This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go here. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.
News Article
Hobart Mercury
US group attacks Gunns in Tokyo
June 29, 2007
TASMANIAN forestry company Gunns Limited says an American environmental group is spreading lies about the company's activities.
Environmental group Rainforest Action Network (RAN) released a report yesterday in Tokyo damning Gunns' forestry practices in Tasmania.
RAN's report, titled The Truth Behind Tasmanian Forest Destruction and the Japanese Paper Industry, claims Gunns ''cuts down pristine old-growth forests, firebombs the clear-cut land, and then poisons the local animal wildlife''.
It goes on to say: ''Streams are polluted, 400-year-old trees destroyed, habitats incinerated, and threatened species killed.''
It details how Gunns' logging practices are supported by major paper companies in Japan such as Nippon and Oji, who buy the company's woodchips.
Gunns' executive chairman John Gay said the claims were an attempt to damage the Tasmanian forest industry's image in the Japanese market.
Mr Gay said the report was full of inaccuracies, baseless claims and untruths and represented just another attack on Tasmania by radical conservationists.
Featured item
Get updates from RAN
Support RAN
It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog. And RAN has proven that time and again.
Josh Pryor
Learn more about this supporter »