Hold Lara accountable for every forest logged

15 March 2011 passes and there is not a moratorium; sadly forests are still being lost … forests that are endangered species habitat, rural communities water catchments, ecosystems that are contiguous with the TWWHA, and the iconic tall eucalyptus and rainforests of Southern Tasmania.

To mark the passing of the deadline for the forests moratorium community members gathered at Hobart’s Executive Building. Still Wild Still Threatened and Huon Valley Environment Centre have launched a ten day campaign to pressure the State Government to place an immediate moratorium on all high conservation value forests.

We claim that the misleading announcement by Premier Lara Giddings last week suggests a moratorium is in place. Sadly forests that today could have been saved as national parks and world heritage areas are still falling. The State Government failed to take action over the past three months to implement a full and true moratorium, and now the promised protection of our forests is overdue. The failure to have a full forest moratorium in place amounts to a complete bungle by the State Government.

Join the ten day campaign to give a voice to these forests that have missed out on protection due to the failure of the State Government to protect all of Tasmania’s high conservation value forests.

Come along to the vigil at the Executive Building every weekday until Friday 25 March from 12 noon – 1 pm, 15 Murray st Hobart.

An online blog ‘Moratorium Now’ will be at www.nativeforest.net and will document the stories from around Tasmania to give a voice to the forests that are falling.

You can share your stories by emailing us your stories, and pictures about forests that are still falling around Tasmania that would have been saved had the moratorium been met. Submit a story or photograph of a forest in your part of Tasmania that is being logged.

Our plan is to collate these stories and produce a book to be delivered to Premier Lara Giddings at the end of the ten days.

Our presence outside Premier Lara Giddings office is to bring the voice for the forests to her and hold her accountable for every forest that falls as each day passes and a full moratorium is not in place.

Contact us to join the roster for the vigil, or submit your story or photograph from your corner of Tasmania.

[email protected] or call the Huon Valley Environment Centre on 03 6264 1286 The State and Federal Government announced a moratorium and then failed to implement it. This worked well for the logging industry, as they were able to keep logging. It buys the industry more time. It will see more forest getting logged.

Huon Valley Environment Centre and Still Wild Still Threatened have been campaigning to highlight the ongoing loss of the high conservation value forests and we have aimed to raise awareness about the hypocrisy and the failure of actual implementation for a proposed moratorium.

Activists in the forests in the Derwent, Huon and Bass districts have witnessed new roads being built in to old growth forest, and large areas of forest logged over this three month period that could have been saved. New logging areas have been started since December. And as recently as the last fortnight, new logging areas started in many parts of the state.

Since February, HVEC and SWST have been conducting peaceful campaigns from the forests to the cities. Forest actions have been held in the Esperance in the far south of Tasmania, the old growth forests of the Picton and Styx Valleys, the water catchment forests of the West Wellington and Tyenna regions, to the Counsel area, an area of diverse pristine forest in the west.

Since January six conservationists have been arrested since our campaign has been reignited around bringing attention to the ongoing logging of high conservation value forests.

Two people were arrested in the Picton Valley. One person was arrested on a log truck taking logs to the wharf in Hobart for export to China.

One person was arrested at Ta Ann after a community walk in. Two people were arrested hanging a banner off the Parliament House calling for a moratorium now.

The high conservation value forests still being logged deserve an immediate moratorium. The State government has lagged behind in this process, and the point we are at now is the point we should have been in December. Once again through this bureaucratic bungling the forests are again the loser.

This current process secures temporary protection for coupes that weren’t scheduled to be logged, and for the continuation of wood supply security. We are disappointed that the moratorium is not in place, and until it is we will continue to act in the best interest for the forests.

It’s a second rate result for forests. It is not good enough, and we will continue to highlight the plight of our precious forests and ancient ecosystems. Every endangered species habitat that is lost over this time is due to the failure to deliver a full moratorium on all high conservation value forests and refusal to extinguish wood supply quotas.

March 16 2011

“Two conservationists are in tree sits, and one has attached themselves to one bulldozer, in two forest areas in Tasmania’s southern forests. Forests that could have been saved today are instead high conservation value forests that are having new taxpayer funded roads built. The arrogant assumption by Forestry Tasmania that logging will be continuing in business as usual, is due to the State Government sanction, and these roads were only started in the last month,” Huon Valley Environment Centre’s Jenny Weber said.

“These two high conservation value forests are a stark example of forests that lost out due to the State Government’s failure to implement a full moratorium. The ongoing destruction of Tasmania’s globally significant forests, with recently commenced taxpayer funded road building, is an outrage to Huon Valley Environment Centre and Still Wild Still Threatened,” Jenny Weber said.

“Our ten day campaign calling for an immediate moratorium on all high conservation value forests will also be in the forests, and the lunchtime vigil will continue in Hobart on the steps of Premier Lara Giddings office,” Jenny Weber said.

