Victoria’s peak forest industries body says extremist climate activists are recklessly and deliberately misleading the community about the role of woodchipping in Victoria’s forest industries.
“No Victorian forests are harvested specifically for the purpose of woodchipping,” said Philip Dalidakis, CEO of the Victorian Association of Forest Industries.
“All woodchips produced in Victoria are produced from bi-products or waste material from high-grade timber that is not suitable for sawlog production.
“Victoria’s timber industry is managed in line with the best sustainability standards in the world. We are overwhelmingly focused on producing high-grade timber products from our forests.
“Let’s not forget all wood products, including paper from woodchips store carbon long after the trees are harvested; then when the forests are regenerated, even more carbon is absorbed.
“Our industry does not shy away from using those waste materials for other applications: the fact is that it would be unproductive and wasteful to not utilise these products, leaving them to decay on the forest floor and increase the risk of bushfires.
“These activists are deliberately and recklessly spreading lies about Victoria’s forest industries and the important role woodchipping plays in a sustainable forest industry.”
