Media release – Bob Brown Foundation, 12 June 2024

Protesters arrested in Tasmanian forest

Bob Brown Foundation has today released the first ever photograph of the endangered masked owl in the contentious takayna forest currently being logged.

“In a rare occasion, the endangered masked owl that lives and forages on the takayna forests currently being flattened by logging has been photographed and we urge for immediate eviction of logging machines from the forest,” said Jenny Weber, Bob Brown Foundations Campaigns Manager.

“Today we are taking action nationwide for takayna with community members joining our calls for immediate protection of these endangered species habitats from logging. Six demonstrations calling for the logging to halt in takayna are planned today for Melbourne, Hobart, Sydney and Launceston while protests resume at the site of the controversial logging in takayna,” said Jenny Weber.

“In sorrow, I bear witness to the destruction of Tasmania’s native forests. Save them for the future of life on our island and on the planet,” said Craig Brown who is willing to be arrested today unless the Government do the necessary thing and removes the logging machines from this forest.

I am doing this action today because we have incredible native forests and vital habitat for many animals being destroyed in takayna right now. I am new to Tasmania and heard masked owls for the first time in my life last week in the coupe. It was such a powerful experience hearing them, and I hope we can do everything we can to protect what we have left,” said Tanya Sneddon, who is this morning attached to the gate that locks up the public land to allow the logging.

A breeding pair of endangered masked owls is losing its critical habitat to logging. In the last ten days, Bob Brown Foundation recorded 111 masked owl calls just a few hundred metres from the bulldozers. The resident pair has been heard communicating across the logging coupe. Despite this scientific evidence being provided to Premier Rockliff, Forestry Tasmania and the Forest Practices Authority, their home is being clear-felled.

Forests on the edge of the Arthur and Frankland Rivers are verified critical habitat that supports endangered masked owls, azure kingfishers, and eagles that live and nest there. Native forests across Australia need protection for their crucial role in mitigating climate change and the extinction crisis.

Nationwide protests

nipaluna / Hobart:
Parliament House 1pm
Ta Ann office sidewalk 4.30pm
(150 Davey St, Hobart TAS 7000)

Launceston
100 John St, Launceston 1pm

Naarm / Melbourne
100 John St, Launceston 1pmlbourne
1635 Burwood Hwy, Belgrave 12 pm
145 Camberwell Rd, Hawthorn East 4.30pm
240-250 Lygon Street, Brunswick East 4.30pm

Warrane / Sydney
267 Cleveland St, Redfern 12pm