Media release – Lake Pedder Restoration, 29 March 2021
Make ‘Restore Pedder’ the Heart of a Regenerative Vision for Tasmania’s Future
On Sunday March 28th, 23 kayakers took to the Derwent River calling for all political candidates contesting the state election to put the restoration of Lake Pedder, in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, at the heart of a future vision for the state.
“All political parties should be presenting to voters their vision for the future of Tasmania and putting the restoration of Lake Pedder at the heart of such a vision is critical to restoring the ‘clean and green’ brand that we rely upon so heavily for our economy and community,” stated Christine Milne AO, Convenor of the Lake Pedder Restoration inc.
“Committing to Pedder’s restoration and in doing so committing to a regenerative future for Tasmania makes perfect sense in this election campaign. This is the United Nations Decade of Ecosystem Restoration, and we have a flagship project at the ready to put Tasmania back on the global stage.”
“Authenticity matters and Tasmania’s ‘clean and green’ brand needs substance and reimagining. As the world turns to restoring ecosystems, protecting wetlands and peatlands as carbon stores and giving something back to Nature, restoration and regeneration must become an environmental, social and economic priority.”
“The ecological scientific studies have shown restoration of Pedder is not only practically possible, it will also strengthen the World Heritage Values of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, create jobs and give hope to our young people who are despairing about the state of the planet.”
With Tasports permission, the kayakers paddled through the central shipping lane under the Tasman Bridge, where they raised a ‘Restore Pedder’ banner from the water. A crowd also gathered on shore bearing placards reading ‘wake the lake’.
The on-water action was followed by a shore-based musical event at Lindisfarne’s ANZAC Park, where a crowd enjoyed Tasmanian artist Greg Wells and the Blackwater Band.
The March long weekend of 2022 will mark 50 years since the original Lake Pedder was flooded to make a hydro storage lake in 1972. A paddle is planned for every capital city next year as the campaign continues to grow. Already this year Restore Pedder has taken the international stage via the US based Rewilding Institute.
Featured image courtesy Elspeth Vaughan. Video by Luke Tscharke.
