Words Shape Perception

A Note from Jack Bowen

I’ve found this final December ’25 Builders Bulletin difficult to compose – the temptation (from where I started) was to bemoan all that is wrong in the State of Victoria and particularly the City of Melbourne. But I realised this subject and the commentary coming from left, right, and in between have been ‘done to death’. We all know what the problems are, and we will continue to wrestle with the possible answers well through to this time next year.

I will touch on one of my pet subjects of forestry sustainability, but before I do that, I need to celebrate with the Bowens family of staff, clients, and all those who are connected to our great company. The celebration comes around the excellent performance of this ‘family’ and the resilience of the business despite today’s obvious challenges. The market has not been great, but the performance of Bowens and Timbertruss to maximise the slim pickings of a (competitive) market has been excellent.

“The market has not been great, but the performance of Bowens and Timbertruss to maximise the slim pickings of a (competitive) market has been excellent.”

Sales, profit margins, and expenses have all been under attack. Our Bowens team, though, has combined to place us at the forefront of the building supply industry. Our reputation within this industry is solid, and the support from our suppliers is consistent with their appreciation of a ‘job well done’.

John, Andrew, David Bowen, and I appreciate the efforts of all our staff, together with partners and friends, who provide the backbone of support needed for everyone to do their job at the level we all expect.

Between now and the 25th December, some madness sets in – panic from builders and suppliers who are suddenly under pressure from the annual Christmas holiday rush. No doubt there is a homeowner right now requesting to have the job completed by Christmas, a job they needed to think of months ago.  It happens every year, including ‘distractions’ like office parties, family gatherings, holiday planning, etc, etc.  It is a mad time for sure!

Christmas used to be about celebrating Christ’s Birthday, but this particular Christian spirit has been overtaken by a diverse community that follows numerous religious and non-religious beliefs – all part of a changing world, a changing Australia. As long as the will is to create an overall better society, with all groups cooperating for that purpose alone, the future is good.

I want to finish off my year’s contribution to the Bowens Bulletin with a message I feel continues to be important to the Timber Industry. In doing this, I sought permission from Nick Steel, CEO of the Tasmanian Forest Products Association, who put forward the argument for MANAGED regrowth in a recent presentation. He ticks all the boxes in his support of a Sustainable Forest Industry.

The words holding back Australia’s sustainable forestry future

Words shape perception. They carry weight far beyond their dictionary definitions, especially when it comes to environmental issues.

Right now, one of the most misunderstood terms in Australia is native forestry. For many outside our industry, it conjures images of old-growth forests being flattened by chainsaws, habitats destroyed, and irreversible damage done to ecosystems.

But here’s the kicker, we know that mental image is decades out of date. What we now call native forestry bears little resemblance to those critical practices of the past.

The reality is our industry is now built on sustainability, science, and long-term stewardship. Which is why it’s time we start calling it what it really is: managed regrowth.

Let’s unpack why this shift in language isn’t just semantics – it’s honesty.

Think about how we view other industries. We don’t call modern farming ‘slash-and-burn agriculture’, even though humanity once relied on it.

We don’t describe modern fishing as whaling, even though early fisheries did plenty of damage. Language evolves as practices improve, and forestry deserves the same treatment.

Managed Regrowth

The term native forestry is clunky, outdated, and misleading. It suggests that people are cutting down untouched, pristine forests, when in truth most of today’s operations take place in areas that have already been harvested and have regrown – sometimes many times over.

By calling it managed regrowth, we highlight two essential truths.  Firstly, it’s managed – meaning it’s regulated, monitored, and grounded in science. Secondly, it is regrowth: meaning we’re not clearing virgin land but working with forests that have been regenerated after careful harvesting.

Here’s where reality diverges from the myths.  Apart from selected trees, old-growth logging has been largely phased out across Australia.  What we’re dealing with now are forests that regenerate naturally and are actively managed to ensure biodiversity, soil health, and future supply.

In most cases, less than one per cent of a state’s native forest is harvested each year, and every hectare harvested is required by law to be regrown. Our industry uses selective harvesting (some clear-fell is undertaken), rotation cycles, and strict environmental safeguards to ensure that the forest is not only sustained but often improved for habitat and resilience.

It’s a cycle more akin to farming: harvest, regenerate, repeat. Except instead of crops that take months, these forests grow over decades, contributing to a long-term, renewable supply of timber while locking up carbon and supporting ecosystems.

Language isn’t just about marketing – it’s about accuracy. The word regrowth acknowledges the living cycle of these forests.  Unlike a mined resource, which once removed is gone forever, forests rebound. They re-establish under the watchful eye of professionals whose job is to balance human needs with ecological health.

And make no mistake, regeneration is not an afterthought, it’s built into the framework of how forestry operates today.

For example, in Tasmania, native forestry is conducted under our Regional Forest Agreement that imposes strict rules for biodiversity protection, waterway buffers, and soil conservation. That’s not logging in the old sense – it’s a carefully managed cycle of regrowth.  So why stress the word managed?  Because regrowth on its own isn’t enough.

Modern forestry plans don’t just measure logs, they track soil health, monitor species populations, and plan for fire resilience.

Forestry workers collaborate with ecologists, indigenous land managers, and government regulations. The result? A working landscape that produces materials we all rely on – housing timber, paper, biofuels – without sacrificing ecological integrity.

So here we are, stuck with an outdated label that does no one any favours. The term native forestry belongs to the past. The present and the future is managed regrowth.

This isn’t a plea for spin, it’s a demand for accuracy. Australians deserve to know that the timber in their homes is a product of renewal. They deserve to know that forests can be both used and preserved. And they deserve a debate based on facts, not ghosts from the past.

Words shape perception. Perception shapes policy. And policy shapes the land we all share.  It’s time to call forestry what it really is … managed regrowth.

“Words shape perception. Perception shapes policy. And policy shapes the land we all share.  It’s time to call forestry what it really is … managed regrowth.”

Thank you, Nick, for the above – thank you to our readers of the BB!  Have a great Christmas with family and friends. Stay safe and ready for a brand-new year called 2026!

Jack Bowen