DERWENT VALLEY AND CENTRAL HIGHLANDS RESIDENTS SPEAK UP

By Editor

Posted on 16 September 2009

Faces of the Florentine

Ordinary people standing up for an extraordinary forest
DERWENT VALLEY AND CENTRAL HIGHLANDS RESIDENTS SPEAK UP FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE BEING ARRESTED AT MOTHER’S DAY PROTEST IN THE UPPER FLORENTINE

At a lunchtime forum today Derwent Valley and Central Highlands residents shared their individual stories about the unique forests of the Upper Florentine, and explained why they personally have felt the need to take a public stand against logging in the area. A test case of one of the arrestees, Lynda Blyth, who has pleaded not guilty to trespass, will take place on Monday 21 September in the Hobart Magistrate’s Court.

These brave Tasmanians are among the 22 people who were arrested in the Upper Florentine forest on Mother’s Day this year. The arrests took place during a rally at which more than 200 people voiced their dissent against the destruction of the World Heritage quality values of the Upper Florentine forests.

One of the locals, an Ellendale resident, Lynda Blyth, said “We are just ordinary Tasmanians, but we could not just look on while these magnificent forests were destroyed – we had to take a stand. We tried to voice our concerns privately to our MPs and the Premier, but they refused to listen. In the end we had no choice but to engage in public protest.”

Another member of the group, Granton resident Bronwyn Smith added “It is my and my husband’s personal experiences and conscience that have led us here today. We base our views on knowledge gained from working in a forest-based industry for 39 years as well as making scores of visits to see firsthand the destructive forest practices taking place within mature old forests such as those of the Upper Florentine valley.”

The area subject to logging in the Upper Florentine valley is virtually surrounded by the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area and is largely untouched by industrial logging. The Upper Florentine contains large areas of old growth forest, as well as caves containing evidence of Aboriginal occupation stretching back around 30 000 years.

Faces of the Florentine will continue to encourage fellow Tasmanians to visit the Upper Florentine forest.