save the Blue Tier
press release - 18 may 2004
Mitsubishi move the future for the Blue Tier
Time for all Clearfelling to Cease in High Conservation Value Areas
Friends of the Blue Tier today welcomed and applauded the announcement by the Mitsubishi Corporation signaling its intention to stop accepting woodchips from old growth and high conservation value forests and instead look to plantations for its paper products.
Friends of the Blue Tier spokesperson Lesley Nicklason said that it was clear that once end users realized the truth of the source of their woodchips they would be demanding that greater respect and responsibility was shown by processors like Gunns when directing their subcontractors to log in Tasmania.
"We will be writing to Mitsubishi Paper to congratulate them and thank them for their decision.
What this means is that the current clearfelling for woodchip in the Blue Tier would not be occurring if the chips were going to a shipment for Mitsubishi Corporation." Ms. Nicklason said.
"The foothills of the Blue Tier are of very high conservation value for the eco-services they provide to water management, soil management, eco-tourism potential and bio-diversity values.
To fell the occasional tree for a chopping carnival is one thing but to give the go-ahead to industrial scale clearfelling and woodchipping in the heart of an area as precious as the Blue Tier is criminal.
I guess we're lucky that the Japanese are good corporate citizens, goodness knows we could use some of their integrity here."
For further information contact Lesley Nicklason 03 6373 6195 or 0400 557 418