Day 073 - 13 Jan 95 - Page 28


     
     1        take any from old growth forest, which I think is what
     2        McDonald's say the position is.
     3
     4   MR. MORRIS:  But, to summarise, you are saying they should be
     5        specifying that ----
     6        A.  They should be positively specifying -----
     7
     8   Q.   -- to their suppliers.
     9        A. - to their suppliers, yes.
    10
    11   Q.   If we move on from that; I am trying to miss out as much as
    12        I can.  I am up to page 17 so far.  On deforestation
    13        England, this is page 19?
    14        A.  Yes.
    15
    16   Q.   Has there been an analysis of the amount of ancient
    17        woodland lost in Britain in recent times?
    18        A.  Yes.
    19
    20   Q.   Could you summarise the position.
    21        A.  There has, not by the Forestry Authority itself but, in
    22        fact, by English Nature, or, I think, previously called the
    23        Nature Conservancy Council before some changes.  They have
    24        been doing surveys of it, of the loss of semi-natural and
    25        ancient woodland in England and Wales.  They estimate, or
    26        they say that, in fact, 45 per cent of our ancient
    27        woodlands have disappeared since the Second World War.
    28        They say that 38 per cent of this has disappeared to
    29        plantations, the overwhelming bulk of which are coniferous
    30        plantations -- some of these are hybrid poplar plantations
    31         -- a very small quantity, and about seven per cent has
    32        disappeared for roads, land clearance and buildings and
    33        things like that.
    34
    35        If you look at their figures in detail they say actually
    36        since 1930, but the methodology they were using is that
    37        they were using the 1930 Ordnance Survey map series as the
    38        most available one.  If you speak to them, and this is what
    39        they will publicly say, that, in fact, the overwhelming
    40        bulk of the loss is since the Forestry Act of 1947.
    41
    42   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I have to say at the moment I have a problem
    43        with deforestation in the United Kingdom, bearing in mind
    44        that the Second Plaintiff only came to this country in
    45        1974.  If I have missed a point on that, make sure I do not
    46        miss it.
    47
    48   MR. MORRIS:  The trees that -- this process that really you are
    49        saying took off after the Second World War ----?
    50        A.  After '47, yes. 
    51 
    52   Q.   - of replacement of native forests with coniferous 
    53        plantations, when are those trees -- well, it is an obvious
    54         -- it is a leading question, but basically are those trees
    55        now ones that are being harvested and have been the ones
    56        that have been harvested over the last 10, 15, 20 years?
    57        A.  Those are the ones ----
    58
    59   Q.   - for pulp production?
    60        A.  Yes.  Those trees are now well into the harvesting.

Prev Next Index