[Hawkeye]

Excellent post NexGen...many folks screaming for changes to forest harvesting don't seem to realize the costs associated with the "Better" harvesting options.

One clarification I'd like to make is that with NewPage's biomass project, it isn't a 2.5 times increase. NewPage currently process around a 1,000,000 tonnes of roundwood a year in their paper process, not 250,000. Also, of the 650,000 tonnes of biomass required, 250,000 of that would be mill residues already available.

One last thing to consider is that even with the additional 400,000 tonnes of roundwood required (yes roundwood...no limbs, tops or stumps will be permitted) that puts the roundwood harvest for NewPage to about what it was twenty years ago.

Not saying it great or anything...you can make up your own minds on that...just clarifying some numbers. 8^)

 

[Hawkeye]

Well I guess she got her facts mixed up too. They produce approximately 550,000 tonne of paper per year. Can't do that with 250,000 tonne of wood...

I've seen that 250,000 tonne consumption number before from other sources...like EAC. I think there is some mix up as that's approximately what they source from Crown. But a million tonne is about what they consume...

 

[Hawkeye]

But then again, I think that all paper made from trees should be banned (eventually)as the hemp plant can do it much faster and just as good with less impact on the environment.

Can't agree with you there. Trees are renewable and forest are much more natural than plantations of hemp. Convert forest into plantations of hemp for paper...that makes no sense.

 

[Hawkeye]

Hemp grows back in a season and with crop rotation you could get more paper per square acre then you ever could with trees over a certain period (like when the trees grow back and are ready to cut again). You would have less clearcutting and more forest IMHO.

Regardless of how well hemp grows (and there's quite a few hobby growers around

), the public today do not even like plantations of trees, let alone hemp. We don't have the available agricultural area to produce the require volume of hemp to supply our industry...not even close. A natural forest with some haresting is better than a plantation of a non-native plant.

You will see less clearcutting in the future...you read the minister's comment's right?

 

[Hawkeye]

That wasn't my quote Hawkeye

Sorry bout that Nexgen...git'n used to this new system...I guess I'm not there yet