Use of paper

Peter Rutherford (MNW26/5/10) has again justified native forest woodchipping on the grounds that we all use paper.
We do indeed all use paper, but this need not come from native forest woodchips.
There are many alternatives, including plantation hardwood from which to make paper.
The main reason why we do not is because alternative fibres are undercut by cheap, subsidised native forest chips, such as those produced by Mr Rutherford"s company, South East Fibre Exports.
We have all heard about the financial woes of Australia"s plantation sector, much of it established under Managed Investment Schemes.
But how many people realize that the main reason for these woes is that plantation hardwood cannot compete with cheap subsidised native forest chips.
SEFE produces among the cheapest woodchips in the Pacific because the NSW and Victorian Government forestry agencies virtually give away the trees to it.
For Mr Rutherford to claim that unless we continue to destroy forests like Yurammie and Mumbulla for woodchips, we will need to import illegally logged rainforest timber is wrong and mischievous.
All of SEFE"s woodchips are exported and made into paper products which are overwhelmingly consumed in Japan. None of the paper finds its way back to Australia.
Even the tiny percentage of sawlogs that come from these forests is mostly made into low value products such as pallets which could easily be made from plantation pine.
Yours, etc.
Harriett Swift
Convener
CHIPSTOP campaign against woodchipping the SE forests
 

Between 2,500 and 3,000 trees from SE NSW and East Gippsland are cut down every working day to supply the Eden chipmill
CHIPSTOP campaign against woodchipping the SE forests, 02-64923267, PO Box 797 Bega NSW 2550 Australia, http://www.chipstop.forests.org.au
CHIPSTOP on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch"v=3CmofsL8xhg