348 Asia-Pacific-Australia:

Asia-Pacific-Australia:

–In India there are urban trees that have been cut down. Neighbors say the trees are nature’s air conditioners, the W. India Match Company went bankrupt thinking otherwise (14).

–In Japan vast beech forests in the Shirakami Mountains could vanish with only a slight change in temperatures do to climate change (15)

–In the Pacific, in Hawaii, on Oahu a 15 year old boy protested the cutting of large Kiawe trees. The trees were being cleared for an 86-unit housing complex. (17)

–In the Solomon islands 16 timber companies threatens to shut down if the governments raises log prices (18). An excellent letter written about the illegality and lack of adequate payment from the logging companies, as well as request to reform lumber industry malfeasance in government ranks (19)

–In Indonesia a traveling college student’s has a blog where he has posted six facts about Indonesia Forestry ( 20). Researchers have uncovered data that suggest Indonesia and Malaysia are lying about Palm oil not destroying rainforests. According to the data more than half of the palm oil plantations created in the past 15 years came at the expense of forests (21).

–In New Zealand the biggest illegal lumber import issue is Kwila timber. The Labor party promised to limit the import of this wood that’s stolen from Papua New Guinea. Now six year later they are feeling the heat of their failings (22).

–In Australia, specifically Tasmania, the forest industry says if the mega-pulp mill really doesn’t get built, the rest of the industry will also be destroyed (23). The logging in the Otway forest park is about to end logging once and for all. The transition from logging economy to eco-tour economy is far from complete though (24). A letter to the editor that gives an overview of how the government works to save other countries forests while destroying their own (25). The Victorian government signed a deal to buy back 20,000 hectares of private forest holdings in the Gippsland’s Strzelecki Ranges (26).

India:

14) A heated debate has been raging in Dhubri over a move to chop down the town’s natural air-conditioners. Three giant sirish (rain trees), which environmentalists claim kept the town cool, have been chopped up and sold off by the now-defunct Western India Match Company (Wimco). Since the trees grew on the residential premises of the company, it deemed it within its rights to sell them off for funds. The company also plans to cut and sell off the remaining three trees — and this time it has got the goat of environmentalists who refuse to let go of the last three “natural air-conditioners”. These trees are known to retain moisture from the atmosphere and keep the surroundings cool. One of the environmentalists, Jahangir Hossain, said these giant trees had been the primary reason for a pollution-free Dhubri. When all their pleas failed, the environmentalists decided to move the forest department. Dhubri divisional forest officer H.R. Sarma said he had now asked the Wimco management to stop felling the trees. http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080529/jsp/northeast/story_9332214.jsp

Japan:

15) Vast beech forests in the Shirakami Mountains, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed natural site that straddles Akita and Aomori prefectures, could vanish by the end of this century due to global warming, according to researchers. The Environment Ministry commissioned 44 researchers from 14 institutes, including the National Institute for Environmental Studies and Ibaraki University, to conduct the study. The researchers estimated the possible impacts that higher air temperatures would have on forests, water resources, agriculture, coastal regions and human health. They used climate analysis models developed by Tokyo University’s Center for Climate System Research and the Meteorological Agency. Based on the center’s model, the study forecast the temperature would rise by 2.2 C from the present level during 2031-50 and 4.3 C during 2081-2100. The agency’s model gave increases of 2 C and 2.6 C, respectively, for these periods. The university’s model predicted natural beech forests will decrease from the current level by 56 percent during 2031-50, and by 93 percent during 2081-2100. The researchers predicted beech forests will remain only in Hokkaido and Honshu’s mountainous areas. The Shirakami Mountains are home to one of the world’s largest beech forests. However, these forests will decrease by 97.1 percent between 2031 and 2050 and vanish entirely after 2081, the study said, because the trees will be unable to adapt to the increase in temperature fast enough. “Our study has proved even a slight rise in air temperature could have a greater impact than believed. We have to think about long-term measures to counteract these changes,” said Ibaraki University Prof. Nobuo Mimura, who led the project. http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20080531TDY03103.htm

