The export of woodchips from Australian native forests over the last few decades has been one of Australia's greatest economic and environmental disasters. Heavily subsidised and poorly managed, wood chipping has continued despite the trend amongst Australia's policy makers towards the rhetoric of economic rationalism. Even though only those with a vested interest could argue for wood chipping on economic grounds, it has managed to gain the strong support of both Labour and Liberal/National Parties. Yet despite these contradictions and the enormous passion the wood chipping debate generates, historians have tended to ignore this issue. John Dargavel's excellent history of Australian forestry goes a long way to filling this gap. Dargavel's work is essential reading for anyone interested in the woodchipping debate, Australia's environmental history, or indeed Australian politics. Well written and presented, it makes very good use of photographs, diagrams, maps and boxed 'summaries' (some examples: on page 145 there are the dates of formation of Australia's main conservation bodies and on page 164 a list of the main arguments against woodchipping). Reviewed By Warwick Frost.