Markets Demand Plantations products

Our Common Ground today said it understood Glen Britton’s concern about the future of the timber industry, was disappointed by his adversarial approach and highlighted the need to find common ground to secure employment for timber workers in the face of changing markets.

Our Common Ground Spokespeople Judy Tierney and Rod West said changing markets meant Tasmania’s forests could be protected and jobs secured. They said Glen Britton had not attempted to make contact and was wrong about Our Common Ground’s position on high value furniture and craft timber.

“We have to get away from the conflict around the forest industry and focus on solutions.” Judy Tierney said

“The forest industry is in trouble. We are seeing job losses across the timber industry. Just last week Gunns announced significant job losses at their Austin Ferry saw mill and a suspension of wood chip exports with no buyers. It is no use us putting our heads in the sand. The markets are very clearly saying they want plantation timber not timber from wild native forests.”

“We have 300,000 hectares of plantations. Unfortunately due to the community conflict around native forests, few investors are willing to invest in Tasmania to process these plantations.” Judy Tierney said.

Businessman Rod West said it was time for a resolution of the forest issue.

“The market is saying it wants FSC certified timber and that will require the protection of high conservation value forests. It is no use for some in the industry to shoot the messenger when the market has moved on.” Mr West said.

“We can understand Mr Britton’s concern but customers are changing. Markets are changing and Tasmania is just not keeping up.”

“New Zealand made the transition out of native forests and into plantations a decade ago. Now their native forests are protected and they have built an incredibly strong and innovative timber industry. So strong in fact that plantation timber products used in Tasmanian homes are imported from New Zealand. We just can’t afford to lose those jobs. We need them here in Tasmania.”

“If you went to a hardware store 20 years ago all you would find was hardwood products from native forests. Now hardware stores mainly stock plantation products.”

“This just doesn’t apply to sawn timber. Pulp and chip markets are demanding plantation products with FSC certification.”

“The tragedy is that due to the forest conflict in Tasmania and the past focus on native forest logging, most of these products are being imported into Tasmania. To secure profits for the companies and to secure employment for the workers we have to rapidly make the transition away from native forests to processing our existing plantations.” Mr West said

Judy Tierney said Glenn Britton was simple wrong about Our Common Ground’s position on high value furniture and craft timber.

“Let me make it clear. Our Common Ground is pro-forestry. But the Tasmanian community doesn’t support staying in dying markets when consumers have moved on and they don’t support the destruction of our majestic forests.”

“There is a market for high-value low-volume selective logging of native forests for furniture and craft. We think the market and the Tasmanian community supports these very high value iconic uses. But the market and community doesn’t support the industrial destruction of native forest ecosystems, particularly when it is costing jobs.” Judy Tierney said.

“Change is always hard and it won’t be easy to make this transition but timber families will be even harder hit if we don’t act now.”

“Forest industry contractors are suffering and this is going to be a very hard Christmas for them. Trying to stop the inevitable will cost jobs and cause serious hardship for forest families.”

“Our Common Ground includes environmental organisations but it also includes timber workers who know secure jobs are in growing, managing, logging and processing our existing plantations. We can find common ground.”

“We would love to work with Glenn to secure timber jobs, protect our forests and create an innovative prosperous timber industry Tasmanians support.” Judy said.
Judy Tierney, Rod West. Our Common Ground