Day 058 - 30 Nov 94 - Page 20
1 saying that you will have a different diversity in regions
2 which are very rugged and very harsh, and a much greater
3 diversity in areas which are closer, perhaps, to the
4 southern regions.
5
6 Q. But we are not talking about whether the areas are rugged
7 and harsh, we are talking about whether they are extensive
8 and inaccessible natural forest areas. What is the
9 general, informed, ecological, scientific opinion about the
10 benefits of extensive and inaccessible natural forest areas
11 in general?
12 A. I think-----
13
14 Q. Are they to be encouraged?
15 A. Wilderness is encouraged and many areas of wilderness
16 have been set aside as reserves.
17
18 Q. Just one thing on fungi before we move on: Is it true that
19 fungi in northern forests, northern European forests, is
20 more extensive than in rainforest areas or do you know?
21 A. This could be, Mr. Morris.
22
23 Q. More diversity, I mean, more diversity of fungi species?
24 A. Than in rainforests? Are we talking about temperate
25 rainforest or tropical?
26
27 Q. The subsoil fungi, do you happen to know if subsoil fungi
28 in northern Europe forests -- I will not compare it with
29 the rainforests; it is not really relevant -- is damaged by
30 plantation practices?
31 A. Mr. Morris, I think I know what you are talking about.
32 Fairly recently, I was with the Research Organisation of
33 Forestry Commission which has a complete department based
34 on the study of micorhizzas which are the very kind of --
35 well, microbes and fungi which you are concerned with in a
36 subsoil condition. There is a great deal of work going on
37 which relates to current forest practice to ensure that
38 that kind of damage does not have a significant effect on
39 the quality of the forest.
40
41 Q. When you say "quality of the forest"?
42 A. It is possible for the soil to be disturbed before
43 plantation in such a way that it does have effect upon
44 fungi, but that knowledge is now very much greater and,
45 therefore, practices apply now which take that into
46 account.
47
48 MR. JUSTICE BELL: We will have our five minute break there.
49 Can you just explain to me how you see the relevance of
50 plantation forest to anything which is actually in the
51 leaflet? Just say it to me.
52
53 MR. MORRIS: I would say that -----
54
55 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Most of what is in the leaflet is very
56 clearly in relation to rainforests, so that part, whatever
57 it says, has nothing whatever to do with plantations of
58 northern hemisphere softwood. It is just the part in
59 parentheses which, you remember, we had the argument about
60 when there was the question of striking out particulars of
