Day 058 - 30 Nov 94 - Page 42
1 industry was changing.
2
3 Q. In your experience of critics, were they "able to provide
4 evidence that many of the species that existed in the
5 natural forest were unable to thrive in a forest exploited
6 by man. The living conditions have been changed all too
7 radically and numerous herbs, lichens, fungi and insects
8 are being pushed aside. Some birds and larger animals are
9 now in living populations which in the long term are not
10 viable". Would that be a reasonable -----
11 A. Is that quotation from Mr. Jan Remrod?
12
13 Q. No, that is from the pamphlet by the industry?
14 A. Which is published by the industry?
15
16 Q. Yes, by Skogsindustrierna?
17 A. My Lord, it is difficult for me to tell whether that is
18 what they said, or why they said it, or in what context
19 they said it. What I would know is that in the context of
20 forest management, the industry is very much aware of the
21 role that forestry plays in the environment.
22
23 Q. In the cause of problems?
24 A. I would imagine it would be very right and proper for
25 them to be taking action to improve the situation as the
26 years go by and as the industry could afford to take
27 action.
28
29 Q. Is it true that the Swedish, forestry industry, recognises
30 -- it is a direct quote from the pamphlet -- "that the
31 problem is that a great deal of what was formally found in
32 abundance in the natural forest has become scarce in the
33 managed forest. For example, the forest ecologists pointed
34 out that many species need forest with ample access to very
35 old trees. There is also a large number of plants, animals
36 insects, lichens and fungi that are dependent on deciduous
37 trees". Then it goes on about what ecologists explained.
38 Would you say that the industry now recognises these
39 problems caused by plantation forests?
40 A. I think you are quoting ecologists' viewpoints and the
41 judgment of industry in relation to them.
42
43 Q. No, I am quoting, actually, this is the text of the
44 industry's view itself. I am asking you if you recognise
45 that the Swedish forestry industry is now recognising the
46 environmental problems that managed forests have caused?
47 A. I would not question that the forest industry have
48 recognised that the environment is affected by forestry.
49 I think that the way in which they have continuously
50 progressed in applying themselves to this, both in setting
51 aside very large areas of reserves and in the way in which
52 the forest management has included a wide variety of
53 species, an ever growing amount of attention to natural
54 regeneration, has been one of their very positive
55 contributions.
56
57 MR. RAMPTON: My Lord, I call for a copy of that document now in
58 case I should want to re-examine on it. It has been read
59 out. It is no good Mr. Morris shoving it back in the
60 sack. I may wish to illustrate that it has been
