STILL WILD STILL THREATENED, MEDIA RELEASE 01.09.09: National and global calls for Tasmania’s forests; World Heritage, not woodchips Conservationists around the nation and globe are protesting today against the continuing logging and the wood chipping of world heritage valued old growth forests of Tasmania. 
Adelaide
Canberra
Ireland
Milan
Switzerland
Hobart
Banners reading TASMANIAS ANCIENT FORESTS, WORLD HERITAGE NOT WOODCHIPS and THE WHOLE WORLD IS WATCHING are being displayed across the country.
In Hobart 4 activists are displaying this message hanging from ropes off the roof of Parliament house.
In Melbourne the message has been painted onto silos on Lanridge St. in Collingwood.
In Canberra, the message is being displayed on banners unfurled from the roof of Federal Parliament house.
In Adelaide a banner displaying the message is hanging from buildings in the CBD.
In Newcastle conservationists have constructed an 84 metre tree. Only trees greater than 84 metres qualify for protection as giants. Ancient trees that do not reach the 84 metre marked are felled and wood chipped.
Actions across the nation today are supported by international actions in Scotland, Ireland, Switzerland and Italy.
The Federal and Tasmanian State Governments are continuing well into the 21st century to decimate the very last unprotected areas of world heritage bordered old growth forest. These last stands of old growth have been deliberately left out of the World Heritage Area to facilitate their destruction. Said spokesperson Ed Hill.
Despite a unanimous IUCN (International Union for Conservation and Nature) decision of 21 countries to extend existing world heritage borders to include ancient forests located in the Upper Florentine, Styx, Lower Weld Valley and Middle Huon, These forests are currently subject to industrial scale clear felling. Said spokesperson Ed Hill.
The nation wants an end to the environmental madness that is taking place in Tasmanias forests. The outright vandalism of old growth forests is a climate disaster that is happening right now. Said Mr Hill.
A recent report* by Professor Brendan Mackey and Australian ANU scientists states Tasmanias temperate old growth forests store far more carbon then was previously thought. The study found that temperate forests store more carbon than tropical forests and that Tasmanias ancient forests are some of the most carbon rich forests in the world.
The protection of Tasmanias ancient forests is a simple and effective strategy to help reduce the effects of catastrophic climate change and needs to be seriously considered by State and Federal Governments. The science on forests and climate change is loud and clear yet the Federal Government continues to twiddle their thumbs in the face of dangerous climate change as old growth forests are cleared daily. Said Mr Hill.
*Attached report
Re-evaluation of forest biomass carbon stocks and
lessons from the worlds most carbon-dense forests
Heather Keith1, Brendan G. Mackey, and David B. Lindenmayer
—
Still Wild Still Threatened is a grassroots community organisation campaigning for the immediate protection of Tasmania’s ancient forests and the creation of an equitable and environmentally sustainable forestry industry in Tasmania.
www.stillwildstillthreatened.org
[email protected] www.myspace.com/stillwildstillthreatened
PO Box 295. South Hobart TAS 7004
Wednesday update:
Media Update
01.09.09
International Day of Action
4 Arrests in Hobart, 2 arrests in Canberra
Four conservationists have been arrested this morning after hanging a banner from the roof of State Parliament in Hobart. Another two have been arrested in Canberra after hanging a huge banner off the roof of Federal Parliament and safely abseiling to the ground.
The banners read “TASMANIA’S ANCIENT FORESTS WORLD HERITAGE NOT WOOD CHIPS” and “THE WHOLE WORLD IS WATCHING”. This message has also been displayed across the nation in Adelaide, Newcastle, and Melbourne and across the globe at Australian consulates in Switzerland, Dublin, Edinburgh, and Milan.
The conservationists in Hobart, were charged with trespass. Two conservationists were given bail conditions forcing them to report into Hobart police station once a week.
“Tasmania’s ancient forests are of world heritage value and international significance, the Federal and Tasmanian State Governments have a responsibility to protect these natural wonders, instead they continue to be clear felled, burnt, wood chipped and exported for low grade paper product.”
“Europeans value Tasmania’s ancient forests as they are some of the last temperate tall forests left on the planet. Countries like Scotland and Ireland lost their forest cover thousands of years ago; Tasmania is heading down the same direction. The current state and Federal Governments show not an ounce of stomach by refusing to accept the undeniable fact that the logging industry in this state is rampantly unsustainable.” Said spokesperson Ed Hill.
“Despite a unanimous IUCN (International Union for Conservation and Nature) decision of 21 countries to extend existing world heritage borders to include ancient forests located in the Upper Florentine, Styx, Lower Weld Valley and Middle Huon, These forests are currently subject to industrial scale clear felling.” Said spokesperson Ed Hill.
“The protection of Tasmania’s ancient forests is a simple and effective strategy to help reduce the effects of catastrophic climate change and needs to be seriously considered by State and Federal Governments. The science on forests and climate change is loud and clear yet the Federal Government continues to twiddle their thumbs in the face of dangerous climate change as old growth forests are cleared daily.” Said Mr Hill.
—
Still Wild Still Threatened is a grassroots community organisation campaigning for the immediate protection of Tasmania’s ancient forests and the creation of an equitable and environmentally sustainable forestry industry in Tasmania.
www.stillwildstillthreatened.org
[email protected] www.myspace.com/stillwildstillthreatened
PO Box 295. South Hobart TAS 7004
—
Still Wild Still Threatened is a grassroots community organisation campaigning for the immediate protection of Tasmania’s ancient forests and the creation of an equitable and environmentally sustainable forestry industry in Tasmania.
www.stillwildstillthreatened.org
[email protected] www.myspace.com/stillwildstillthreatened
PO Box 295. South Hobart TAS 7004
