Greenpeace Press Release June 28, 2005

Mitsubishi Paper Mills rejects Tasmanian forest destruction

Sydney Tuesday, 28 June, 2005 : Greenpeace and The Wilderness Society today applauded Mitsubishi Paper Mill's (MPM's) new wood-chip buying policy, which rules out sources from old growth Tasmanian forests.

"It's a major victory for anyone who doesn't want Tasmania's magnificent, ancient forests reduced to woodchips and pulp," said Greenpeace Australia Pacific Campaigns Manager Danny Kennedy.

MPM has informed Greenpeace that its new policy is to buy only woodchips "sourced from plantations or second growth forests of environmentally benign, and reclaimed wood." These new terms are found on their statement, "Our policy on Conservation and Creation of Forest Resources".

Forest in Tasmania © Murayama_Yoshiaki

Most old growth timber from large-scale clearfelling in Tasmania is converted to woodchips, largely for export to Japan. The Japanese firm MPM, along with Oji Paper and Nippon Paper, is a major international buyer of forest products from Gunns Limited.

"Mitsubishi has now set a new standard for wood chips from Tasmania which Oji and Nippon have failed to match," said Alec Marr, National Campaign Director of The Wilderness Society. Gunns receives the overwhelming majority of Tasmanian logs destined for sawmills and woodchip mills and as such is a major beneficiary of Tasmanian old growth forest destruction.

"Market-wise, this is an exciting development. This is a clear signal to Gunns to shift to more sustainable forest practices as the way of the future. It also sends an unmistakable message that World Heritage-class Tasmanian forests should not be fodder for wood chips," said Marr.

"But it's highly regrettable to have to rely on more enlightened policy from overseas buyers to save our last remaining ancient forests," said Marr.

MPM's move follows a sustained campaign by Greenpeace and The Wilderness Society to save Tasmania's old growth forests.

In May, the Tasmanian and Federal Governments announced a package to protect 180,000 ha in the Tarkine wilderness and Styx Valley of the Giants, but failed to end old growth logging by leaving forests in the Upper Florentine, Huon, Weld, Picton, North East Highlands, Blue Tier, Great Western Tiers and Ben Lomond open to logging and woodchipping.

Cyberaction to save Tasmanian forests

CONTACT:
Greenpeace Media Officer: Janice Wormworth mo 0439 649 359
The Wilderness Society National Campaign Director: Alec Marr mo 0417 229 670