’s had plenty of experience!

As a forester I have dedicated over 20 years of my life to research about improving productivity of eucalypt plantations primarily so that pressure on native forests could be reduced. Plantations are not the only answer to our wood supply problems in Australia but they are part of the solution. Ten years ago Ms Putt would have us believe they were the only solution, but now she has changed her tune. So who do we believe? Remember that Australia has a $3 billion deficit in trade of wood products. So we import a huge amount from our near neighbours. If we reduce our own industry we’ll import even more. That is a classic exploitative move on the part of a rich western country to exploit resources of poorer neighbours.

I don’t know one professional forester who does not have a great respect for forests of any type. Most of us are employed to provide timber, fibre and other forest products for the community benefit. On top of this we seek to provide other opportunities in the forest such as reservation, tourism, recreation, non-timber forest products, biodiversity and regeneration. It’s not an easy job, but see if you can find someone to do it any better.

The forests most under threat in this State are not the tall wet eucalypt forests, but the dryland forests in Midlands of Tasmania. Yet I have never seen any action from the Wilderness Society or any green political groups to assist the community to focus on these forests which contain very high levels of biodiversity and a high proportion of rare and threatened species. Yet, quite a few foresters, including me, continue to work behind the scenes on this important issue. Does RF have any concern for this issue? Is he even aware of it?

What material is a book printed on? What material are all the pamphlets, posters, books etc. coming out of conservation movement offices printed on? If they are so intent on saving forests why do I continue to have Green Party pamphlets shoved in my letterbox, even though I have a “No advertising material Please” sign on it? What does selling as many books as possible do for the world’s forests? RF is as much responsible for exploiting forests as any other consumer in the western world! Again it’s an example of people on comfortable incomes who think they can exploit products of the earth without making an impact on the environment who have these naïve views.

Everything we eat, wear, sit on or use for transport has an environmental cost. It’s the price we pay for having such a high standard of living. So, before criticizing the people and industries that provide these goods and services, examine your own lifestyle. Think what the consequences are of not exploiting home grown resources but buying them in from elsewhere.

It would be nice to live in paradise, but I don’t think the MCG would fit us all in!

Peter Volker is a forest scientist

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Saturday, April 24, 2004