Media release – Bob Brown Foundation, 12 February 2021
Bob Brown Foundation protest shut down of woodchip mill
This morning twenty protestors shut down the Artec woodchip mill in Tasmania’s north to protest the company’s ongoing woodchipping of Tasmania’s old growth and native forests. Two protesters have scaled a 30-metre loading gantry to protest the woodchipping of native forests.
“Protesting in the ancient forests of Wentworth Hills for the past weeks we have been watching log trucks cart old growth forests out all night, it is an outrage and native forests in Tasmania need urgent protection. For the first time in a decade, a woodchip mill protest highlights the decades long woodchipping crisis that has exported precious native forests and endangered species habitat for wasteful consumption,” Bob Brown Foundation’s Campaign Manager Jenny Weber said.
“Export woodchipping continues to drive the loss of vast areas of native forests in Tasmania, including the old growth forests in Wentworth Hills and swift parrot habitat in the Eastern Tiers, where recent protests have been carried out,” Bob Brown Foundation’s Campaign Organiser Erik Hayward said.
“Tasmania is plagued by continued destruction of Tasmania’s native forests and successive governments who have propped up the environmentally damaging industry. Every woodchip exported by Artec represents wildlife habitat loss, carbon storehouse destruction and destruction of some of the most critical native forests left on Earth.”
UPDATE: “This morning’s peaceful direct action to stop the global climate crisis and protect Tasmania’s wild forests, was met with violent Artec employees who not only completely disregarded their safety protocol but proceeded to assault protesters and slash tyres on all their cars,” said Bob Brown Foundation’s Campaign Organiser Erik Hayward.
“The science is in, we cannot continue decimating critical carbon stores. Yet Australia’s and Tasmania’s liberal governments are continuing to ignore the global alarm. This climate emergency will not go away and is made worse by ongoing logging in native forests.”
“Today an empty woodchip ship arrived to drag away our devastated forests as woodchips. These forests yesterday were full with endangered wildlife in the Wentworth Hills, the safe haven of the critically endangered swift parrots Eastern Tiers and from the tall giants of the Styx Valley. We need to protect our last remaining native forests and woodlands.”
“Our forests are not safe, our future is not secure and still Artec is woodchipping our global carbon stores. It Is time to end native forest logging. We will not cease our defence of the last remaining native forests and wilderness,” said Erik Hayward.
UPDATE: “Two forest defenders have been arrested after a protest at Artec woodchip mill shut down the site for most of the day,” Bob Brown Foundation’s Campaign Manager Jenny Weber said.
“Activists faced vandalism of cars, assaults from loggers and complacent police. Yet in the face of all that they stood strong for Tasmania’s native forests, they stood proudly in the long tradition of non-violent protests, they stood strong for all the people who want action on climate change and an end to native forest logging,” Jenny Weber said.
“Twenty protestors shut down the Artec woodchip mill in Tasmania’s north to protest the company’s ongoing woodchipping of Tasmania’s old growth and native forests. Export woodchipping continues to drive the loss of vast areas of native forests in Tasmania, including the old growth forests in Wentworth Hills and Swift Parrot habitat in the Eastern Tiers,” Jenny Weber said.
Cassy O’Connor MP | Greens Leader, 12 February 2021
Forest Defenders Highlight Tasmania’s Woodchip Tragedy
Tasmania Police must investigate the violent and threatening actions of Artec employees and log truck drivers towards forest defenders from Bob Brown Foundation at the Bell Bay woodchip mill.
Protestors were shoved, chased around the site with threats of violence, driven at in vehicles, and their car tyres were slashed.
The protesters were peaceful. It’s clear some Artec employees and log truck drivers were not.
The conduct of the Artec employees and log truck drivers cannot be effectively condoned through official inaction and silence from government. It requires police investigation.
BBF volunteers are at the frontline of stopping the climate and biodiversity crisis which is being alarmingly accelerated by deforestation.
On behalf of the Tasmanian Greens and future generations, I thank them for their commitment to protecting lutruwita/Tasmania’s globally significant, carbon-rich old forests.
Under the Liberals and Resources Minister, Guy Barnett, native forest logging for woodchips is intensifying.
This is a crime against Nature. The Premier and Minister for Climate Change, Peter Gutwein, should be utterly and deeply ashamed of the ecological tragedy unfolding on his watch.
