Gunns is logging the Upper Florentine (left) and is pushing ahead with its Tamar pulp mill.Gunns Ltd, Australia’s largest logging company, is proposing to build a chlorine bleaching, native forest fed pulp mill in Tasmania. Stopping the pulp mill is crucial because it will be a disaster for climate change. It will be 80 per cent native forest-based, consuming an area of forest equivalent to 100,000 MCGs. Marine life, human health and other industries, including tourism, agriculture and fisheries are also threatened by this polluting development. The pulp mill has been approved for construction via inadequate, fast tracked approval processes that have ignored many of the key issues that concern the public. Funding has not been secured for the project, and public opposition continues to grow - it can still be stopped. Donate today »
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| Tasmania’s future threatened – pulp mill impacts |
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The Wilderness Society is campaigning to stop Gunns Ltd building a massive native forest-fed pulp mill in the Tamar Valley. This pulp mill will be a disaster for our forests; our oceans and beaches; our marine life and fisheries; our wildlife; our water; the air of the Tamar Valley; our climate; and our economy.
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| UPDATE – Södra set pulp mill conditions |
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More than 4,000 signatures - and less than two days after our original online action to Swedish pulp company Södra - breakthrough came about because people like you took action. Thank you! But many issues remain unresolved. And more action is required. Please send an urgent message to Södra's CEO, Mr Leif Brodén, now. |
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| Time to restore trust in democracy |
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The Wilderness Society has joined with other groups and individuals under the banner of Our Common Ground, in an attempt to solve the conflict over Tasmania’s forests. Our Common Ground has released a series of television advertisements, including one highlighting the abuses of democratic processes which occurred in Tasmania as part of the shambolic pulp mill approval. |
Pulp Mill Updates
- No federal government approval - March 09, 2010
- End of the Gunns20 legal saga - February 02, 2010
- Gunns’ pulp mill: We’re not out of the woods yet - December 14, 2009
Scientists, the community, fishermen and surfers are concerned that Gunns’ proposed Tamar Valley pulp mill would have a devastating effect on the marine environment. If Gunns’ pulp mill is built, it would dump 64,000 tonnes to toxic pollution into flushing Bass Strait every day. The federal government has ordered further research to be done before it will give final approval.
More than five years after writs were first issued, the Gunns lawsuit saga has come to an end for all 20 defendants with the decision by Gunns to drop its remaining claims against four defenders of a small valley on the edge of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.
Five years ago this December, Gunns Limited announced plans to build a pulp mill fuelled by Tasmania’s native forests. For five years, committed people just like you have stood between these native forests and complete annihilation.
Pulp Mill Media Releases
- Timber industry using old-style tactics for old-style politicians - March 17, 2010
- Gunns' planned restructure vain attempt to avoid real reform - February 21, 2010
- Minister looking after Gunns' interests - January 20, 2010
Today’s planned stunt by timber industry groups is simply a shallow re-run of a similar 2006 election stunt, according to the Wilderness Society. This stunt is just another example of logging companies dictating policy positions to politicians. Instead of showing vision and understanding the causes of the current crisis in the logging industry, these industry groups are trying to lock them into old-style policies the community doesn’t want and the industry doesn’t need
Gunns Ltd’s proposed restructure of its company in response to its abysmal financial performance is a vain attempt to hide its native forest logging operations from scrutiny by potential pulp-mill investors, according to the Wilderness Society. Gunns, which today announced a 98% drop in profits for the first half of the financial year, plans to isolate its native-forest logging operations from the pulp mill proposal, plantations and other more acceptable parts of its operations such as wine-making and retail outlets.
Environment groups have labelled the trip to Japan by Resources Minister David Llewelyn with Gunns boss John Gay and Forestry Tasmania boss Bob Gordon a mercy dash aimed at looking after Gunns’ interests by attempting to keep native forest woodchipping alive in Tasmania.
The Wilderness Society is a proud member of BankTrack, a network of civil society organisations and individuals tracking the operations of the private financial sector and its effect on people and the planet.
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