Myanmar’s ruling military’s plans to auction tonnes of illegally harvested teak logs worth tens of millions of dollars was a warning to Australian consumers that they need to be aware of where imported timber comes from, according to the Australian Forest Products Association. Source: Timberbiz
AFPA CEO Ross Hampton said the best way Australian consumers could have peace of mind they’re not buying illegally sourced international hardwood timber was to buy product grown and replaced sustainably here at home.
The ABC’s PM program reported this week that on that Myanmar is set to auction off tonnes of illegally harvested teak logs worth tens of millions of dollars. Teak is a highly regarded appearance grade timber, often used in yachting construction.
“This news out of Myanmar is a warning that we all need to be aware of where our imported timber comes from. The Myanmar teak logs have been illegally sourced from forests that almost certainly won’t be regenerated,” Mr Hampton said.
“The best way Australian consumers can ensure they’re using 100% certified and sustainable hardwood timber is to buy Australian timber. No country has higher environmental standards than Australia when it comes to forestry. Just six trees out of every 10,000 are sustainably harvested from our native forests and every tree replaced by planting or regeneration,” he said.
“Especially during the current peak in demand for timber, Australian consumers need to have their eyes open as they can be drawn to imported product that might not have been sourced sustainably.
“Buy sustainable, buy Australian and we’ll all have the peace of mind that we’re protecting the environment and supporting Aussie timber jobs,” Mr Hampton said.
