Ringarooma community want their water protected from Forestry for good

The Tasmanian Greens today called on the Minister for Forestry to reverse plans to log a forestry coupe that would put at risk Ringarooma’s drinking water supply.

Greens Member for Bass, Kim Booth MP, congratulated the Ringarooma community for banding together and successfully lobbying Forestry Tasmania to not log the coupe until the summer of 2014-15, but plans beyond this were not clear.

“A petition signed by 50 percent of the Ringarooma population that called on the House to direct Forestry Tasmania to not log coupe RR177B in Ringarooma has been submitted to my office,” said Mr Booth.

“The coupe covers 50 hectares of native forest above and east of Viney’s Creek which is the source of the town’s water supply. Logging of the coupe would have resulted in increased siltation and eventually a decreased amount of water available to the town and surrounding farms.”

“Due to community pressure and actions such as this petition, Forestry Tasmania has agreed to postpone logging the coupe until the summer of 2014-15.”

“It is not certain that Ringarooma will have a safe and secure alternate water supply by then and I will continue to advocate for the Ringarooma community to ensure that Forestry Tasmania does not log the coupe.”

“I congratulate the Ringarooma community for taking such swift action to protect their water supply and this proves that when we work together we can get great outcomes.”

“The Viney’s Creek catchment is important for both farming and the community and should be left as unlogged native forest to ensure it is not damaged,” Mr Booth said.
Kim Booth MP Greens Member for Bass