Thanks ken, it confirms my thoughts on imported timber also on my own woodworking where occasionally I wonder why I limit myself to types I can guarantee -mostly because I find it myself). There are plenty of craftsmen in the world and if they all limited themselves to local supply we wouldn't have these ridiculously overinflated prices per cubic metre that cause this stuff to happen. Australia is another such place and I'm guessing from there to Indonesia and Malaysia. From Oz it also comes with badging that tells us it's sustainable forestry, but mostly (imo) that isn't true.
Thanks for your info. It obviously goes from quick biggest money to smallest and slowest in the process (timber, livestock, crops), but also in the same direction ability of the land to recuperate. If they just cut the trees they would grow back (ecosystem a little less straight forward of course). If they just grazed cattle for a year or two after it would still return with a little extra in the soil to kick it off. Once they turn it to crops, everything is grubbed out, the soil is leached, eroded (all of it near to river systems). At that point, years of destruction with little hope of natural return.
It's perhaps most pertinent for us to be arguing against exotic timbers (just as people were 40 years back! ). I'd still say the same re imports of soy from America but I guess you've moved this issue up the ladder for me at least.