Hawaii:

(16) KANE’OHE — Workers cut down three large kiawe trees yesterday at the Yacht Club Knolls townhouse complex, but not before an effort by a 15-year-old boy to try to save one of the trees. Rinchen Harrison, a resident at the 86-unit complex on Kane’ohe Bay Drive, drew homemade signs and sat in front of one of the trees for less than an hour at midday before leaving, allowing workers to finish the job. “If they can do that, you don’t know what’s going to come down next,” said Harrison, a student at Le Jardin Academy. “That’s like the whole beauty of where we live. It’s the trees and the land.” Yacht Club Knolls’ board of directors voted to remove the trees because of liability issues, said Debbie Gleason, the complex’s property manager. The kiawe trees hung over the pool and their thorny branches fell in the playground where barefoot children play, Gleason said. http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080530/NEWS25/805300381/1318/LOCALNEWSFRONT

Solomon Islands:

18) Tohibangu said that at least sixteen (16) companies have given notice to the Commissioner of Labour to lay off nearly three thousand five hundred (3500) workers as many foresee a rise in the cost of operation due to the increase in determined price for logs. He said that thirty-two (32) logging companies, including many of the country’s major logging companies, are also protesting against the increase in the rate of the determined value of log exports. Tohibangu however, denies that loggers are planning to stock pile logs as part of plans to pressurize the Government over the new rates for the determined value of logs used in the calculation of export duties. Instead, he said, some of the loggers are threatening to close down over the issue. He said that the loggers are unhappy that government consultations with them were not yet concluded when the Government went ahead with the increase in the rates of determined price. The loggers are claiming that because the logging industry in Solomon Islands is relatively small compared to PNG, the Solomon Islands loggers had little choice but to adopt market prices determined by the PNG logging industry. http://www.solomontimes.com/news.aspx?nwID=1854

19) Logging companies have used the Solomon Islands as a fundraising point for their business. Very little investment apart from removing trees from tribal land is evident on the logged out areas notwithstanding agreements signed with landowners. Moreover, despite provisions in the Foreign Investment Act for instance, in terms of the minimum capital required to be brought in the country, such conditions are often not met. From search at the Registrar of Companies office it has been found by the Ombudsman’s Office that a number of logging companies rarely bring in foreign capital the country. The only assets these companies bring into the country are the heavy machines and the intention to exploit the resources owners. The logging companies have capitalized on the majority of illiterate Solomon Islands population and a week legal fraternity. Financial institutions in the country mainly run by Australian, New Zealand interests are used to fund logging operations in the country. Land mainly in Honiara is used as collateral to secure mortgage based on the tribal (standing stock) on tribal land in the country. Solomon Islands labours are used to extract these resources with very low pay.
Sometimes the logging operations are based on licensees who are clearly irregular. The Attorney General’s Office must be on its feet to ensure that it takes on the initiative to protect citizens of the democratic sovereign state of Solomon Islands against the might of commercial interests. As Legal Officer of the Ombudsman’s Office I also call on the Commissioner of Police, of the Solomon Islands Police force and the Participating Police force to ensure that specialists training is given to corruption and fraud units in the Solomon Islands Police Force. In particular, Postgraduate training in law, computing and finance/banking/economics and or other related business studies must be given to Solomon Islands in the fraud unit with good remuneration so that white collar crimes can be easily detected within a reasonable period of time. http://solomonstarnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1639&change=103&changeown=88&Itemid=45

Indonesia:

