Asia PR News

SYDNEY, June 30 /MediaNet International-AsiaNet/ –

Tasmanian wood products derived from forests managed by Forestry Tasmania
and Gunns have been independently verified as sustainable, Managing Director
Evan Rolley said today.

“Wood products from these forests are supplied under the nationally and
internationally recognised Australian Forestry Standard (AFS), which confirms
our commitment to long-term, sustainable supply.

“The AFS sets stringent criteria for sustainable forest management and
production tracking, which provides customers with an assurance that timber has
been produced according to international best practice standards.

“The AFS is internationally endorsed by the Programme for the Endorsement of
Forest Certification schemes (PEFC), which is the largest forest certification
body in the world.

“The PEFC currently has 28 member countries. Other timber-producing
countries with forest certification schemes endorsed by the PEFC include
Sweden, Norway, Finland, Germany and Canada,” said Mr Rolley.

Mr Rolley said that, in addition to the AFS, Tasmania had recently made
increased commitments to conservation through the Tasmanian Community Forest
Agreement.

“In Tasmania, more than one million hectares of old growth forest is now
protected in the reserve system.

“Around 0.2% of State old growth forests are harvested annually. We have
also been working pro-actively to develop alternatives to clearfelling in the
areas of old growth forest that are available for harvesting. By 2010,
clearfelling will account for only 20% of the old growth harvest.”

ENDS

Steve Bavage
Manager, Corporate Affairs
Ph: +61 3 6233 8249

SOURCE Forestry Tasmania