Sarnian,

In a discussion regarding native forest sourced fibre it should be noted that Australia’s plantation hardwood chip exports exceeded native forest chip exports for the first time in 2008–09. Hardwood chip exports derived from native forests declined by 17.3 per cent in that year and this trend will continue with a substantial increase in supply. Soon you will have no axe to grind.

OK I will call a halt to this now. This will be my last word on this subject, till mark Poynter writes the next propaganda letter.

The native forest wood chipping has declined for two reasons.

1 GFC has removed a lot of the market.

2 the Companies in Asia that were buying it have now turned to accredited plantation based timber.

The rest of you trolls can have a rest

You may have missed my point but I can spell it out if you like.

There is little economic driver to 'clearfell' native forests for woodchips. Australia's plantation expansion over the past 15 years means the volume of hardwood logs available for harvest could increase from 5 million cubic metres in 2009 to a potential 13 million cubic metres annually from 2010 (ABARE).

Continually shouting that Tasmania is clearfelling native forests for woodchips is deceptive and simply wrong, the point of the opinion piece.

It is true the Japanese market has collapsed but there are plenty of other buyers, it is naive of you to think recently commissioned mills in Latin America and Asia will only source certified fibre.

Sorry to interrupt your little "Cry-In" but I'd like to welcome you 2011 where no-one gives a stuff about your old world model any more.

You had your chance to negotiate in good faith when you had the upper hand but you instead chose tactics like sending your thugs in to target kids (familiar scenario?).

Now the tables have turned and you're being beaten at your own game so you're having a little Kumbayah moment and sobbing gently into your spread sheets.

You had your chances to compromise and evolve to a model that was palatable to the general public but you chose the unprincipled low road and now your fate lies with those who don't want you in native forests at all.

You've made bad choices at every turn for 30 years and you want sympathy? You made your bed, now lie in it.

troll

Noun: A mythical, cave-dwelling being depicted in folklore as either a giant or a dwarf, typically having a very ugly appearance.

Sounds more like your typical greenie.

Eco-tage; sabotage by environments was the initial cause of the decline in woodchips from Tasmanian native forests into the Japanese market.
The Rainforest action network boasted of how it hosted Tasmanian Greens party leader Peg Putt and academic activist Peter McQuillan on a lecture tour in 2007 to spread the sort of misinformation about Tasmania that Mark Poynter writes about here.

It was part of a series of actions to target the customers of the companies making high grade paper from forest residues, saw mill waste from sustainably managed forests.
The Federal Government produced a video and brochure in an attempt to counter the devastating impact of the RAN and the Greens stating:

"It is regrettable that the Australian Government has to run this campaign to correct the misinformation being distributed in international markets by the Greens and their accomplices, the extreme Rainforest Action Network.”

“It is notable that Tasmanian woodchip exports to Japan have declined by some 20 percent over the past four years.

“A significant proportion of this decline is directly due to the sabotage tactics of the Greens and the Rainforest Action Network.”

See http://ffic.com.au/_blog/Industry_News/post/Japanese_Forests_Communication_Campaign_Launch/

Let there be no mistake on just who was responsible for destroying the markets.