Australia’s largest exporter of eucalyptus woodchips has had its environmental certification stripped and been forced to make an embarrassing public apology over the harm it has caused to koalas.
In July ABC’s 7.30 program revealed the sad story of thousands of koalas facing injury or death as vast areas of blue gum timber plantations in south-eastern Australia matured for harvest and the loggers moved in.
Wildlife carers told 7.30 they routinely had to deal with koalas who had suffered “broken limbs, impact wounds, broken backs, severed arm,” as well as “dead mothers with joeys still alive”.
The 7.30 report triggered a strong denial from the country’s largest plantation woodchip exporter, Australian Bluegum Plantations (ABP), which was named in the program.
ABP issued its denial via the environmental certification authority, the Forest Stewardship Council of Australia (FSC).
“FSC… have been advised by Australian Bluegum Plantations 7.30 showed footage of injured koalas in plantations not owned or managed by them,” the FSC statement said.
“The footage was old and not involving current processes… to manage the safety of koalas.”