20) Facts in Indonesia Forestry: 1) Indonesia encompasses the world’s third largest rain forest, home to teak, mahagony, ebony, and other high-quality, high-demand timber. Tropical forests cover approximately 60% of the total land area. 2) Over the last five years, Indonesia’s log production was million m3, 24.9 million m3 per annum. Since 1990, there have been 2 plywood and sawnwood plants, capable of processing 54.9 million m3 of log intake per year. 3) In 1979, the Indonesia Government restricted the export of raw logs to enhance the country’s own timber processing industry. From 1980 to 1984, the export of raw logs fell from million m3 to 1.5 million m3 and by 1985, had ceased altogether. 4) Among Indonesia industrial exports, wood products were second only textiles as an earner of foreign exchange in 1993. 5) The export of processed wood products-consisting primarily of plywood, sawn timber, rattan products and wooden handicrafts-earned an estimated US $4.7 billion in 1993, up from US $4.18 billion in 1992. 6) Indonesia timber is also used for pulp and paper products. During the sixth Five-Year Plan, Repelita IV, annual production is expected to increase to 3.1 million tons for pulp and 4.1 million tons for paper, growing at a rate 22.5% a year. http://forestrystudent.blogspot.com/2008/05/indonesia-forest-management-and.html

21) INDONESIA and Malaysia have long denied that their tropical forests are being burned to make way for lucrative palm oil plantations. It seems they’ve been lying through their teeth. Between 1990 and 2005 palm plantations rocketed by 1.87 million hectares in Malaysia and by more than 3 million hectares in Indonesia. With the help of data from the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, Lian Pin Koh at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich and David Wilcove of Princeton University found that more than half the palm plantations came at the expense of forests – largely pristine, intact forest in Indonesia and previously logged forest in Malaysia. The rest of the expansion covered pre-existing cropland (Conservation Letters, DOI: 10.1111/j.1755-263X.2008.00011.x). The European Commission is drafting a law to ban imports of palm oil crops grown on intact tropical forests. But logged forests support nearly as much biodiversity as primary forests, say the researchers, and should also be protected. http://environment.newscientist.com/channel/life/endangered-species/mg19826582.900-tropical-forests-axed-in-favour-of-palm-oil.html

New Zealand:

22) Stopping importation of illegally logged tropical kwila timber – Labour promised six years ago to clamp down on such imports, because the Australian and New Zealand kwila decking and furniture trade was destroying rainforests on the island of Papua. Since that promise, importation of kwila is thought to have soared, not reduced, while unchecked large-scale rainforest destruction, including illegal logging, has continued. “In its 2002 manifesto, Labour promised it would ‘work towards ensuring that only sustainably produced timber is imported into New Zealand’, but it did nothing ‘til we in the Greens ramped up our tropical timber campaign a year ago,” Dr Norman says. “Now the promises are much more specific but they are still promises.” The Government has suggested attempting international agreements with supplying countries, starting public education on Labour promised six years ago to clamp down on such imports, because the Australian and New Zealand kwila decking and furniture trade was destroying rainforests on the island of Papua. Since the promise, importation of kwila is thought to have soared, not reduced, while unchecked large-scale rainforest destruction, including illegal logging, has continued. “In its 2002 manifesto, Labour promised it would ‘work towards ensuring that only sustainably produced timber is imported into New Zealand’, but it did nothing ‘til we in the Greens ramped up our tropical timber campaign a year ago,” Dr Norman says. “Now the promises are much more specific but they are still promises.” The Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministry will do all it can to back-peddle on any proposed international agreements restricting kwila imports so as not to upset the preferential trade deal with China. “US Congress last month passed a law banning the importation of illegally logged timber and timber products. We should do the same here.” The Government has estimated up to 80 percent of illegally-sourced wood products sold in New Zealand is kwila. The kwila trade is one of the significant ways Australasia contributes to climate change. Australia and New Zealand take 60 percent of Papua New Guinea’s sawn kwila http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0805/S00557.htm

Australia:

