Suresh
13th June 2003, 09:41 AM
Recently there have quite a few queries on this BB regarding the sourcing of timber: from native forests or recycled. Looking back through the archive it becomes obvious that the majority of woodworkers prefer to use recycled timber for many reasons, not the least of which being that we do not want endangered native forests being felled to provide timber for our use.
Some posts recently appear to have been persuaded by the logging and woodchipping industry line that native forest logging is conducted in a sustainable manner, nothing could be further from the truth. You will all be aware that multinational industries and government regularly tell lies and deceive people about what they are doing. There are very large PR firms employed to specifically deceive the people of Australia as to what is happening in our native forests, that they are being trashed and chipped, with a small percentage of timber being used for furniture grade applications.
The vast majority of logs from native forest logging goes to woodchip production. For example, logging in the Central Highlands of Victoria, the water catchments for Melbourne have some horrifying statistics, gathered from industry and government sources by ABARE.
72% goes to woodchip, only 2% goes as appearance timber with 16% going to palings, pallets, scantingling and seasoned timber production.
It is even worse in Tasmania, this state is on par with the worst environment practices in the world for logging. You might have noticed that recently the Tasmanian government has allowed logging in the Tarkine wilderness, an act of supreme environmental vandalism.
I won't barrage woodworkers on this list with more statistics, anyone that wants them is welcome to email me for further details: [email protected]. I have added a quote from experts on the certification process.
Suresh Pathy
“The ecoSelect brand is nothing more than a public relations stunt invented by the woodchipping industry, in conjunction with the Timber Promotions Council, costing as much as $1 million in tax payer funded dollars.
To the timber industry, ecoSelect means business as usual logging and woodchipping of old growth forests, water catchments and homes for endangered flora and fauna. There is no difference between ecoSelect timber and other similar timbers on the market. Put simply, ecoSelect timber is amongst the most environmentally unfriendly timber products available.
The environment movement strongly rejects the ecoSelect label as an environmentally friendly product. Current intensive clearfell logging and woodchipping practices are destroying Victoria’s biodiverse native forests at an unprecedented rate. By buying ecoSelect, you are unwittingly contributing to this ongoing destruction.
ecoSelect is the deceptive branding of a highly destructive industry. It is the ultimate in corporate Greenwash.”
Some posts recently appear to have been persuaded by the logging and woodchipping industry line that native forest logging is conducted in a sustainable manner, nothing could be further from the truth. You will all be aware that multinational industries and government regularly tell lies and deceive people about what they are doing. There are very large PR firms employed to specifically deceive the people of Australia as to what is happening in our native forests, that they are being trashed and chipped, with a small percentage of timber being used for furniture grade applications.
The vast majority of logs from native forest logging goes to woodchip production. For example, logging in the Central Highlands of Victoria, the water catchments for Melbourne have some horrifying statistics, gathered from industry and government sources by ABARE.
72% goes to woodchip, only 2% goes as appearance timber with 16% going to palings, pallets, scantingling and seasoned timber production.
It is even worse in Tasmania, this state is on par with the worst environment practices in the world for logging. You might have noticed that recently the Tasmanian government has allowed logging in the Tarkine wilderness, an act of supreme environmental vandalism.
I won't barrage woodworkers on this list with more statistics, anyone that wants them is welcome to email me for further details: [email protected]. I have added a quote from experts on the certification process.
Suresh Pathy
“The ecoSelect brand is nothing more than a public relations stunt invented by the woodchipping industry, in conjunction with the Timber Promotions Council, costing as much as $1 million in tax payer funded dollars.
To the timber industry, ecoSelect means business as usual logging and woodchipping of old growth forests, water catchments and homes for endangered flora and fauna. There is no difference between ecoSelect timber and other similar timbers on the market. Put simply, ecoSelect timber is amongst the most environmentally unfriendly timber products available.
The environment movement strongly rejects the ecoSelect label as an environmentally friendly product. Current intensive clearfell logging and woodchipping practices are destroying Victoria’s biodiverse native forests at an unprecedented rate. By buying ecoSelect, you are unwittingly contributing to this ongoing destruction.
ecoSelect is the deceptive branding of a highly destructive industry. It is the ultimate in corporate Greenwash.”