Timber industry advocates have lodged several freedom of information requests for correspondence between Australian National University scientist David Lindenmayer and journalists, including from The Age and Sydney Morning Herald.

One forestry advocate said the FOI requests were made to better understand the connection between ANU’s Fenner School of Environment and Society and sections of the media.

But the ANU said it would be concerned if the move dissuaded academics from speaking freely to journalists.

Today on Please Explain, climate and energy correspondent Mike Foley joins Bianca Hall to discuss the rocky relationship between one of Australia’s top climate scientists and sections of the timber industry.