Over 65k Urge Australian Government to Maintain UNESCO World Heritage Listing for Tasmania’s .

…old-growth forests

TASMANIA — Australian Abby Gee, an unlikely campaigner created a petition on Care2 urging that the Australian government cease any plans to remove Tasmania’s old growth forests from the World Heritage List. The petition now has 65,000 signatures including those of ARIA Award winners Missy Higgins& Monique Brumby, BBC Star Chris ‘Kangaroo Dundee’ Barnes and Bob Irwin.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/589/433/015/keep-tasmanias-old-growth-forests-on-the-unesco-world-heritage-list/

News reports have revealed that the Australian government has begun discussions regarding the process of removing UNESCO World Heritage protections for at least 100,000 of the 170,000 hectares that were enacted in June. If this plan moves forward, it will be the first time* a developed country has deliberately removed an area from the World Heritage List.

The protected area provides critical habitat for such endangered iconic wildlife species as the Tasmanian devil, platypus and giant wedge-tailed eagle. Conflict over logging and conservation in the area has been rampant for over 30 years, and both forestry and conservation groups considered the UNESCO designation a major victory for resolving these conflicts.

Abby has been creditedby conservation groups, and the media as staging the most successful public mobilisation of the TWWHA roll back proposals, alone and without affiliation to any organized conservation organisation. She is also solely funding the campaign on her own.

In response Abby Gee, the unlikely campaigner and law studentwho livesbetweenTasmania and Melbourne, saw the reports as a call to arms.

“Concerned citizens and conservationists fought for decades to have these magnificent forests protected under the UNESCO world heritage listing,” said Abby. “Knowing the government is seeking to have the listing reduced is devastating. Probably like most Australians I wasn’t aware how little forest is protected, given less than 4% of Australia is national park and even national parks are routinely logged, mined, and grazed. To not have even these significant old growth forests protected in a genuine sense is deeply concerning.”

“World heritage sites such as these Tasmanian forests are places that belong to everyone (not corporations), irrespective of where they are located. They have universal value that transcends the value they hold for a particular nation. No matter your political views, these forests need to be protected and defended vigorously. My hope is this petition will provide clear evidence of how many citizens internationally and locally are horrified by this proposed reduction to these few remaining old growth forests.”

With more than 23 million members, Care2.com is the largest social network of activists making a difference for the environment, human and animal rights, and other causes. Care2 is a B Corporation, or social enterprise, which employs the power of business to better the planet.

* Other than Germany.
Abby Gee