Public native forests in NSW and across the country provide enormous benefits for Australians and misleading claims around public balance sheet losses, don’t cut it, Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA), Diana Hallam said today.
“Activist groups determined to end NSW’s sustainable native forestry industry are being deliberately misleading and completely ignore the sovereign capability, fire management and the major community and economic benefits of hardwood timber production as well as the recreational opportunities provided by NSW state forests, when making increasingly hysterical claims around the NSW Government-owned enterprise,” Diana Hallam said.
Forestry Corporation of NSW (FCNSW) charges minimal fees for visitation and use of state forests, unlike the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, and utilises revenue from their commercial native and plantation forests to offset the costs of managing almost two million hectares of public native forests on behalf of the State.
“Activists are quick to point out FCNSW’s hardwood division earnings loss of $14.9 million – trying to link it with a completely inaccurate notion that native forestry is somehow economically unsustainable while ignoring the provision of land management services. Running this argument is akin to arguing that if state run schools and hospitals don’t make a profit, they should be closed down as well. It’s ridiculous,” Diana Hallam said.
“FCNSW’s hardwood division financial outcomes can be attributed to a range of factors, including lower timber production, costs associated with regulatory changes and other management expenses. That’s the reality and activists need to stop pedalling lies that public native forestry isn’t economically or environmentally sustainable.
“Activists should also remember that the suite of forest management services that FCNSW provides alongside harvesting, helps mitigate against bushfire risk, better manages pests and feral animals, providing additional benefits for the State. That’s not to mention the community service provided through free public access, camping, picnic areas and roads that facilitate a range of recreational activities.
“It’s worth noting, the Victorian Government pays forest contractors $72 million dollars annually to actively manage forests and provide the fire management capacity that was previously being provided by Vicforests as part of its sustainable harvest program. These are important services that FCNSW provides in house in NSW. What we saw in Victoria with the closure of native forestry was a major increase of imports from Indonesia, Malaysia, China and Brazil with a worse environmental outcome.
“The provision of state forests for a range of uses, including sustainable timber production is important for NSW and Australia. Without it, the global environment would be far worse off because Australia would have to fill the hardwood timber supply gap with more imported timber from overseas that doesn’t come with the environmental and sustainability credentials Australia operates within,” Diana Hallam concluded.