23) Tasmania’s forest industry is warning that the state’s sawmill industry will be destroyed if Gunns’ Tamar Valley pulp mill is not built. Gunns’ chairman John Gay is looking for finance overseas, after the ANZ walked away from financing the $2 billion mill. The Forest Industries Association of Tasmania’s Terry Edwards says the ANZ’s decision is a setback, but he’s sure finance can be found elsewhere. “I’m very confident that Gunns are determined to ensure that it is built in Tasmania,” Mr Edwards said. He says the forest industry will shrink significantly if the mill doesn’t go ahead. “I’m of the belief that the sawmill industry in Tasmania would be decimated.” Mr Edwards says the industry needs a market for woodchips, which are the by-product of logging for high-quality sawlogs and veneer. Gunns’ share price has fallen by one per cent today and groups opposed to the mill are vowing to lobby banks not to back the project. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/05/30/2260886.htm

24) From Sunday, all logging will be banned in the Otway Forest Park. Mayor Chris Smith says some logging workers still have not found other jobs. Councillor Smith says the transition from a logging economy to an eco-tourism economy is far from complete. “I think there still is a long way to go,” he said. “I do believe there are many of the issues that haven’t been fully addressed that need to be addressed. “I don’t know how you can take the number of employees that were working in the area out of the system and try to replace them with government funded people and that simply hasn’t happened.” The Otway Ranges Environment Network says the end of logging in the Otways is a great milestone for the region. Network spokesman Simon Birrell says logging workers will not go empty-handed. “Back in 2002 the end of logging in the Otways was estimated to impact on 70 full-time equivalent jobs,” he said. “The State Government has allocated $2.7 million to work out compensation packages and I think most people are satisfied with compensation and payout packages.” http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/05/30/2259948.htm?site=ballarat

25) Despite being largely arid, Australia still contains relatively small areas of intact, unfragmented native forests which are vital for regional water, climate and wildlife. Unfortunately, large scale first time industrial logging and other clearing of these important ecosystems continues nationwide. The nation’s few remaining natural forest ecosystems continue to face first time clearance including illegal land clearing and continued old-growth logging in New South Wales, tropical rainforest clearance for agriculture in Queensland, and logging of rare jarrah in the southwest’s precious Gondwana forest remnants. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has ratified Kyoto, appears genuinely committed to global climate change policy, and speaks often of how Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and the world must protect primary forests to solve global climate change. Yet in an act of unseemly doublespeak, the country that is perhaps most impacted by climate change continues to log its last centuries old trees found in ancient forest ecosystems vital for holding both carbon and water. Why is forest protection a good idea internationally but not for Australia’s much reduced and climate impacted natural habitats? Australia’s new government must be called upon to stop their hypocrisy and end logging of their own old growth forests as a keystone response to climate change, biodiversity loss, water scarcity and ecosystem sustainability. Australia’s per capita greenhouse gas emissions are amongst the highest in the world and unsustainable lifestyles threaten the continent’s fragile ecosystems. Australia is currently experiencing extreme drought, and continued soaring temperatures will result in failing water supplies, plummeting agricultural yields, rising sea levels, surging extreme weather including super cyclones and bushfires, and an influx of climate refugees. http://www.climateark.org/alerts/send.asp?id=australia_tasmania_climate

26) The Victorian government has signed a $5.5 million deal to buy back native forest in Gippsland’s Strzelecki Ranges. The landmark deal will save more than 20,000 hectares of native forest from logging in the state’s south-east. Environment Minister Gavin Jennings announced the agreement between the government and HVP Plantations. It follows an election promise to buy back the 8,000 hectare Cores and Links area, which was sold to HVP in 1998 by the former Kennett government. Under the deal, an additional 15,000 hectares of native forests surrounding the Cores and Links will also be protected. But a plantation of the same size within this area will be subject to a one-off harvest before being regenerated and placed in public ownership. Mr Jennings said the trade-off was necessary to save 460,000 cubic metres of timber being logged from native forests elsewhere in the HVP estate. “If no agreement had been reached, the native forest areas surrounding the Cores and Links would not have been offered permanent protection,” he said. HVP chief executive Linda Sewell said the in principle agreement would allow HVP to meet its contractual obligations with Australian Paper. A final agreement is expected to be signed around July. http://news.smh.com.au/national/forest-saved-from-logging-in-55m-deal-20080530-2juk.html