‘Doctors alarmed by renewed Tarkine destruction … ‘

First published April 19

Tasmanian doctors have been alarmed to see escalated threats to biodiversity with renewed and seemingly accelerated destruction of native forests in the takayna / Tarkine region.

Doctors for the Environment Australia (DEA) is a national organisation of doctors and medical students who aim to prevent and address the ill-health caused by damage to our natural environment.

There is now extensive medical literature documenting the links between human health and biodiversity. Natural ecosystems contribute to food production and provide air, water and soil purification amongst many other functions.

Significantly, when areas of ancient forest – such as that currently being logged in the takayna / Tarkine – are logged, the biodiversity values cannot be restored through the kinds of monoculture plantation that Forestry Tasmania has typically deployed across the state.

DEA is concerned that Sustainable Timber Tasmania (STT; formerly known as Forestry Tasmania) has a three-year wood production plan that is based on further destruction of previously untouched native forest. With the vast majority of wood acquired being of relatively low quality, the wood production plan will continue a business model of relying upon global markets purchasing woodchips and pulp wood logged from regions such as the Tarkine.

Having already once failed to gain Forest Stewardship Certification (FSC), it seems unlikely that STT’s current plans will make Tasmania’s forest products any more appealing to global markets.

Tasmanian doctors have noted the state government’s enthusiasm to continue throwing money at an enterprise which has returned only a huge financial liability to Tasmanian taxpayers over the last decade.

Tasmanian DEA Chairperson, Dr Rohan Church, commented:

“Whilst Tasmanian taxpayers continues to absorb losses generated through STT’s activities, other aspects of the state budget – notably our hospital system – are suffering from chronic underfunding. The Tasmanian government’s efforts to reignite ‘the forest wars’ through unsustainable and economically unsound logging of our native forests must be stopped.”

Tasmanian members of DEA are now calling for an urgent halt to logging in the region and have renewed support for the establishment of a takayna / Tarkine National Park.

Tasmanian DEA Spokesperson, Dr Elen O’Donnell, added:

“With rapidly growing interest in Tasmania as a wilderness tourism destination, the creation of a Tarkine National Park makes both economic and environmental sense.”

Tasmanians – both current and future – would benefit far more from efforts to share our natural wonders with the world, rather than destroy them through short-sighted clearing of native rainforest and loss of threatened species.”

DEA members acknowledge there is an ongoing need for employment in Tasmania’s north-west. However, DEA questions whether STT’s plans to log the takayna / Tarkine region provide any long-term job security, given STT’s poor track record of financial liabilities and it’s continuing unsustainable business model.

Dr Elen O’Donnell concluded:

“Protecting north-west Tasmania’s unique biodiversity through the creation of a Tarkine National Park would provide exactly what the health of the region sorely needs – economic opportunities and job prospects for the long term.

*Dr Rohan Church is Chairperson, DEA Tasmania

*Dr Elen O’Donnell Forests & Biodiversity Spokesperson, DEA Tasmania