ROB BLAKERS
On that note I return to David Bartlett. Since coming to office 14 months ago, he has failed at every step to implement any semblance of his kind clever and connected vision with regard to the natural world. Rather than protect and enhance Tasmania’s natural attributes, he is instead standing by while they are being destroyed. Worse than that, in the case of the Tarkine road, he is pinning his premiership to their destruction. The connection that is plainly occurring is one between David Bartlett and the sort of antiquated forestry industry that smashes oldgrowth forest for woodchips. It appears that David Bartlett simply does not care enough to do anything to protect Tasmania’s forests.
This then will be his legacy. He is premier at a time in history when the need to protect old forests has never been greater – the imperative to maintain this forest, and other old forests, reaches beyond Tasmania. To continue to destroy them is a crime against the planet.
WHEN he came into office as premier, David Bartlett announced his vision of Tasmania as kind, clever and connected. In the year 2009, this brutal road and the logging that it facilitates, smashing into the heart of this pristine oldgrowth wilderness, is cruel, stupid and profoundly ignorant of the interconnectedness of life on this planet. Above all, it is profoundly ignorant of the myriad ecological connections between trees, plants, animals, mosses, lichens, fungi micro flora and fauna, water, air and fire that fundamentally characterise undisturbed natural places, and is contemptuous of our human role as stewards of the natural world.
The logging here is the mass destruction of the animals and plants to which this place is home. It provides an ignition source and a conduit to the greatest threat of all to Tasmanian rainforests, fire. It profoundly disrupts the hydrology of the area and it introduces weeds. Coupe 42F, a couple of kilometres down-valley from here was pristine oldgrowth until it was logged 2 years years ago. That ravaged landscape now supports a healthy population of thistles, brought in on logging machinery and likely to be a fore-runner of the gorse, broom and blackberry that infest forestry areas statewide.
Beyond the brutal annihilation of this beautiful forest and its animal inhabitants caused by logging, there are wider consequences. This forest is amongst the most carbon-rich terrestrial eco-systems on earth, sequestering up to 5500 tonnes of CO2 per hectare. Last January Forestry Tasmania publicly conceded that 80 to 90% of the timber in the coupe would be wood chipped – short term use for wood that leads to the carbon being emitted to the atmosphere within a handful of years.
The felled forest that remains will be burnt. Hans Drielsma from Forestry Tasmania stated recently that emissions from regeneration burns are of no interest to Forestry Tasmania. But research undertaken by Forestry Tasmania itself and published in 2001 found that post-logging burns in wet forest emit an average of 700 tonnes CO2 per hectare. Between 10,000 and 15,000 hectares of wet forest are burnt in this way each year, causing emissions of between 7 and 10.5 million tonnes CO2. To put this in perspective, annual measured emissions from all other sectors in Tasmania (transport, heating, industry etc) total 8.4 million tonnes CO2. In arguing that these emissions –from both woodchip decay and from forestry regen burning, are offset by carbon absorbed by growing trees on land controlled by Forestry Tasmania, Dr Drielsma is effectively claiming carbon credits for the natural growth of forests. With a dollar value being placed on carbon, forests in national parks and on private land should then also be eligible for income from carbon credits.
Rather than destroying oldgrowth forest Tasmania should be looking for the obvious opportunities to save such incredible places as living, resilient, biodiverse carbon stores.
On that note I return to David Bartlett. Since coming to office 14 months ago, he has failed at every step to implement any semblance of his kind clever and connected vision with regard to the natural world. Rather than protect and enhance Tasmania’s natural attributes, he is instead standing by while they are being destroyed. Worse than that, in the case of the Tarkine road, he is pinning his premiership to their destruction. The connection that is plainly occurring is one between David Bartlett and the sort of antiquated forestry industry that smashes oldgrowth forest for woodchips. It appears that David Bartlett simply does not care enough to do anything to protect Tasmania’s forests.
This then will be his legacy. He is premier at a time in history when the need to protect old forests has never been greater – the imperative to maintain this forest, and other old forests, reaches beyond Tasmania. To continue to destroy them is a crime against the planet.
