Media release – Bob Brown Foundation, 24 March 2023
PREMIER IGNORES GLOBAL SCIENTIFIC RED FLAGS
Today forest defenders have returned to the ancient forest of Tasmania’s highlands where logging continues. Forest defenders are back in the logging coupe BD002C, northeast of Wayatinah and on the edge of the Franklin – Gordon Wild Rivers National Park.
“When governments continue to contribute to the global climate and extinction crises we have no choice but to place ourselves between the forest destroying machines and these critically important carbon-dense forests,” Bob Brown Foundation Jenny Weber said.
This week, scientists globally recognised for their climate expertise and mandated by the United Nations, released their latest IPCC report, which points towards the undeniable risks of carbon increase in the atmosphere. At the same time, Forestry Tasmania was recklessly clearfelling and burning old growth forests in the Central Highlands.
“We are back in this forest where old and rare communities of white bark Eucalyptus viminalis trees are being logged by forestry Tasmania. We were defending them a week ago, and it is terrifying to witness how much destruction has happened in only one week. Tasmania’s ancient native forests are being chipped at an industrial scale despite the IPCC report warning that forests must be left standing,” said Dr. Colette Harmsen.
Also this week in the Tasmanian Central Highlands, Forestry Tasmania has ignited large logged areas where wild forests once were standing. The archaic process of using high levels of toxic chemicals incinerates all living organisms in the top soil layer and its precious seedbank.
“We are losing precious native forests in shameful ongoing logging practices that must end immediately. Step one of the destruction is the clearfelling of very old forests mostly destined for chip mills, step two is burning the top soil and releasing large amounts of carbon into the atmosphere, and step three is turning the land into tree farms. This is the criminal recipe that the Tasmanian Government is still implementing in 2023, which is the very antithesis of what the global scientific community recommends,” said Jenny Weber.
Jeff
March 25, 2023 at 14:27
I’m a conservative, but this is the type of protesting that I can support.
The Tasmanian old growth forests should be protected, and it makes much more sense to stop the logging than to destroy artworks (which I don’t care for, but appreciate that others do) or cement yourself to roads disrupting other peoples lives and potentially preventing emergency services from reaching those in need.
Good luck with the fight.