“In Butlers Gorge, conservationists are concerned that the logs from this forest are for woodchipping, whole log exports to China and peelers. And in the Esperance, conservationists dismiss the need for any new roads in to high conservation value forests. Once this road is built an old growth forest area of 96 hectares is slated for logging,”
Jenny Weber said.

In the Esperance, in far south Tasmania, 12 conservationists from the Huon Valley Environment Centre, are protesting in an area Forestry Tasmania identify as Esperance 48C (EP048C) on Esperance Road, Southwest of Dover.

In the Butlers Gorge, in the north west region of the Derwent District, 12 conservationists from Still Wild Still Threatened are protesting in an area Forestry Tasmania identify as BT010B.

And also today, two conservationists who climbed Parliament House last week, with a banner calling for a moratorium now, will appear Hobart magistrates court.

Attached one photo of logging in Esperance for road, access coupe EP048C Link to see details of coupe location, http://lynxgeos.com/TasCoupeMap/#

Media Release

Today two conservationists appeared in Hobart’s magistrates court, facing charges arising from the protest on Parliament House where a banner was placed off the roof, calling for a moratorium now.

Maxim Mazy was given a two year good behaviour bond and Emma Capp was given a $150 fine and a conviction recorded.

“These conservationists participated in a peaceful protest that marked the first day of Parliament for 2011 and signalled the communities expectation that the high conservation value forests need an urgent full and true moratorium,” Huon Valley Environment Centre’s Jenny Weber said.

Media Release

Two forest protests were held today in the Tasmania’s southern forests that are being logged for new roads.

“Conservationists in the far south of Tasmania are committed to staying a second night in their non violent stand for the old growth forests being logged for a new road. A number of machines are being prevented from continuing the destructive practice of opening up a new area of high conservation value forests,” Huon Valley Environment Centre’s Jenny Weber said.

“We are urging the State Government to place an immediate moratorium in these forests and across the state on all high conservation value forests. In these threatened Esperance forests a conservationist is perched in a tree sit, and another conservationist is attached to a logging machine, ten people remain in the forest tonight,” Jenny Weber said

“In the Butlers Gorge area, the protest came to a peaceful end this evening after police arrived and ordered conservationists out of the forest. The successful protest halted logging today in these remote world heritage value forests, and gave the endangered wildlife a temporary reprieve from the destructive force of the logging,” Still Wild Still Threatened’s Miranda Gibson said.

Media Release:

Today eight conservationists have halted logging operations in coupe CO010B in the Counsel forest to highlight the urgent need for logging operations to cease immediately in high conservation value forests.

Conservationists also remained overnight in the Esperance and continued a second day of halting roading operations in the area.

“This counsel forest contains spectacular old growth that is bordered by the World Heritage area and surrounded by an informal forest reserve. Until operations began for roading into this coupe, the area was pristine and untouched. This forest is part of the area agreed to by negotiation process to be protected and will become a forest reserve in the future. It is outrageous that forestry continue to allow logging in the area, causing irreparable damage and fragmenting the new forest reserve area.” Said Miranda Gibson, Still Wild Still Threatened.

“Conservationists from Huon Valley Environment Centre remain in the Esperance forests in far south Tasmania where a new logging road has destroyed a significant tract of old growth forest. One conservationist is in a tree sit and one other is attached to a logging machine,” Huon Valley Environment Centre’s Jenny Weber said.

“Today’s protests are part of a 10 day action campaign which has seen the community taking a stand against the state government’s failure to meet the moratorium deadline of March 15th. The Tasmanian community has waited long enough to see our forest’s protected. We are now losing world class forest every day that would have been protected had the State Government honoured their commitment.” Said Ms Gibson.

Still Wild Still Threatened 18.3.11

Today a number of homeless Tasmanian threatened species including a Swift Parrot and a Tasmanian Devil from our high conservation value forests have arrived at the forest vigil outside Hobart’s Executive Building to ask Lara Giddings why their homes are being destroyed when promises were made by the State and Federal Governments to implement a moratorium by the 15th of March to protect their forest habitat.

“This threatened species delegation from our spectacular high conservation forests are today joining a ten day community forest vigil at the Executive Building to make their voices heard. They are representing every Swift Parrot’s blue gum home in the South East, every Spotted Tail Quolls log runway in our old growth forests and every Tasmanian Devil den that will be destroyed in our high conservation value forests because of Giddings’ and Green’s failure to implement a full moratorium on high conservation forests.” Said Lily Leahy, spokesperson for Still Wild Still Threatened.

“Our surveys, using remote sensor cameras, have found Spotted Tail Quolls and Tasmanian Devils in our high conservation value forests in the Upper Florentine, Styx and Counsel forests. These are all places which are already being logged and are scheduled for further logging in the next six months due to a failure state government in collusion with Forestry Tasmania.” Said Ms Leahy.

