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Ecoselect timber
Greenfleet
Reflex Paper (including "recycled" and "FSC Certified")
RSPCA Liberty and Barnlaid eggs

ECOSELECT TIMBER
www.ecoselect.com.au

The EcoSelect brand of timber products was launched in 2003 in response to growing public concern over logging practices used to extract timber from Australia's native forests.

Concerns related particularly to unsustainable logging practices, such as clearfell logging (where every tree is taken, the area bulldozed, burnt and then replaced with single species monocultures), logging of rainforest, logging of old growth forest and endangered species habitat, and logging in water catchment areas reducing the quality and quantity of our water supply. People were also becoming increasingly concerned that around 80% of the trees that were logged were ending up as woodchips and being exported overseas at a cost of around 9 cents a tonne.

The EcoSelect brand was created to address these concerns and the EcoSelect stamp of approval was placed on timber extracted from Australia's native forests. Meanwhile, what had changed in the forest? Absolutely nothing.

The EcoSelect brand is used by Neville Smith Timbers, Victoria's biggest sawmill operator. Neville Smith Timbers sources timber from the Central Highlands, clearfell logging areas including endangered species habitat, old growth forest and water catchment areas from which Melbourne draws its drinking water.

Environmental groups labeled this advertising move as a cynical attempt to appear to be addressing the public's environmental concerns. "The reality is that nothing has changed in Victoria's native forests. EcoSelect timber is still responsible for the destruction of habitat for endangered species" said Gavan McFadzean, Victorian Campaigns Manager of The Wilderness Society.

On the other hand, the EcoSelect website tells of the environmental benefits of their products:

"Australia is among world leaders in forest management and through the introduction of the EcoSelect brand, you can be certain in your choice of sustainably managed natural Australian hardwood timber products."

Actually, the Australian Forestry Industry has been consistently refused accreditation by the Forest Stewardship Council, the international standard for sustainable forestry practices. This is due to Australia's world renowned reputation for unsustainable forestry practices that are only rivaled by illegal logging operations in developing nations. Four privately owned plantations are the sole holders FSC accreditation in Australia.

"EcoSelect denotes timber harvested in accordance with guidelines that are among the most stringent in terms of forest regeneration, biodiversity and native fauna protection criteria."

As previously mention, Forestry Guidelines in Australia lag behind international standards. Victorian forestry guidelines allow for logging in endangered species habitat and provide contentious definitions of "rainforest" and "old growth". The Victorian Forestry Industry underwent an independent environmental audit for the first time ever in 2003. The audit carried out through the EPA examined 30 logging coups and found breaches of forestry guidelines in 100% of coups. Areas of consistent non-compliance included guidelines regarding land rehabilitation, habitat tree protection, reserved area protection, logging of rainforest (56% compliance), and the construction of boundary tracks. (www.epa.vic.gov.au)
(photos of breaches in East Gippsland)


"EcoSelect timber is part of a broad vision of sustainable forestry in which our forests will continue to flourish and the balance of nature is supported."

Less than 8% of Victoria's old growth forests now remain. The native species that rely on old growth as their only suitable habitat are critically endangered and face extinction. Such species include the Long-footed Potaroo, Powerful Owl, Baw Baw Frog and Spot-tailed (Tiger) Quoll. Native forest that is logged is replaced with single species monocultures, that do not allow for the return of the majority of native species. Pine plantations are particularly problematic in this way.

"When you buy EcoSelect timber products, you are investing in wood that lives on - both in the exquisite hardwood products and in the legacy of the forests that regenerate."

You can't simply replant (regenerate) a complex forest eco-system. The forests that are clearfelled in Victoria have grown over tens of thousands of years and developed their characteristics through the interactions of each species within it. This "forest legacy" cannot be replicated by plantations that are logged on a 20-80 year rotation.


"Mature trees have little ability to continue to sequester carbon dioxide because their growth rates have slowed down. Carbon storage does continue in the ecosystem in, for example, root systems and branches on the forest floor. Trees are harvested when they are at the stage of life where they have a reduced ability to fix carbon."

Out of the mouths of the industry itself, Australia continues to log old growth trees, the hollows of which provide essential habitat for our endangered species. Not mentioned is the fact that old trees are vital in water catchment areas to prevent sedimentation of our water supply through erosion. In addition, when old trees are cut down in water catchment areas, the new trees that grow use twice as much water, thus reducing collected water supplies by up to 50%.
(www.stolenwater.com)


"You can rest assured that EcoSelect timber products are among the most environmentally friendly products we can use."

