Media Release – Wilderness Society Tasmania, 10 July 2026
Wilderness Society Withdraws from MONA Forest Congress
The Wilderness Society Tasmania announces their formal withdrawal from the MONA forest congress.
An extractive industry should have no part in managing forests during a time of climate and ecological collapse. This is to have a cat manage pigeons. That is the crux of the issue.
For three years, the Congress has sought to bring together those that endeavour to see native forests protected and those that profit from their destruction, under the pretense of finding a pathway forward in togetherness.
Despite plans to undertake a different way forward and to consider the various economic, environmental, ecological, and cultural values, zero steps have been taken by industry to correct their poor commercial and industrial practices.
Tasmania currently logs old forests, rainforests, water supply catchments, steep slopes, engages in clearfelling practices, is destroying some of the last habitat for a number of threatened species, is reliant on the public purse, has incredibly high carbon emissions, and the most voluminous product by far is woodchips for export (82 per cent in 2024-25) – all with dismal social license and without the consent of the rightful owners, the Tasmanian Aboriginal people.
Environment groups have repeatedly requested for a stance to be made and action to be taken. At each and every point, this progress has been held back by industry figures. Even the simple ask of protecting ‘Puralia’s Stand’ (TN062G in the Styx Valley) where Uncle Jim Everett puralia meenamatta was arrested, could not be met, and the area remains on the logging schedule.
Now, industry figures have been caught gaming the system, receiving more handouts, and Minister Ellis has been caught misleading the public. Yet again, the industry’s response was to put their head-in-the-sand, attack and discredit the media, and back a Minister who clearly has no idea what is occurring.
On Wednesday 8th of July, the Wilderness Society Tasmania attended a congress meeting attended widely by the logging industry, made these concerns known, announced our withdrawal, and requested that they meet the demands set by Wuratji Truwalata by 5:00pm on Friday 11 July as an act of good faith.
We understand that industry again sought concessions, then to manipulate the ask, and now to drag out any action.
The Wilderness Society Tasmania stands firm in our position: It’s time to protect all native forests, end native forest logging, implement an improved plantation industry, value whole of cultural landscapes, and to move to a model of restoration led by Palawa and science.
Over 90 per cent of Australia’s wood products already come from plantations. Australia currently exports twice as much wood products as we import. We can easily meet our timber needs from plantations if we focus on meeting local and domestic needs, instead of exporting vast amounts of unprocessed and minimally processed raw materials.
Words are not enough, we need action.
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