Ula Majewski
Early this morning, a new tree sit – the ‘Scales of Injustice’ – was erected in the Upper Florentine Valley and a forest defender locked onto a feller buncher machine, colloquially known as an ‘axe whacker’. A blockading structure has been set up across Forestry Tasmania’s new road. This structure is attached to both the ‘Scales of Injustice’ and the ‘Lungs of the Land’ treesit, where an activist has been perched since Monday morning’s raid by police. with updates
MEDIA RELEASE
Friday, 16th January 2009
NEW TREE SIT ERECTED IN THE UPPER FLORENTINE AS FOREST DEFENDER LOCKS ON TO THE ‘AXE WHACKER’.
Early this morning, a new tree sit – the ‘Scales of Injustice’ – was erected in the Upper Florentine Valley and a forest defender locked onto a fell buncher machine, colloquially known as an ‘axe whacker’. A blockading structure has been set up across Forestry Tasmania’s new road. This structure is attached to both the ‘Scales of Injustice’ and the ‘Lungs of the Land’ treesit, where an activist has been perched since Monday morning’s raid by police.
Over the last two days, Forestry Tasmania has pushed through up to 3km of roading through the old growth forests of the Upper Florentine Valley. These operations have been halted this morning.
“We are calling again on Minister Garrett and Premier Bartlett to put an immediate halt to the devastation and woodchipping of our globally renowned old growth and high conservation value forests. The taxpayer funded destruction of our precious forests is an absolute disgrace” said Ula Majewski, spokesperson for Still Wild Still Threatened and Triabunna 13 defendant.
Peaceful actions will continue in the Upper Florentine Valley, leading up to Sunday’s mass rally for old growth, which will be held at the site.
Updates will be posted throughout the day.
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MEDIA RELEASE
Friday, 16th January 2009.
ACTIVIST REMOVED FROM FORESTRY TASMANIA’S ‘AXE WHACKER’ AND ARRESTED LATE THIS MORNING AS FIVE TREE SITTERS PERCH HIGH IN THE CANOPY OF THE UPPER FLORENTINE VALLEY.
A female forest activist was cut off an ‘axe whacker’ and arrested late this morning. Five forest defenders are still perched on tree sits high in the canopy of the Upper Florentine Valley’s old growth forests. Forestry Tasmania workers have resumed roading late this morning, with activists raising critical concerns about the operation of machinery within 5 metres of the tall eucalypts occupied by tree sitters. Tasmania Police have directed activists staying at the vigil camp on Gordon River Road to leave the area for 24 hours.
“Right now, Forestry Tasmania are ripping apart the ancient forests of the Upper Florentine Valley with this devastating roading operation. We are continuing to call on David Bartlett and Peter Garrett to stop pandering to the interests of an unsustainable logging industry propped up by taxpayers dollars and put an immediate halt to these disgraceful operations” said Ula Majewski, Still Wild Still Threatened spokesperson.
Updates will continue during the day.
