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Environment Forest Ecosystems Forest Industries Forest Management Forest Products Greenhouse Gases NAFI Submissions Policy and Politics Renewable Energy Sustainability |
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Mulitiple Use Forest Management is Best13 January 1997Editor Australian Financial Review Judy Clark's criticism of multiple use forest management (AFR, January 8) once again shows her lack of understanding of forestry. Society demands a wide variety of social, economic and environmental values from our forests. Multiple use forest management, in conjunction with a world class forest reserve system (such as Australia's) is the only way all these demands can be met. For over a century many forests in Australia have been simultaneously providing wood for forest products, recreation opportunities, habitat for native species, tourism potential, biodiversity, water for other land uses, etc. This has been done while maintaining and even enhancing other forest values. Forests are dynamic, constantly growing, decaying and regenerating. The sustainable harvesting of forest products does not substantially alter these dynamic processes. Internationally more than 90% of the world's wood supply is derived from native forests and they will remain the dominant source for the foreseeable future. It is incumbent on a country such as Australia, to continue to manage our native forests for a variety of uses including wood production. Australia has a net deficit in forest products trade of approximately $2 billion per annum. To reverse this balance of trade we must expand the volume of wood production from plantations and increase the production of high value products, using the unique qualities of the timbers from our native forests. It is simply naive for Judy Clark to suggest that we should attempt to achieve 'self sufficiency' in forest products from plantations. We do not exist independently from the rest of the world in either an economic or environmental sense. I can think of no other product (wheat, coal, wool?) where we restrict ourselves to objectives of self- sufficiency. The best outcome for the Australian economy and the global environment will be if Australia becomes a net exporter of forest products utilising wood from sustainably managed native forests and plantations, creating jobs for Australians and reducing the rate of harvest from unsustainably managed forests elsewhere in the world. Miles Prosser Director of Economic and Resource Policy |
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