Will Tasmania’s Forest Industry signatory rebuff Abbott over World Heritage delisting

Tasmania’s World Heritage listed forests of outstanding universal values under threat.

“Tall eucalyptus forests of outstanding universal values, like those in the Weld Valley and the Upper Florentine, are among the great stands of global treasures which the Abbott government wants removed from the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area,” said Jenny Weber, World Heritage campaigner for the Bob Brown Foundation.

“Now Prime Minister Abbott, who has never seen these iconic forests, last night reaffirmed his commitment to internationally shame Australia by asking UNESCO to remove Tasmania’s wild and scenic forests, the tallest flowering forests on Earth, from their World Heritage status,” Jenny Weber said.

At a National Forest Industry conference last night Prime Minister Tony Abbott maintained his commitment to delisting the world class forests of Tasmania’s World Heritage Area, this action is directly contrary to the Tasmanian Forest Agreement. Since the delisting plan has been announced by Abbott in the February, a key industry signatory the Forest Industries Association of Tasmania (FIAT) has been notably silent on this move.

“Is FIAT going to rebuff Abbott on World Heritage delisting and proposed logging? What is its reaction to the Prime Minister’s commitment, and what action are they taking to rebuff Tony Abbott, if any, and if not why not?” Jenny Weber said.

“Tasmania’s newly listed World Heritage forests and the abundant wildlife that depend on these forests for habitat have world class recognition now and their protection needs to be secured forever,” Jenny Weber said.
Jenny Weber Campaign Manager – World Heritage is Forever The Bob Brown Foundation