Forest activists have today crashed the secret launch of a report that identifies plans to use native timbers for biochar and biofuels as one of four actions designed to strengthen the ailing logging industry in WA.
Alliance spokesperson Jess Beckerling said, “The Minister intended to release this report to a select few industry proponents because he knows that there is no way that its content will be acceptable to the broader community.”
“I am not all surprised that the Minister wants to hide the fact that he and the Barnett government are pushing ahead with plans to burn our forests to produce charcoal and electricity,
“It is deeply shameful and will certainly cost them dearly at the election just as mismanagement of our forests cost the Court government in 2001,” she said.
“The Minister needs to understand that the forests are a public asset, they are not owned by the industry. We will not accept decisions on managing them being made behind closed doors,” said Ms. Beckerling
This is the second study in less than 3 years meant to identify ways to prop up the native forest logging industry. The first, produced for the Forest Products Commission by URS Forestry in 2008 was never released to the public and this one, although being called a public release is occurring in private to a select few industry proponents.
For more information visit www.waforestalliance.org