TIMBER giant Gunns Ltd has broken ranks with Tasmania's forest industry and confirmed it will pull out of native forest logging altogether.

At a trade conference in Melbourne yesterday Gunns revealed it would quit the Forest Industries Association of Tasmania, which was arguing for a continuation of native forest logging in the state.

The chief executive of Gunns, Greg L'Estrange, said the company would focus on plantation hardwoods and softwoods and processing forest products.

"Native forest is not part of our future," he said. "We see that the conflict largely has to end. Our employees and the communities we operate in have been collateral damage to this process. We want to move our business to a plantation-based business."

Mr L'Estrange said Gunns wanted a constructive outcome to the forestry negotiations and the company would take in ideas from "all parties".