Day 073 - 13 Jan 95 - Page 42


     
     1        Canada anyway; "visual enhancement corridors" in US
     2        language is what they call them, US forestry-speak.
     3
     4   MR. RAMPTON:  At any rate, you cannot tell me where the Gordon
     5        forest area is -- Gordon Cousins' Forest, I beg his pardon?
     6        A.  No, I cannot.
     7
     8   Q.   One final thing then, Mr. Hopkins; it was either you or it
     9        was Mr. Morris -- I am afraid I cannot remember --
    10        mentioned something called Rio as leading on to something
    11        called Helsinki, I think it was this morning; do you
    12        remember that?
    13        A.  Yes.
    14
    15   Q.   Was his reference or your reference to Rio a reference to
    16        the United Nations Conference on Environmental Development
    17        held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992?
    18        A.  Yes.
    19
    20   Q.   I expect you are very familiar with the declarations,
    21        communications, and so on, that came out of that
    22        conference, are you not?
    23        A.  Some of them.
    24
    25   Q.   Particularly with relation to forestry?
    26        A.  Some of the parts of forestry, yes.
    27
    28   Q.   Do you remember that that conference came out with a
    29        statement of forest principles which contained -- I am
    30        afraid I cannot show you the document -- these words,
    31        therefore, I read them slowly:  "The role of planted
    32        forests as sustainable and environmentally sound sources of
    33        raw material should be recognised and promoted.  Their
    34        contribution to the maintenance of ecological processes to
    35        off-setting pressure on primary/old growth forest and to
    36        providing regional employment and development should be
    37        recognised and advanced".  Do you remember that statement?
    38        A.  I have read statements similar to that.  It sounds very
    39        sensible, yes.
    40
    41   Q.   So far as the words are concerned, their contribution to
    42        the maintenance of ecological processes and to off-setting
    43        pressure on primary/old growth forest are concerned, do you
    44        agree or disagree with that declaration by that UN
    45        conference in Rio in 1992?
    46        A.  I think it needs to be examined quite carefully.  An
    47        existing plantation will take stress off old growth, but if
    48        you clear an old growth forest and turn it into plantation,
    49        you are not taking stress off old growth forest.  There is
    50        definitely an argument for plantation forest is that they 
    51        are the lesser of two evils.  I would accept that.  An 
    52        environmental movement in this country, particularly 
    53        concerned with northern and temperate forests, generally
    54        takes this attitude, that they are the least of two evils.
    55
    56   Q.   Do you agree then that so long as the necessary evil of his
    57        Lordship's book made of paper exists, it is preferable to
    58        take one's paper from new or, at any rate, not pre-existing
    59        plantation forest than it is from old growth forest?
    60        A.  Can you say that last bit again?

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