Media release – Bob Brown Foundation, 31 May 2024
Arthur River Takayna forest defence enters ninth day
Protests in Takayna forests have entered their ninth day as the community rallies to defend remnant forest habitat at the confluence of the Arthur and Frankland rivers. Logging has been flattening an area of riverside forest that is home to endangered wedge-tailed eagles, white-bellied sea eagles, azure kingfishers, Tasmanian devils and spotted-tailed quolls.
Bob Brown Foundation has recorded the presence of a Tasmanian masked owl in this remnant forest refuge.
“We have written to the Premier and Forestry Tasmania to alert them to the confirmed presence of the masked owl and to urge them to stop this reckless destruction of vital habitat immediately”, said Scott Jordan, Bob Brown Foundation takayna / Tarkine Campaigner.
“Premier Rockliff has the power to protect the threatened and endangered species in this forest. What remains to be seen is whether he has the courage and integrity to do so,” said Scott Jordan.
Teacher’s aide Sandra van den Berg is currently attached to a roadblock to prevent the destruction of these forests. “I have taken action this morning because I believe native forest logging must end. I want my kids and grandkids to be able to see these places and these animals,” said Mrs van den Berg.
Media release – Bob Brown Foundation, 30 May 2024
MONA’s Kirsha Kaechele joins forest defenders to witness Tarkine logging squalor
Forests defenders enter controversial Takayna logging coupe with Kirsha Kaechele.
A sea eagle flew overhead today as forest defenders were hosted in a contentious Takayna logging operation with Forestry Tasmania’s agreement while chainsaw machines kept logging trees.
“It was unprecedented,” Jenny Weber said. “Ordinarily, logging would have stopped and we would have been arrested. It is a shocking scene. This forest, at the junction of the Arthur and Frankland rivers, is the habitat of remarkable creatures like Tasmania’s giant masked owls, azure kingfishers, masked owls, eagles and marsupials. There is genuine alarm that mud from the bared-earth operation will seep into these rivers and disrupt their nurseries for the giant freshwater crayfish. No unacquainted visitor could go there without being appalled.”
MONA’s Kirsha Kaechele was given access to the logging coupe by the contractor and invited campaigners Jenny Weber, Scott Jordan, Colette Harmsen, BBF media maker Anna Brozek and our Campaign Scientist Charley Gros to visit.
“Kirsha got in touch with us after seeing our images of the logging area in Takayna and so we went with her 20km behind a Forestry Tasmania locked gate,” Jenny Weber said.
“Today we learned that the notorious Borneo logging company Ta Ann is receiving conflict-source timber from this destroyed wildlife refuge of Takayna and 60% of the timber from this logging is going to woodchips,” Jenny Weber said.
“I asked the contracting logging company representative today to stop the logging; they will not. We remain steadfast in defending this critically important wildlife refuge in Takayna as long as Premier Rockliff refuses to protect the forests. The continued destruction of native forests is wilfully ignoring international scientific evidence that native forests are critically important for preventing global heating and wildlife extinctions. Witnessing the destruction of this critical habitat refuge today reinforces our stance that all native forest logging must end now and immediate transition to plantations must be completed,” Jenny Weber said.
Graeme Elphinstone’s wife Sylvia Elphinstone also attended today’s visit to Takayna’s forests and Bob Brown has agreed to a request to have dinner with Mr Elphinstone.
