Day 056 - 28 Nov 94 - Page 04
1 MR. MORRIS: Just a couple of personal matters: You are
2 Chairman of the Advisory Council of "Forests Forever"
3 Campaign for Wood?
4 A. Yes.
5
6 Q. And it says: "Established by The Timber Trade Federation,
7 representing the interests of the forestry industry". So,
8 "Forests Forever" represents the interests of the forestry
9 industry?
10 A. In environmental issues.
11
12 Q. In environmental issues. Have you represented the forestry
13 trade and industry over the last 40 years or have you just
14 been doing that for the last 10 or 15 years?
15 A. The initiative of "Forests Forever" was created in
16 about 1990, the idea in 1989, and actually created in
17 1990. Before that I had represented roles in the timber
18 trade, yes, but not for 40 years, no.
19
20 Q. So how long have you been representing the forestry
21 industry yourself in those kinds of positions?
22 A. Well, as far as the environmental issues are concerned,
23 they emerged as being a separate concern of all the trade
24 and all the forestry industry round about that period of
25 time 1988, 1989. That is why we thought it wise to bring
26 everybody together to be able to address them, and find out
27 the real facts behind forestry.
28
29 Q. Just in terms of your personal background in the industry,
30 how many years have you been a representative in some way
31 of the forestry trade or industry, outside of it,
32 environmental issues?
33 A. Outside of that, well, I was President of The Timber
34 Trade Federation for a period of two years. At a point in
35 time going backwards, I was President of the Institute of
36 Wood Science which is the technical side of it, and also on
37 the research side, I was Chairman of The Timber Research
38 and Development Association. So, I think one could go back
39 as far as representation of any aspect of the trade as a
40 whole or industry as a whole into the early 1970s, about
41 1973, I think, I began doing that kind of work.
42
43 Q. So about 20 years?
44 A. About 20 years.
45
46 Q. So, the statement you have made, would you say that
47 accurately reflects the opinions of the forestry industry?
48 A. It is my opinion based upon a good deal of supporting
49 guidance from various experts in their own specialised
50 field, and I believe it to be representative of the view of
51 the forestry industry.
52
53 Q. Just for clarification, you said in your first sentence the
54 forestry industry, then you said the timber trade and
55 industry, are they all euphemisms for the same area,
56 organisational area?
57 A. Well, I am sure you appreciate that we are very
58 dependent on the resources of forest products from other
59 parts of the world, so the timber trade in this country is
60 a very significant part of the whole supply line of timber
