Forest and Wood Communities Australia, unfortunately finds it necessary to address the recent, peculiar actions of environmental activists targeting Victorian plantation timber harvesting. While respecting differing opinions, it is crucial to underscore the irony and misinformed nature of these activists protesting in plantations, which were expressly established for timber utilization.

Plantation timber stands as a testament to commitment to sustainability, and is meticulously designed to provide a renewable source of timber. Unfortunately, recent protests indicate a surreal misunderstanding of these practices, as activists inexplicably move into plantations with the rather baffling intention of opposing timber harvesting—contrary to the very purpose for which these plantations exist.

Forest and Wood Communities Australia fully supports environmental awareness and responsible resource management. However, the actions of these so-called eco-activists border on the absurd, as they protest the utilization of timber in the very spaces created for that very purpose. It is perplexing to witness these activists targeting Blue-gum plantation timber in Victoria, via the states Koala population. The truth couldn’t be further from the activist portrayals as Victoria has a thriving koala population of approx 459,865 animals, with an estimated 412,948 in native forest and woodland and a further 46,917 in eucalypt plantations. In several areas, the population density is so high it is unsustainable, with the Victorian government spending millions of dollars on sterilization and relocation programs.

Aside from these obvious facts – brought to you by scientists from the Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research (ARI)  – Victorian Chief conservation regulator Kate Gavens said plantation operators must adhere to harvesting conditions such as obtaining a permit from the regulator to harvest where there are koalas present , alongside consulting with an ecologist to decide how to ‘manage’ the koalas. “It includes having trained koala spotters on-site, retaining vegetation where you do spot koalas, and taking action if you do spot a koala,” Ms Gavens said.

It seems the unhinged anti-everything inner-city activists cannot grasp that plantation forestry serves as an efficient way to meet the growing demand for timber while minimizing the impact elsewhere. The activists’ misguided approach undermines the pragmatic and ecologically sound reasons behind the establishment of these plantations.

Forest and Wood Communities Australia condemns in the strongest possible terms the recent call for a moratorium on timber harvesting by environmentalists. Such an extreme proposition, lacking a factual basis, not only disregards the scientific foundation of sustainable forestry but also threatens the livelihoods of communities dependent on the plantation sector.

The irony in the activists’ actions is undeniable. Forest and Wood Communities Australia extends an invitation to these activists to engage in a rational dialogue, understanding the comprehensive efforts undertaken to promote responsible forestry. The organization encourages activists to redirect their passion toward constructive efforts that support sustainability, rather than engaging in actions that unwittingly challenge the very practices they purportedly champion.

ENDS