Push to close Australia's native timber industry to 'save' forest carbon based on flawed science

The power of sensational media headlines has long been recognised by environmental activists, and this seems to have been impressed upon some ANU conservation scientists to such a degree that loudly promoting their findings in a carefully-timed media blitz may be taking precedence over the integrity of their research. This may be due to a realisation that, even if the veracity of their research is questionable, by the time this is detected their findings have already been heavily promoted through the media and appropriated for use in ENGO campaigns and are shaping public opinion and political decision-making.

That the flawed findings drawn from Keith et al (2014) are underpinning the new joint ANU/Fujitsu Laboratories forest carbon research to be released with much fanfare to an international audience at the World Parks Congress, should be acutely embarrassing for both the ANU and Fujitsu. The Japanese company has every right to feel aggrieved as it partnered with the ANU researchers in good faith only to be let down by their lack of academic rigour.

In conclusion, advocating the closure of local timber industries to 'save' forests for carbon is inappropriate without any consideration of the implications of having to then replace Australian-grown hardwood with substitutes – either imported hardwoods, or non-wood materials such as steel or concrete – whose supply embodies substantially greater greenhouse emissions. These unintended consequences are yet to be considered by the ANU's various forest carbon papers.

It is also worth remembering that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in its 4^th Assessment Report in 2007, acknowledged that: "In the long term, a sustainable forest management strategy aimed at maintaining or increasing forest carbon stocks, while producing an annual sustained yield of timber, fibre or energy from the forest, will generate the largest sustained (carbon) mitigation benefit."

Victoria's Central Highlands' ash forests – seemingly the epicentre of ANU forest carbon research – already meets this ideal with around 70% of its area contained in parks and reserves that are growing carbon and conserving environmental values; while the other 30% hosts renewable timber and fibre production while also supporting carbon sequestration and conservation values.