NEW FOREST SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE MAKES CASE FOR MORATORIUM
Thursday 5th April, 2012 - The full cycle of logging incursions inside Tasmania’s verified, but unprotected, high conservation value forests has been captured in eye-opening new surveillance aerial footage filmed yesterday, which reinforces the case and urgency for an immediate moratorium on logging activity.
These four environment groups have offered an olive branch comprising a suspension of their market action in Japan for one month on the condition that a moratorium is imposed over the 572,000 hectares under discussion for potential future reservation, whilst forest talks take place.
“We are yet to receive a response on the offer we made to government and the industry, and in the meantime we have gained spectacular new footage showing forests inside the 572 000ha that are being logged, roaded and burnt right now,” said Jenny Weber of Huon Valley Environment Centre.
“The cycle of forest destruction in Tasmania stems from the roads pushed in to pristine forest, large scale industrial logging operations and high intensity burning. The outstanding values of the forests are completely destroyed and we are losing significant tracts of world-class forests every single day.”
“At a time when the focus should be on moving out and moving on, Forestry Tasmania is instead bulldozing new logging roads deep into wilderness of global significance and logging verified World Heritage forests. Make no mistake, this is strategic destruction and must be reined in,” Ms Weber said.
“The rapid devastation that is occurring in Butlers Gorge is seeing their unique ecosystems lost by ongoing logging operations. This area has been identified by the West report as one of the most significant tracts of Tasmania’s tall eucalpyt forests. The wilderness values of these forests are indicated as a key reason for the recommendation of adding them to the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area,” said Miranda Gibson of Still Wild Still Threatened from the Observer Tree.
“Apocalyptic vision of the Forestry Tasmania regeneration burn in the Plenty Valley taken during our surveillance flight shows the unacceptable practice that blanketed The Channel in smoke yesterday. We filmed the aftermath of such fires inside the high conservation value area,” said Ula Majewski of The Last Stand.
“Regarding our olive branch offer, we have delivered a formal letter to government and await their response,” said Peg Putt, representing Markets for Change.
“We reiterate that our offer of a moratorium on market action is conditional on not continuing to log the forests under discussion for protection. Forestry Tasmania’s blatant attack on forests of the highest value which we have revealed, and their refusal to consider moving out, is a serious problem,” Ms Putt concluded.
Image: Forestry Tasmania regeneration burn in the Plenty Valley (inside the 572 000ha identified for protection). 4 April 2012. Photo by Rob Blakers
