Book Review

The Forest Wars: The Ugly Truth About What’s Happening in Our Tall Forests

By D. Lindenmayer

2024, Allen & Unwin Book Publishers, Crows Nest

pp. 267

Price AUD $34.99, ISBN 978-1-76147-075-2

Professor David Lindenmayer AO is a global leader in forest and woodland management, conservation science and biodiversity conservation. He is based at The Australian National University and has led large, long-term research in forests for more than 40 years. He has published over 1440 scientific articles and 48 books. David has also held a prestigious Australian Research Council Laureate Fellowship and is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science, Ecological Society of America, Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales, and American Academy of Arts and Sciences. His awards include Eureka Prize (x3), Whitley Award (x10), Serventy Medal for Ornithology and the prestigious Robert H. Whittaker Award from the Ecological Society of America. He is more than qualified to author this book.

According to the author this book is about myth busting. It is about the science, economics and policies of logging. It discusses a history of poor forest management, illegal logging, unlawful surveillance, shonky enquiries, bad policy, cover-ups and shady deals. It seems Professor Lindenmayer is fed up with the ‘blizzard of untruths about native forest logging’. He writes, ‘This book is about busting the myths pedalled by industry.’ To bust all these myths he draws upon his research including: 40 years in wet native eucalypt forests, 30 years in pine plantations and 25 years studying tree plantings on farms. Thus, he draws on long-term research, which has unearthed answers that short-term research could not.

The book itself is divided into: an introduction, 12 chapters that bust 37 myths, a postscript on getting precious environments protected and three appendices: Abbreviations, Photo acknowledgements and References. There is a separate contents listing for the myths. A little over 200 pages are given to the 12 chapters, which delve into subjects such as: logging and biodiversity, fires and forests, profitability and economics, regulation and forest law, sustainability, climate change, parks and reserves, and a new vision for Australia’s native forests is given.

The audience addressed is a broad one, including general readers. Science and detail do not become casualties with this approach with all arguments backed by long-term research, which is appropriately cited; the citations are given by chapter in the reference section and take up some 37 pages.

The principal strength of the book is that it reports on the latest understandings synthesised from the experience and knowledge derived from 40 years of research. Other strengths include that much of the information presented is presented by state, and of course the focus on undoing forestry myths is another obvious strength of the book. I was initially interested in Western Australian forests, but since I have worked in south-eastern New South Wales and Tasmanian forests I was keen to see how they were handled too. The text was meant to inform readers who are and are not from forestry, to this end the book strikes the right balance in achieving this. Overall, the style of writing is clear, interesting, detailed and appropriate. Since its objective is to bust myths the text is entirely apposite and serves all readers well.

It fulfils broad educational and research functions: it will inform the general readership and teach undergraduates and post-graduates alike and no doubt add knowledge to the professorial ranks too. Since these were all intended audiences, it has hit the mark well. As touched on above, the level of research is deep and entirely pertinent to the general subject of forestry.

With regard to supplementary material there are 16 pages of glossy plates within that are all useful, with some being also emotional. Elsewhere scattered throughout are various black and white figures, some of lower quality, which are linked to the text and help explain the arguments presented – they are all important additions. Notably, the paper used in this book is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®) certified. The FSC® promotes environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable management of the world’s forests.

In conclusion, this is an important text. I cannot call it timely because it is long overdue. It will be an important addition in labs and offices that work with forestry. It would do well to be included in the offices of political advisers. Post-graduates need to do what I am doing and read it cover to cover. I would also recommend this book to secondary school teachers, undergraduates and general readers with an interest in the truth about Australia’s forests and the forest industries.