David Bartlett has a choice. On the one hand he might be remembered by future generations as the leader who made the difference, who turned the tide of destruction in Tasmania and in so doing provided inspiration to the world. On the other hand he might be forgotten as the one who ignored the vital role of wild forests at this most critical time in earth history, the one who did not stand up for life on this planet. Remembered only because he continued to send bulldozers and chainsaws into oldgrowth forest wilderness.
David Bartlett could make the Upper Florentine a turning point in Tasmanian history and end this tragic madness. This forest would then be a monument to vision and courage.
If he fails to act then this bitter ground should also bear his name.
In hope then, I would like to propose a name for the arrogant incursion that we stand upon and in so doing draw to this place the intelligence and courage in leadership that we desperately need.
Let us call this road Bartlett’s Road.
Rob Blakers
May 10th 2009, Upper Florentine Valley logging zone.
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Geoff Law, Conservationist
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MEDIA RELEASE 10 May 2009
TASMANIA’S STATE FORESTS BECOME EXCLUSION ZONE FOR ARRESTEES
Conservationist slams onerous, unreasonable and disproportionate bail conditions that apply to 22% of the state’s land
People arrested and charged with trespass in the Florentine forests today are legally compelled not to visit any other Forestry Tasmania land or premises or to go within five kilometres of the Florentine until their cases are heard on 6 July 2009.
Bail conditions imposed by police on the 22 arrestees include: – not to enter the Florentine Valley; – not to go within 5 kilometres of the Florentine; – not to enter any Forestry Tasmania Tasmania premises or land; or to enter any premises or land under Forestry Tasmania’s lawful control.
Conservationist Geoff Law, one of the ‘Mothers Day 22’ arrested on Sunday, slammed the conditions, saying they are onerous, unreasonable and disproportionate. Forestry Tasmania manages – and claims to ‘own’ – 1.5 million hectares of Tasmanian land, or about 22% of the state.
‘These conditions make it illegal for people to enter vast tracts of the state’s public lands. Large tracts of the Mt Field and Southwest National Parks would also be off-limits,’ said Mr Law. (Both the Southwest National Park and Mt Field National Park include parts of the Florentine and areas within 5 kilometres of the Florentine.)
‘We have yet to be found guilty of any crime yet are being given a two-month sentence prohibiting us from 22% of Tasmania.’
‘Clearly, the Tasmanian Police force is taking its marching orders from Forestry Tasmania.’
‘Breaking the bail conditions can result in penalties of 6 months imprisonment and a fine of $1000.’
Mr Law, who is undertaking a series of walks across the forests of Tasmania, refused to sign the bail conditions. The conditions are, however, imposed whether the document is signed or not.
Still Wild Still Threatened
MEDIA RELEASE
10/5/09 6:30pm
22 ARRESTS IN UPPER FLORENTINE FOREST PROTEST
22 people have been arrested today in a peaceful community
“walk in” action in protest to the logging of the pristine Upper Florentine valley.
300 hundred people attended the rally at the start of the controversial new logging road. Speakers including Tim Morris MP, Geoff Law, and acclaimed photographer Rob Blakers addressed the crowd, as well as local forest campaigners and Derwent valley residents.
Police formed a human barricade across the road to try and prevent conservationists from entering the exclusion zone. A number of Derwent Valley residents who have been lobbying the government to save the area crossed the line in peaceful protest and were arrested. This brought the total number of arrests to 15.
50 people then walked down timbs track, a walking track that parallels the logging area not in the exclusion zone. From there they walked through the rain forest and into the coupe. As a result police ordered logging contractors to stop work and their machines were locked into a giant cage that has been constructed.
7 of the 50 people were arrested bring the total number to 22.
32 people have been arrested in the last week.
A diverse range of people were arrested including veteran forest campaigner Geoff Law, a local woman in her seventies from Westerway and a 17 year old male.
