Media release – The Wilderness Society, 19 March 2025
Tasmanian government pushing forward with forest handover despite Aboriginal heritage and environment risks
Newly obtained Right to Information (RTI) documents reveal that the Rockliff Government is moving to transfer nearly 10,000 hectares of Future Potential Production Forest (FPPF) land to the logging industry—despite the presence of significant Aboriginal heritage sites and critical environmental values.
Among the priority areas set for imminent release are five ‘lots’ at Mt Arthur, Mt Barrow, Ben Lomond and two ‘lots’ at currently unknown locations in the north-east. These forests contain threatened native plants and animals, with analysis by the Wilderness Society showing records of 18 threatened species and 10 threatened vegetation communities in the five known lots.
The RTI reveals that Aboriginal Heritage Tasmania also confirmed at least 20 known sites, including occupied Aboriginal rock shelters, artefact scatters and isolated artefacts. Another 18 sites have been identified as unoccupied rock shelters, with potential Aboriginal heritage located in subsoil deposits. It is indicated in the documents that the ‘lots’ have not undergone comprehensive Aboriginal heritage surveys.
The at-risk forests are also the source of numerous important waterways in the north-east region. These include the North Esk, South Esk, St Patricks, Pipers, Forester and Nile rivers, as well as countless rivulets, creeks and streams. These not only provide drinking water to local communities, but contribute to regional livelihoods and community wellbeing.
The Wilderness Society is calling for an immediate halt to this process, citing concerns over cultural heritage protections, environmental destruction and water security.
“These forests were meant to be safeguarded from logging, and Australian taxpayers invested $121 million in transition packages to ensure their protection,” said Hugh Nicklason, for the Wilderness Society.
“Now, the Rockliff Government is pushing for their destruction, despite their rich ecological values, Aboriginal cultural significance and importance to local communities. Instead of being handed over to loggers, these forests must be permanently protected.”
Alongside The Wilderness Society is growing community backlash against the government’s proposal. Susie Aulich and Gordon Cuff from local group Mount Arthur Protection said: “We are concerned these native forests identified for clearfelling will not only have their scenic beauty compromised but will affect Mt Arthur’ss underground and above ground water catchment as well as making these areas more fire prone by changing to regrowth monocultures. In this time of climate change, it would be crazy to release thousands of tonnes of carbon by clearfelling our forests for essentially woodchips.”
The Wilderness Society will be hosting three community meetings next week, in St Marys (26/3), Blessington (27/3) and Lilydale (28/3), to continue to build community resilience in the face of new logging.
Red: the five proposed lots at Mt Arthur, Mt Barrow, and Ben Lomond (two lots intertwined).
Blue = 40,000ha of FPPF lots identified by the Government for release to industry.
All FPPF lots amounting to 365,000ha, with 40,00ha in blue.
Media release – Rosalie Woodruff MP, Greens Leader, 19 March 2025
Liberals’ Logging Plans Exposed by RTI
A new RTI by the Greens, analysed by the Greens and The Wilderness Society, has exposed the first forests on the chopping block in the Liberals’ plans to log future reserve areas.
Analysis of these documents reveals precious places at Mount Arthur, Mount Barrow and Ben Lomond are slated for destruction. These areas are much loved by nearby communities, and full of important natural values. These include old growth forests, habitat for threatened wildlife and endangered plant species.
Tasmanians deserve to know which protected areas the Liberals are pushing to log. After all, this is public land with extensive natural and cultural values. Instead of being honest about their plans, the government has repeatedly refused to say which areas they’re putting on the chopping block.
We’re seeing this secrecy because the government knows as soon as these locations are revealed, the campaign to protect them will begin. The Liberals wanted to hide their logging plans until the last minute, hoping to rush them through Parliament before local communities could organise. Exposing this information now gives the public the chance to push back.
There is no justification for any native forest logging in a climate and biodiversity crisis. However, the Liberals’ push to log forests as special as these – forests long set aside for permanent protection – is particularly shameful. Even the state’s peak forestry body has said they haven’t asked for access to log these areas because of how contentious it would be.
We know the Liberals will forge ahead with their misguided plans no matter what, but Parliament will have the final say on whether these areas can be logged. We’re calling on the Labor party and all crossbench MPs to commit to voting against the Liberals’ plans to destroy these beautiful and important places.
A map of these forests is available here. The areas highlighted in red are the five areas earmarked as immediate targets, while the orange areas make up the remainder of the areas under consideration. Clicking the areas of the map provides natural values information about each location.