“The Tasmanian community wants to see all our high conservation value forests in the land review process on their way to becoming permanent National Parks and wildlife habitat corridors into perpetuity. The deadline for this to happen is three days overdue and we are still seeing slices of our world class forests continue to be lost every day.” Said Ms Leahy.

Friday 18 March 2011
Media Release

The Huon Valley Environment Centre rejected Minister Bryan Green’s claim that forest actions are jeopardising discussions over protection of Tasmania’s high conservation value forests.

“It is Bryan Green’s unwillingness to implement crucial steps towards a promised moratorium that have threatened attempts to secure forest protection, not the committed actions of forest campaigners who have worked to highlight the value of these areas for decades,”

“The HVEC will not succumb to industry or State Government threats. We are committed to remaining active to highlight the plight of Tasmania’s world-unique forests as long as they are still falling. We have repeatedly demonstrated that new roads and clearfells are being cut into high conservation forests across the state, despite a promise of protection,”

“The State Government and Forestry Tasmania should be taking all steps to progress the statement of principles by immediately shifting contractors out of these controversial areas and implementing a true moratorium as promised by former Premier David Bartlett on the 15th December,”

“Despite almost a year of talks there has been no show of good-faith by the State Government or Forestry Tasmania. The only outcome we have to date is an undertaking not to harvest in areas that were not even scheduled for logging,”

First published: 2011-03-16 01:43 PM

Still Wild Still Threatened 18.3.11
Media Release: Tasmania’s threatened species delegation visit Executive Building forest vigil.

Today a number of homeless Tasmanian threatened species including a Swift Parrot and a Tasmanian Devil from our high conservation value forests have arrived at the forest vigil outside Hobart’s Executive Building to ask Lara Giddings why their homes are being destroyed when promises were made by the State and Federal Governments to implement a moratorium by the 15th of March to protect their forest habitat.

“This threatened species delegation from our spectacular high conservation forests are today joining a ten day community forest vigil at the Executive Building to make their voices heard. They are representing every Swift Parrot’s blue gum home in the South East, every Spotted Tail Quolls log runway in our old growth forests and every Tasmanian Devil den that will be destroyed in our high conservation value forests because of Giddings’ and Green’s failure to implement a full moratorium on high conservation forests.” Said Lily Leahy, spokesperson for Still Wild Still Threatened.

“Our surveys, using remote sensor cameras, have found Spotted Tail Quolls and Tasmanian Devils in our high conservation value forests in the Upper Florentine, Styx and Counsel forests. These are all places which are already being logged and are scheduled for further logging in the next six months due to a failure state government in collusion with Forestry Tasmania.” Said Ms Leahy.

“The Tasmanian community wants to see all our high conservation value forests in the land review process on their way to becoming permanent National Parks and wildlife habitat corridors into perpetuity. The deadline for this to happen is three days overdue and we are still seeing slices of our world class forests continue to be lost every day.” Said Ms Leahy.

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.

Media Release
March 19 2011

“Huon Valley Environment Centre no longer has confidence that the industry and the State Government has the intention or commitment to deliver on the forest agreement,” Huon Valley Environment Centre’s Jenny Weber said.

“Huon Valley Environment Centre has withdrawn our engagement from the discussions relating to the negotiations. There has been a failure to deliver a key first step in that process, that is the failure to deliver a full and true moratorium on all high conservation value forests,” Jenny Weber said.

“We are committed to seeing protection of Tasmania’s forests and we will continue our dedicated campaign. For ten years Huon Valley Environment Centre has stood up for the rapidly vanishing forests in Tasmania,” Jenny Weber said.

“Huon Valley Environment Centre has been pressured from the industry and the State Government to stop our campaigns while the forests are still falling,” Jenny Weber said.

“We need an immediate show of faith from the Government which implements an immediate halt to logging of High Conservation Value forests,” Jenny Weber said.

March 19th 2011
Media Release: Peaceful protests will continue while high conservation value forests are still falling

The statements made by Bryan Green last night claiming forest protests are disrupting forest talks are unequivocally rejected by Still Wild Still Threatened.

“The state government has acted in bad faith. They made a commitment to the Tasmanian people on the 15th of December 2010, supporting the Statement of Principles. This commitment was not honoured when they failed to implement the moratorium. This was a breach of the trust of the Tasmanian community.” Said Miranda Gibson, Still Wild Still Threatened.

“There is currently no full moratorium on high conservation value forests. The government has not shown goodwill, and the continuing logging of our unique ancient forests beyond the moratorium deadline is unacceptable” Said Ms Gibson.

“The actions taken over the past week have been essential in highlighting the continual destruction of our irreplaceable high conservation value forests. These peaceful protests have brought much-needed attention to the irreparable damage being done every day in the forests. As long as high conservation value forests are falling the Tasmanian community will continue to stand up for them” Said Ms Gibson.