“Today’s rally highlights the massive amount of support for the campaign to end old growth logging. David Bartlett must solve this dispute swiftly if he doesn’t want it to become an election issue, which it most likely will as the majority of Tasmanians want to see an end to this wood chip driven madness.” Said spokes person Ed Hill
“The huge diversity of people from all walks of life here today confirms that this is a mainstream issue that average Tasmania’s want solved before it is too late for our old growth forests.” Said Mr. Hill
“The Tasmanian public has had enough of this government’s rampant old growth logging regime, they have had enough of the lies that Forestry Tasmania pedal to try and prop up their obviously unsustainable industry, and they have had enough of seeing their forests sold off with marginal returns to the tax payer and massive profits for climate criminals Gunns ltd.” Said Mr Hill.
“Today we had local community members getting arrested for defending their own backyard. Local residents of the Derwent Valley have exhausted all other avenues of campaigning. They have been refused a meeting with Premier Bartlett and Primary Industries Minister David Llewellyn several times. Now as the chainsaws and bulldozers tear apart this ancient forest, what option to these people have but non violent direct action?” said Ed Hill.
The 22 arrested were taken to Hobart where they are currently being processed, they have been charged with trespass.
END
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Still Wild Still Threatened is a grassroots community organisation campaigning for the immediate protection of Tasmania’s ancient forests and the creation of an equitable and environmentally sustainable forestry industry in Tasmania.
www.stillwildstillthreatened.org
[email protected] www.myspace.com/stillwildstillthreatened
PO Box 295. South Hobart TAS 7004
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END THE CONFLICT: STOP LOGGING FLORENTINE FORESTS
Over to You, Mr Bartlett!
Tim Morris MP
Greens Member for Lyons
Sunday, 10 May 2009
www.tas.greens.org.au
The Tasmanian Greens today accused the Bartlett government of being responsible for the conflict in Tasmania’s forests saying there is a deliberate strategy to target areas such as the Florentine and the Weld, in a desperate attempt to hang onto power based upon a divisive and fear-mongering campaign.
Greens Member for Lyons, Tim Morris MP, who addressed today’s rally in the Florentine, said that a strong Leader who truly wanted to heal the division in the community and resolve the conflict in the forests would move to protect these high conservation value and carbon rich ancient forests immediately.
“There is one person who is responsible for the conflict in our high conservation value carbon rich forests, and there is one person who could resolve the conflict, and that is Premier David Bartlett,” Mr Morris said.
“A true Leader would move to heal the divisions and not exploit them for their own perceived electoral advantage.”
“But instead of taking the constructive approach that would heal the divisions in our community, the Bartlett government is deliberately targeting these areas of high conservation value forests in order to cause division, and distract from other pressing issues.”
“The Premier must explain why his government continues to target these ancient forests when everyone knows that the market has fallen for woodchips and sawlogs, and Mr Bartlett must also explain why his government voted to defeat a Greens’ plan to bail out, compensate and retrain forest contractors.”
“They struggle to sell the woodchips that they are trashing these magnificent forests for, so there is no sensible reason to keep logging them. This makes it clear that the true agenda of Mr Bartlett, who once claimed to be ‘clever and kind’, is to distract and divide the community, try and beat up the old furphy of jobs versus the environment, and rely on a fear campaign to hang onto power.”
“The Bartlett government is also busy demonising peaceful protests while avoiding taking responsibility for the fact that it is their ‘target and destroy’ policy that is putting Tasmanians in this position.”
“Labor needs a refresher course in peaceful protest as they have apparently forgotten the proud legacy of individuals such as Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Ghandi and Rosa Parkes, who all stood up against the unjust law of their day, but who under the Bartlett government’s definition, should all be derided for participating in illegal protests.”
“Society has benefited from the fact that Mandela, Ghandi and Parkes had the courage to stand up for what they believed in despite the laws at the time being against them, and future generations will also thank those who have the courage to defend Tasmania’s forests through peaceful protest.”
“Resolving the forest conflict is simple. Stop logging high conservation and carbon rich forests, put in place a forestry contractor bail-out package, and develop a transition towards a truly sustainable forestry industry,” Mr Morris said.
