MEDIA RELEASE 12th October 2005

MINISTER’S MOTHER CUMMINGS MISSUNDERSTANDING

In highlighting selective logging practices at Mother Cummings, Resources Minister Bryan Green misses many critical points and fails to acknowledge the role of conservation campaigners in his current PR campaign.

The forest at Mother Cummings was pristine oldgrowth, with all the associated environmental values. Logging has removed those values. Although a so-called forest remains, those unique values are gone.

“Comparing Mother Cummings to Recherche Bay or South Sister is like looking at chalk and cheese,” said The Wilderness Society Tasmanian Forest Campaigner Vica Bayley. “At Mother Cummings oldgrowth values were lost, at Recherche Bay cultural and historical values will be lost, at South Sister, environmental and community values will be lost. These are fundamental differences.”

Despite protest by committed conservationists, Mother Cummings did not receive the protection it deserved. However, the protest did lead to a reduction in the area logged and a change in logging practice from clearfell and burn to selective logging.

“The irony is clear. By choosing Mother Cummings as a forest practices icon and back-pat for the logging industry, Minister Green highlights the need for public participation and community protest,” said Mr Bayley. “The outcome for the forest at Mother Cummings was a tragedy, but without the protests of 1998, the outcome would have been much worse, and Mr Green would have to look elsewhere for his public relations stunt.”

“Recherche Bay and South Sister deserve the protection that Mother Cummings was denied. Tasmania’s economic and environmental future depends on the protection of oldgrowth and high conservation value forests and the growth of diverse forest-based jobs. The $250 million pledged by the government can help the forestry industry shift away from oldgrowth logging towards alternative forest-based activities.”

Vica Bayley
The Wilderness Society