Media release – Bob Brown Foundation, 10 August 2023

Sixty protesters occupy Tasmanian logging area

In the biggest forest protest in more than a decade, sixty people are currently occupying a logging area in Tasmania’s southern central highlands.

“It is a forest horror in here, but today this ancient forest has been reclaimed by forest defenders. We are surrounded by the destruction of critical forests with logs from 300 year old trees on the ground,” Jenny Weber said.

“This forest is some of the oldest forests being cut in lutruwita today. With trees so large, the felled trunks stand taller than a person standing up. This is an ecocide happening right now. This is exactly what extinction looks like. This is what the climate crisis is fuelled by,” Erik Hayward said.

Media release – Rosalie Woodruff MP, Greens Leader, 10 August 2023

Greens Back Huge Forest Protest Action

The Greens strongly support the huge protest action being held by the Bob Brown Foundation today, and thank all those who have attended to stand up for Tasmania’s forests.

This island’s beautiful forests are unique, carbon-rich, and home to many threatened species. In an age of climate change and extinction, they must be protected.

As United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres said earlier this week, “protecting forests is one of the most effective ways to address the climate crisis.” However, the Liberal Government continues to log and burn vast tracts of native forests, and the Labor party cheers them on.

It’s fantastic to see so many Tasmanians from all walks of life occupying a logging zone at Wentworth Hills. This is the state’s biggest direct-action forest protest in more than a decade, and shows that the Liberals’ attempts to scare the community with anti-protest laws is failing.

The Greens strongly support this protest action, and we send our deep thanks to those who have taken part today.

Mainland states like Western Australia and Victoria have recognised that native forest logging is both environmentally and economically unsustainable, and are putting an end to this practice.

It’s well past time Tasmania did the same.