Clarence Environment Centre takes aim at Timber NSW as industry body opposes push to phase out native forest logging

Clarence Environment Centre has hit back at Timber NSW over its opposition to phasing out native forest logging on public land in the Clarence Valley. Here’s the latest.

Clarence Environment Centre has hit back at Timber NSW over its opposition to phasing out native forest logging on public land in the Clarence Valley.

On August 29, dozens of loggers, CFMEU (Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union) members and industry supporters took their concerns to Clarence Valley council.

A large group of people, led by Marshall Notaras Hardwood general manager Donna Layton, met with Mayor Ian Tiley and handed over piles of physical submissions stating their opposition to the proposal.

Donna Layton (centre in blue) with supporters gave Mayor Tiley their submissions outside Grafton Council Chambers in August.

The issue was first raised at a council meeting in June and it was discussed at Biodiversity Advisory Committee meetings. An officer then made a recommendation for the industry to move to “an ecologically sustainable plantation base”.

Shortly after submissions to the council were handed over, Timber NSW released a statement warning about potential damage to the industry.

Now the Clarence Environment Centre (CEC) has hit back, claiming Timber NSW has put out “misinformation” and created “a circus” of the proposal.

John Edwards, described as one of the CEC’s “main drivers”, wrote to the council about the issue.

John Edwards. Picture: Adam Hourigan.

“(On) the subject of Timber NSW’s media release, we would like to express our disappointment over that industry body’s decision to peddle such unsupported nonsense,” he said.

“The misinformation starts at the very beginning, when referring to ‘the Biodiversity Advisory Committee’s proposal to ban native forestry in NSW state forests’.”

Mr Edwards states this is untrue because the motion calls on the council to request that the NSW government phases out logging in publicly owned native forests in the Clarence and transitions to plantation-based forestry.

“When fully implemented a transition to plantation-based forestry would see no jobs lost at all; in fact, it would create jobs,” he said.

The community is divided over the proposal to phase out native forest logging on public land.

Mr Edwards also took issue with several other Timber NSW statements, including that there was “a lack of scientific evidence” to proceed.

He also took exception to assertions Victoria and Western Australia were suffering “the catastrophic effects of a ban on native forestry”, and that the Clarence “can’t afford … to lose an industry at the heart of its community”.

Referring to Victoria and Western Australia, Mr Edwards queried: “What catastrophic events?”

“Is it a catastrophe that forests, and the wildlife they support can now recover and continue to provide their free eco-services such as storing carbon and providing us with oxygen to breathe, while filtering water to make it drinkable?” he said.

Mr Edwards said the timber industry, while still a significant player, was no longer at the heart of the Clarence.

He said the last census “clearly showed” industries including fisheries and tourism “suffer as a result of native forest logging and would stand to benefit from an end to that side of the industry”.

In June, councillor Debrah Novak moved a resolution to delay debate about the issue until the October council meeting. All councillors except for councillor Karen Toms agreed.

Supporters of the motion, as well as the many who stand in opposition, have promised to show up for what is expected to be a heated debate.