Vica Bayley Press Release
Logging of coupe FO42F in the Upper Florentine commenced just days after the Wielangta Federal Court decision. This ruled that logging operations in that area did not protect three threatened species and were therefore in breach of federal threatened species laws. The Wilderness Society believes that the principles of the Wielangta decision should also apply to the Upper Florentine, because suitable habitat for threatened species is being destroyed.
The Wilderness Society and supporters today visited logging operations in the Upper Florentine Valley that they believe to be illegal. They bore witness to the destruction of threatened species habitat despite the fact that the logging does not having the necessary Federal Government permits and the Prime Minister promised the protection of the Upper Florentine in 2004.
Logging of coupe FO42F in the Upper Florentine commenced just days after the Wielangta Federal Court decision. This ruled that logging operations in that area did not protect three threatened species and were therefore in breach of federal threatened species laws. The Wilderness Society believes that the principles of the Wielangta decision should also apply to the Upper Florentine, because suitable habitat for threatened species is being destroyed.
“The forests of the Upper Florentine, like those in the Styx, Weld and Derwent, are of recognised World Heritage value and were part of the Prime Minister’s federal election promise,” said Vica Bayley, spokesperson for The Wilderness Society. “They are now being logged despite the logging breaching the federal law designed to protect threatened species and against Australia’s obligations under the international Biodiversity Convention (1992).”
“These forests are critical habitat for threatened species such as the Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagle and grey goshawk. This habitat is being destroyed, driving these species closer to extinction.”
Forestry Tasmania’s planning documents show that suitable nesting trees for both the eagle and goshawk are located within the coupe. These documents also highlight an inadequacy in the system whereby an on the ground search for nests was conducted for a mere four hours, and completed over three years before actual logging commenced.
“The logging of forests such as the Upper Florentine represents Forestry Tasmania and Gunns snubbing their collective noses at the decision of the federal court. It is an arrogant action that bulldozes any confidence in federal threatened species laws and the Tasmanian forestry industry’s ability or intention to abide by them,” concluded Mr Bayley.
Vica Bayley, January 26
In October 2004, the Prime Minister promised: immediate protection of 18,700 hectares of oldgrowth forest in the Styx and Florentine valleys along the Eastern Boundary World Heritage Area. However, the Government’s literature about the agreement of May 2005 admits that the protected areas in the Styx and Florentine contain ‘4730 hectares of old-growth eucalypt against a target of 18,700 hectares’. (The Tasmanian Community Forest Agreement, Fact Sheet No. 3)
