Media release – Bob Brown Foundation, 9 December 2020
Forest rorts affair
New federal legislation to allow logging of native forests despite current court rulings of illegality is a rort against the majority of Australians who want the forests and wildlife saved, former Greens leader Bob Brown said today.
“The nation will have all summer to see how Bridget McKenzie’s bill to exempt clearfell destruction of forests from the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act is no less than the Nationals doing the bidding of the powerful logging industry.
Prime Minister Morrison should clear the air and assure Australia that this bill does not have his support.
The global extinction crisis should see this bill replaced with one to end all native forest logging as New Zealand did decades ago,” said Bob Brown.
The Bob Brown Foundation held a rally in Hobart today to oppose current logging of Tasmanian forest which are the feeding and nesting habitat of the critically endangered swift parrot. There are now less than 300 swift parrots left in the wild.
Media release, BirdLife Tasmania, 9 December 2020
Crisis in our forests
The study by ANU that showed swift parrot numbers were far lower than previous estimates was today described as a, ‘crisis’ by BirdLife Tasmania.
The ANU study suggested that the global population of swift parrots could be as low as 100 – 200 breeding pairs.
The study used genetic techniques to estimate the population independent of ground counts, and did not rely on locating all breeding sites used in a season.
“This study is a shocking revelation that swift parrots are far closer to extinction than previously believed” Dr Eric Woehler, BirdLife Tasmania Convenor said today.
“The genetic study shows the current estimated population of swift parrots is well below estimates based on various surveys undertaken in recent years.” The species is already listed as Critically Endangered under state and federal legislations.
Swift parrots face the double threat of predation by introduced sugar gliders and the loss of habitat from forestry and land clearing operations.
“There is a crisis unfolding in our forests” Dr Woehler added. “With other woodland species such as wedge-tailed eagle, grey goshawk and masked owl also listed as Critically Endangered, we also stand to lose these species unless there is a fundamental change in land use and forestry practices in Tasmania.”
“How can we defend current forestry operations to future generations when we know what the solutions are?” Dr Woehler concluded.
Images © Eric Woehler
TASMANIAN TIMES: Swift Parrot Numbers ‘Less Than 300’.
