Media release – Bob Brown Foundation, 13 May 2024
Environmentalists call for halt to Takayna’s Arthur River logging
Bob Brown Foundation has condemned the actions of Forestry Tasmania which has commenced logging the last remnant of native forest in the lower reaches of the Frankland River in the north of takayna, at the confluence of Arthur River.
“A new destructive logging operation has started in Takayna and we will be taking action to defend these remnant forests before they are lost. Over the last 40 years, we have seen destruction of the northern reaches of the Frankland River’s precious native forests and wet eucalyptus forests. The vast area has been largely replaced with monocultures and plantations. That they have now moved to log the last remnant of native forest habitat in this area is proof that the rhetoric about sustainable or responsible management is a lie,” said Bob Brown Foundation Takayna / Tarkine Campaigner Scott Jordan.
“This last refuge on the lower Frankland is home to endangered azure kingfishers and spotted-tailed quoll. It is within the known territories of breeding pairs of both the white-bellied sea eagle and wedge-tailed eagles. The state logging agency has a forest practices plan that acknowledges the risk to eagle breeding and bizarrely approves the clearfelling of this vital territory so long as it is completed before the start of breeding season.”
“This is what passes for sustainable and responsible under the Rockliff Government. This is industrial scale, taxpayer-funded environmental vandalism at a time when we face a biodiversity and climate crisis.”
“The time for spin is over. Tasmania must follow the lead of Western Australia and Victoria and end native forest logging now.”
