04/10/11 Ta Ann lies exposed

Huon Valley Environment Centre have today released a report that exposes Ta Ann Tasmania’s misrepresentation of their timber source to their international customers.

“Timber sourced from the destruction of Tasmania’s forests is being promoted by Ta Ann Holdings as ‘environmentally friendly’ plywood, supposedly produced from plantations and sustainably managed regrowth forest. This timber is sold in lucrative overseas markets in Japan, China and Europe. This report documents misleading advertisements in Japan that fail to acknowledge that Ta Ann is now the leading destroyer of Tasmania’s ancient forests,” said Jenny Weber, Huon Valley Environment Centre.

“This report reveals, through Right to Information (RTI) documents, that Ta Ann Tasmania received wood from logging areas containing old growth forest, as defined by the Tasmanian Regional Forest Agreement (RFA), on at least 35 occasions throughout the 2009-2011 period. Ta Ann Tasmania is processing wood acquired from the logging of old growth forests, high conservation value forests and forests with recognised world heritage values in Tasmania,” said Ms Weber

“Ta Ann’s demand for native forest wood and its large wood supply contract is driving logging in some of Tasmania’s most important and contentious forest areas. Logging for Ta Ann is also breeching the current Intergovernmental Agreement between the Australian and Tasmanian governments which has demanded logging be stopped in 430,000 hectares of high conservation value forests. Ta Ann’s operations here in Tasmania are far from eco-friendly and must rank amongst the worst logging practices globally,” said Ms Weber

“Ta Ann’s record of environmental destruction in Sarawak continues in Tasmania, with its disregard for this islands old growth forests and wildlife. Ta Ann has tried to portray itself as producing ‘eco-products’ in an attempt to mislead customers as to the origin of their wood and to cover up its disgraceful role in the logging of Tasmania’s ancient forests,” said Ms Weber

You can read the report here: http://bit.ly/mRlUbs