One of the major realisations I have made over the past 10 years is the complete failure of forestry and timber markets to take any responsibility for their own future.
Here is just one recent example:
Good Day Dr. Gordon Bradbury,
Hope you can introduce some seller or loggers milling Tasmania Blackwood Logs or lumber etc,
Sir we are Hong Kong based company and looking for looking for Tasmanian Blackwood logs 40cm plus in diameter to import if possible, 1-2×40′ containers, CIF Incheon, South Korea.
Will appreciate if you could send us your complete offer with certificate (FSC/PEFC),, provide some photos for checking the quality and shape on logs, lumbers and veneers, MOq, terms of payment, terms of inspection, estimated delivery time, yard location etc.
Thank you so very much for your kind help
Kind Regards
I get regular emails and SMS messages from people wanting to get their hands on cheap blackwood.
When I try to engage these people in my quest, which is to get the market to take responsibility and support, encourage and reward Tasmanian farmers to grow quality wood for the future, I get excuses of why they cannot help!
Here is one of my standard questions I ask these people:
Q: Do you care about the future of YOUR industry/business?
A: Moan, complain, apologise, blame others, too busy, etc., etc., etc…
Is the forestry/timber market so short-sighted, corrupt and stupid that it is willing to destroy its own future?
It would appear so!!
Log traders, furniture makers, craftspeople, luthiers, cabinet makers, architects, builders, retailers, festival organisers,etc.
Every one of these professions/trades seems to have no interest in their own future.
I don’t know of any other primary industry in Australia that has such a fatalistic attitude. Every other primary industry, beef, sheep, poultry, dairy, vegetables, fruit, grain, etc. all keep their growers uptodate, supported and informed with all the relevant information they need to keep these industries running smoothly and efficiently.
Not the forestry/timber market!
Yes forestry has long investment periods and some other unique characteristics, but this means that the market has to work that much harder to ensure its future.
Having plundered the worlds forests the forestry/timber market seems determined to do a “Thelma and Louise” and accelerate over the cliff to extinction.
And for those log merchants wanting cheap blackwood, all the existing resource in Tasmania is committed. Most of it comes for public native forest for the domestic welfare forestry sector. A small amount is salvaged from private property.
Here’s another way of looking at the issue. How many companies are there in Australia and around the world that use Tasmanian blackwood timber or would like too? Dozens? Hundreds? How many of these companies actively support and encourage the growing of Tasmanian blackwood? My guess! None!! Ziltch!!
I’m happy to be proven wrong.
Very few Tasmanians are planting blackwood for the future and the major reason is the careless attitude of the marketplace. The marketplace has a death wish!!
People I speak to who are interested in planting blackwood I tell them the truth – no one wants you to grow quality blackwood timber for the future. Nobody! No one will support or encourage you. In fact many people are actively working against you!
Why commit to a 30+ year investment growing quality timber when the marketplace couldn’t care less?
Tasmanian Forest Products Association
Tasmanian Forest Products Association
Bryan Hayes, Forico CEO
The forest industry remains quite for months and then BANG! News stories everywhere!!
This article appeared in the media the other day:
https://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/6767207/new-forestry-body-to-represent-industry-plagued-by-conflict-and-old-issues/?fbclid=IwAR1nZ_BpPTnxqz7EalGl-006syfKk1J3EQ-g6OzAG8ebcwg6km0tvL26n-g
The article formally announced the death of the Forest Industries Association of Tasmanian (FIAT) and the formation of yet another forest industry representative body, the Tasmanian Forest Products Association (TFPA). Tasmania is now back to having two forest industry representative bodies, the other being the taxpayer-funded Tasmanian Forest and Forest Products Network (TFFPN).
https://www.tffpn.com.au/
The TFPA as yet has no website. Hopefully soon!
I’m not sure where the TFGA sits in all this confusion:
https://tfga.com.au/farming-enterprises/forestry
Do they represent forest growers? Its hard to understand!
If Tasmanians are confused this is perfectly understandable. The forest industry in Tasmania remains deeply conflicted and divided.
The main theme of the article is to give Tasmanians very rare insight into the history of the forest industry; the truth being that for the past 20-30 years the forest industry has been very deeply divided!!
Driven by ego, power and greed; and as the article says “doing things the same way over and over is not a good strategy”. Who would guess?
Tasmanians have never had this insight into the inner workings and conflict within the forest industry. This is indeed a rare moment in Tasmanian history.
Few people in Tasmania were aware of this. Most Tasmanians thought the issue was “The Greenies”, when in fact the story was more complex.
“We want to depoliticise the conversation, we want to speak with an apolitical voice … take in the balance of social, economic and environmental concerns.”
Mr Hayes said the task ahead was enormous, particularly taking into account years of highly political activity within the industry and with professional protesters.
“There’s that old saying, herding cats …” he joked.
“But I hope it is able to act like a glue to bind the industry together.
“It’s going to be a long road.”
A long HARD road ahead!! Has anyone in the Tasmanian forest industry spoken with such candour before?
Not in my 40 year career as a forester!
Never mind!
The Tasmanian forest industry remains deeply conflicted and divided – between the taxpayer-sucking forest-destroying welfare forestry people, and those who believe that growing wood is a commercial activity.
My limited dealings with Mr Hayes have been very positive. Can he bring the peace and resolve to this long bitter divisive destructive period in Tasmanias history?
Time will tell.
Good luck Bryan herding those Feral Welfare Cats !!!
PS. Note to Bryan: You know I’m going to give you guys a hard time but you wouldn’t expect otherwise would you??
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