Christmas Greetings

Bob Gordon, Managing Director

FORESTRY Tasmania offices reopen on Monday, January 11 following the Christmas/New Year break and I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone and their families all the best for both Christmas and the coming year.

I look forward to the challenges the next year will present and to developing new markets and opportunities for Forestry Tasmania that will provide increased employment opportunities for our workers and security for their families.

The global economic crisis has meant that 2009 has been a difficult year for all of us and my sincere hope is that 2010 will be more prosperous for everyone.

Forestry Tasmania plans to recommence log exports to help overcome the effects of the global financial crisis.

Our priority is to keep work flowing to help insulate its contractors from the worst effects of the downturn and we also need to maintain our own revenue.

The success of FT strategies that led to the development by Ta Ann of two rotary peeled veneer mills in Tasmania meant we were able to discontinue export of peeler logs to China in late 2008.

The logs we are now considering for export are lower grade than those suitable for Ta Ann’s processes and markets, and Ta Ann will also conduct its own trial as part of FT’s efforts to diversify its markets for pulpwood logs.

The decision to export logs has largely been brought about by reduced overseas demand for hardwood woodchips due to the current economic conditions.

Our strong preference is to support domestic processing for logs grown in our sustainably managed forests and the decision to export logs is an interim measure.

It will help to provide employment in the forest harvesting and transport sectors, maintain our own revenue, and will promote the development of new markets for eucalypt logs suitable for peeling.