I, and many like me resent being treated as simpletons and being blasted by the propaganda machine of the government.

We can count.

In rough terms, Gunns exports five million tonnes of woodchips annually. Given that there are only approximately 300 working days in the year, this represents 16,667 tonnes per day. If only half of this amount were Old Growth, then the daily cropping is in the region of 8,334 tonnes. (Current watching of log trucks going through Launceston suggests this could be as high as 75%).

Rod Scott, Paul Lennon’s adviser, implies that if the clear felling of old growth were to cease, then the specialised timber industry would suffer.

However, the Tasmanian Timber Workers for Forests (TWFF) thinks differently:

‘Clear felling is not required to supply timber for specialty bowls and fine furniture — in fact one old growth tree selectively harvested or salvaged has the potential to keep a Tasmanian craftsman employed for many years and has the capacity to produce many thousands of dollars worth of product.’

Graham Green, Timber Workers for Forests

So let’s have a look at the figures:

– One day’s logging would produce enough timber to make 1,667,000 bowls. ( At an average of 5 kgs of wood per bowl).
– Or, 166,680 tables at 50 kgs per table.
– Or, 167 50 tonne boats.

That would probably keep the entire population of Tasmania busy for a year.

And that’s on 0.24% of all current Old Growth logging per year!

Who is the government trying to kid?

The actual figures are more like 0.02 % going into the speciality timber trade, yet Rod Scott is trying to make it appear that this is a major justification for the continuing of harvesting old growth.

The real truth is that this is just quick and easy money for our timber giants. They don’t plant it, they don’t own it — they just harvest it.

Barnaby Drake: “Born in London, but educated in India, before returning and graduating in Fine Arts from London and Birmingham. Many productive years in the midlands as a mainframe computer analyst, during which period he invented that great stress reliever – bubble wrap. He subsequently emigrated to South Africa, where he returned to the Arts, making a living as a journalist, photographer and writer. He has also written papers on such diverse subjects as Ancient British archaeology, astrophysics, the human brain, pottery, philosophy and philately, as well as couple of ordinary books. He has since retired to Tasmania, while retaining all his interests, due to his recent marriage, he is now growing roses and fat.”