This blog differs from my usual in being a plea to read one book on the forest industry in Australia and why we might worry in every country about our forestry practices. The book is by David Lindenmayer and in it is a capsular summary of the evidence presented about the state of the forest industry in Australia and the myths that are continually presented about sustainability of forests wherever they are. If you teach students or adults about environmental problems, you could discuss whether these myths apply to your part of the world. For more details on the evidence behind these statements read the book. Much action is needed to eliminate these myths.

Lindenmayer, David. (2024) “The Forest Wars” Allen and Unwin, Sydney, Australia. ISBN: 978 76147 075 2.  Available as a paperback or a kindle book from Allen and Unwin.
Allen and Unwin: The Forest Wars

I copy here the opening 2 pages of this book:

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The Myths

1. The forest will grow back.
2. Animals just move on.
3. Only a small proportion of the forestry estate is logged.
4. Only small patches of the forest are logged each year, so the forest remains intact.
5. Forestry departments do proper pre-logging surveys for animals.
6. Detecting more animals means a species is OK.
7. Retaining a few big trees on logged sites will save the animals.
8. We can solve the animal housing crisis with nest boxes.
9. Selective logging is better than clearfelling.
10. It is good to ‘clean up’ storm and fire-damaged forest.
11. Forest gardening heals country.
12. We need to log forests to keep them safe.
13. Forests will be less flammable if we thin them.
14. Logging has the same effects as wildfires.
15. We can burn our way out of the wildfire problem.
16. Tall, wet forests [in Australia] were open and park-like at the time of the British invasion.
17. Cultural burning was practiced all over Australia.
18. Most wood cut in a logging coupe gets milled for sawn lumber.
19. We need native forest logging to build and furnish our houses.
20. Without native forest logging we will bring in imports that kill Orangutans.
21. Native forest logging is value added.
22. Logging is good business.
23. Logging is more lucrative than other forest uses.
24. Native forest logging employs tens of thousands of people.
25. Australia has the best regulated native forest logging industry in the world.
26. Government regulators will keep the bastards honest.
27. Regulations protect old-growth forest.
28. Regional forest agreements solved the forest wars.
29. Melbourne is not Moscow – the spy who came in from the forest.
30. Native forest logging is sustainable.
31. Forest industries are enduring industries.
32. There is nothing to worry about – carbon dioxide is natural.
33. The best way to tackle climate change is to cut down forests and regrow them.
34. Burning biomass from forests is better than burning fossil fuels.
35. We already have enough reserves.
36. Intact forests are selected for reserves.
37. Politicians keep their promises about preserving forests.

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With thanks to David Lindemayer and his research group in Canberra.

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