The most environmentally friendly timber products you can use are sustainable and recycled timbers (visit the One Stop Timber Shop). Timber grown in sustainably managed plantations that have not been planted within native forest areas could also be a better option (although there is much debate about the sustainability of plantations in general).

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GREENFLEET
www.greenfleet.com.au

The mission of Greenfleet is: "To enable the community to reduce the environmental impact of their travel choices by promoting 'carbon-neutral transport'". Greenfleet claims to do so like this:'"For $40 (tax deductible), Greenfleet will plant 17 native trees on your behalf. These trees will help to create a forest, and as they grow will absorb the greenhouse gases that your car produces in one year (based on 4.3 tonnes of CO2 for the average car*)".

While planting trees is commendable and does indeed absorb CO2 emissions, suggesting that paying $40 for somebody to plant some trees for you makes driving your vehicle "green" is not. 17 trees will not prevent your car from emitting the following types of air pollution as stated by the EPA:

1. Exhaust emissions: including dangerous gases such as carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, hydrocarbons and particulates.
2. Evaporative emissions: vapours of fuel which are released into the atmosphere, without being burnt.

17 trees will neither decrease the globes unsustainable thirst for petroleum, an industry which involves high energy use, land degradation and loss of species habitat in the extraction and production processes, not to mention the damage done by countless spills, or the impacts of war.

Greenfleet does promote reducing emissions in vehicles themselves by "Showcasing and promoting the uptake of low carbon fuels and fuel-efficient technologies". That's one step forward. But how about showcasing and promoting alternative fuels and appropriate transport? Throughout Greenfleet's promotional materials and news bulletin, there is a heavy emphasis on the latests technologies being produced by the automotive industry- mostly not yet commercialised, and not so much to be said about immediately available transport solutions such as the decentralised bio-diesel industry, public transport and riding a bike.

Q: Where will the links page of Greenfleet lead you?

A: Murray Darling Rescue
----Scouts Australia
----LeasePlan
----Energex
----Murray Darling Basin Commission
----Australian Greenhouse Office
----Holden
----Honda
----Toyota
----Australia 21 Ltd
----Australian Liquefied Petroleum Gas Association
----The Green Directory

If you want to plant trees to offset your CO2 emmissions we recommend you give your money directrly to an NGO that's committed to conservation such as Tree Poject, Australian Bush Heritage Fund or Trust for Nature. Better yet, plant some trees yourself with a group doing endangered species habitat restoration such as the Regent Honeyeater Project. And why stop at 17? Alternatively, you could give your money to a group such as Forest Action Trust or Friends of the Earth Barmah-Millewa collective and help prevent more old growth trees from being cut down. Old growth trees are being cleared at a rate faster than all new trees being planted!

If you want to feel better about driving a car switch to LPG or a hybrid, or better yet bio-diesel, and stop driving it so much!

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REFLEX PAPER
www.reflex.com.au

The latest porky to come from the makers of Reflex paper, is that their product is now 100% forest sensitive, in fact it's so eco-friendly it is bursting with endangered species.

Australia's biggest paper company, PaperlinX in the Latrobe Valley, is congratulating itself for this bodgie eco-label given by the normally reliable Forest Stewardship Council certification scheme.

Bottom rung tick-off
In fact, the company has only the lesser FSC 'Chain of Custody' Certification for its Reflex paper. To get this tick it needs to have 59% of its woodchips come from properly FSC certified sources, like a well-managed plantation. The other 41% can come from any government approved forest (rainforest, threatened species habitat etc). As long as it's not 'illegally taken'.

FSC duped?
So where does the supposed eco-friendly wood come from? Considering that Paperlinx still takes 59% of its pulp from the Central Highlands' water catchments, old growth and Leadbeaters Possum habitat as well as importing Tasmania's forests, this claim is very unconvincing. Even the logs they buy from Hancocks' plantations in South Gippsland are only under interim FSC certification. Hancocks' interim certification has been reviewed because they breached so many environmental principles. That report is being firmly sat upon.

100% Australian hoodwinkery
We are told this 'demonstrates the PaperlinX commitment to environmental principles through the entire paper chain'. More like a commitment to keep hoodwinking the public with half truths. And we are reassured that all this is 'Australian made'! That is - it comes from our very own native forests supporting Aussie native wildlife that are crushed under bulldozers driven by Aussie blokes, daily. Something to be proud of!

EEG and our regional sister group, The Central Highlands Alliance, is currently asking some very tough questions of the certifying body.

Jill Redwood
Environment East Gippsland

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