Huge change coming to Bunnings as hardware store bans all timber from government-owned forestry company
- Bunnings has banned wood from VicForests since it is 'illegally logged timber'
- VicForests was found to have logged in habitats of endangered species in May
- The forestry company is owned by the Victorian state government
- Bunnings said it only supports 'responsible and lawful forestry operations'
Hardware giant Bunnings has banned 'illegally logged timber' from a Victorian state government-owned forestry company.
Bunnings Director of Merchandise Phil Bishop announced they would be ending their contract with VicForests 'in light of the recent legal finding' on Wednesday.
VicForests was found to have breached its industry code by logging in areas that impacted the critically endangered Leadbeater's possum and vulnerable Greater Glider by the Federal Court in May.
'We will be discontinuing all sourcing of timber from VicForests and will no longer be accepting raw material input into our supply chain from VicForests as of 30 June,' Mr Bishop said.
'We believe that customers and team members have the right to expect that the timber they purchase is sourced from responsible and lawful forestry operations.'
A Bunnings Warehouse worker measures a piece of wood. The hardware giant has banned all timber from forestry company VicForests, which is owned by the Victorian state government
Mr Bishop said Bunnings has 'long supported' VicForests but could not continue to do so since they breached the Code of Practice for Timber Production 2014.
'Bunnings has a zero-tolerance approach to illegally logged timber that dates back two decades and our commitment is to only source timber products from legal and well managed forest operations,' Mr Bishop said.
'While we only sell a small portion of VicForests' total harvest, we acknowledge this decision may have an impact on the industry and we are working closely with affected suppliers on a transition plan.'
VicForests legal troubles started when the company came under fire from Community group Friends of Leadbeater's Possum (FLBP).
A VicForests logging operation. The company was found to have breached its industry code by logging in areas that impacted the critically endangered Leadbeater's possum and vulnerable Greater Glider by the Federal Court in May
The wildlife protection group argued VicForests' logging operations in the habitats of great gliders and Leadbeater's possum were against federal law.
Represented by Environmental Justice Australia in the Federal Court, the group was able to successfully argue their case in May.
Justice Debra Mortimer found VicForests had breached the code of practice in 26 coupes and that 41 proposed coupes were unlikely to comply.
One coupe was partially logged and counted as both past and proposed, bringing the total to 66 coupes affected.
'VicForests' conduct of forestry operations is likely to have had, or is likely to have, a significant impact on the greater glider as a species and/or the Leadbeater's possum as a species,' Justice Mortimer said in court.
Bunnings Director of Merchandise Phil Bishop (pictured) said his company has a 'zero-tolerance approach to illegally logged timber'
A VicForests spokesman said the company 'acknowledges today's decision of the federal court and will carefully consider the implications on its harvesting program' in a statement at the time.
The state government-owned company also sought to minimise the damage it had done to Victorian forests.
'VicForests harvests 2,500-3,000 hectares each year, about 0.04 per cent, of the entire public native forests in Victoria – nominally equivalent to 4 trees in the 10,000,' the spokesman said.
'About 94 per cent of Victorian native forests are in protected areas that cannot be harvested or are unsuitable.'
VicForests workers inspect the age of a tree by counting the rings within its trunk. A company spokesman said they 'acknowledge' the Federal Court decision
