Day 073 - 13 Jan 95 - Page 24


     
     1        of aspen.
     2
     3   Q.   You visited that?
     4        A.  I visited that in November, yes.  I saw the stuff going
     5        in, which actually I would like to raise a point there; the
     6        idea of a tie-up between the location of pulp and chip
     7        mills and paper sources.  The mill in Athabasca, which is
     8        in northern Alberta and is taking virgin, old growth
     9        forest, does not produce paper.  It produces paper pulp
    10        which it then exports to other places.
    11
    12        Again, talking about the old growth, in the west coast of
    13        the United States I have personally seen piles of wood
    14        chips ready for export, a pile which I would estimate has a
    15        base area of 20 acres, and, looking at the machinery, I
    16        would say has a height of 80 feet.  That is the sort of
    17        scale of the thing.
    18
    19        For instance, going on to the idea that things are just
    20        done locally, McMillon Blodel, who are forest owners in
    21        British Columbia, sell paper pulp to Scott International --
    22        it used to be Bowater Scott in this country, now Scott
    23        International -- an American company.  They do a regular
    24        run from British Columbia, or did do a regular run from
    25        British Columbia, stopping in Oregon at Coos Bay and ending
    26        up in Gillingham in Kent where they make Andrex toilet
    27        paper.  I am just saying that the location of paper making
    28        plants is often different than the location of pulp making
    29        plants and chip mills.
    30
    31        In fact, Scott paper, let me just raise Scott paper, Scott
    32        paper have said now they will not take any more material
    33        from British Columbia.  They have stopped taking old growth
    34        material from British Columbia.  They have decided, because
    35        of public pressure, or the threat of public pressure --
    36        they have announced they will not take paper pulp, paper
    37        chips, from British Columbia.  So, your Andrex toilet paper
    38        which they make in this country has a certain guarantee
    39        that it is not using old growth from Canada.
    40
    41   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Do you actually know yourself, or do you have
    42        any particular suggestion of a mill in what you would say
    43        is a vulnerable area?  This is not just your general
    44        comment as to managed or plantation forests where you say
    45        timber is cut which goes to pulp which goes to paper
    46        products which goes to McDonald's?
    47        A.  I cannot specifically quote on mill.
    48
    49   MR. MORRIS:  Do you want to continue with the quotes from the
    50        Finnish Forestry Association? 
    51        A.  Yes, yes.  Going on:  "As symbols of continuity, 
    52        exceptionally old trees possess a special emotional value. 
    53        They also assure nesting success for birds of prey - the
    54        relatively flimsy branches of even 'middle-aged' pines
    55        cannot support the load imposed by the nest of an eagle or
    56        an osprey."
    57
    58   Q.   Unless there are any more strong quotes, what is your
    59        general opinion of what they are recognising there?
    60        A.  What they are recognising is that forestry as practiced

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