Day 056 - 28 Nov 94 - Page 32
1 we have in this country compared with the period after the
2 First World War), our forests are now becoming mature and,
3 therefore, as the years pass there will be more and more
4 mature trees than ever before.
5
6 Q. I was talking about over mature trees.
7 A. Over mature trees will be less in need of being used in
8 all forest resources as the whole programme of Silvi
9 cultural management around the world brings about mature
10 plantation of forest. The pressure will be taken off
11 existing forest and, therefore, off the old mature trees in
12 old growth forests, as you described them earlier.
13
14 Q. Maybe I am not putting the question correctly. If I just
15 put it to you in bare terms so that you know what I am
16 trying to say: I would say, forgetting the economic
17 benefits of over mature trees, there are ecological
18 benefits of over mature trees which we talked about a bit
19 earlier, yes, and plantations, except may be in certain
20 specific examples which you mentioned, say, Finland or
21 whatever, where they are used for economic plants such as
22 seedlings, type of thing, in general, the aim of
23 plantations is to established trees to maturity and then
24 log them, forget all the thinning and that kind of stuff,
25 that is the general aim. So, the plantation forest, in
26 general, with maybe some exceptions will not include the
27 ecological benefits of over mature trees; would you say
28 that is a fair comment?
29 A. If one puts it the other way around again and says that
30 an over mature tree can provide certain ecological benefits
31 to particular species of bird and particular species of
32 fungus and the like, yes, it is correct to say that an over
33 mature tree provides a particular form of ecological
34 benefit. It is not correct to say that plantation forests
35 provide no ecological benefits.
36
37 Q. No, I did not say that; I just say it does not provide that
38 particular ---
39 A. It does not provide that particular benefit.
40
41 Q. -- characteristic that the over-mature trees would provide
42 the forest?
43 A. Right, and where there has been an identifiable loss of
44 biodiversity, good Silvi cultural management will seek to
45 counter balance that, and that is one of the reasons why
46 trees are now being left in considerable abundance in
47 forests that are well-managed.
48
49 Q. So the environmental loss from the routine cutting down or
50 preventing the establishment of over-mature trees in
51 plantation forests is now recognised and being compensated,
52 is that what you say?
53 A. I think the specific examples are the only way in which
54 one can properly answer this. In areas where there has
55 been an identifiable loss of a particular species, then in
56 those areas the planning and management of the forest has
57 included the leaving of old trees where that is directly
58 relevant. Certainly, this has progressed considerably over
59 the years as a technique of managing forests.
60
