Media Release

19 Nov 2007

Community Action as Tasmania's Forest Climate Crimes Continue

“Tasmania's Forest activists claim clearfelling giant old growth represents Labor and Liberal's failure to heed international climate change findings, and ignores the fact that urgent action is needed on forests,” Huon Valley Environment Centre's Jenny Weber said.

“By halting destructive logging in a hidden grove of giant old growth Eucalyptus Regnans forest, in Tasmania's south today, activists have highlighted the failure of labor and liberal forests policies and the hypocrisy of Forestry Tasmania's "Giant Trees policy", Jenny Weber said.

“Despite recent calls from the United Nations International Panel on Climate Change, for immediate action on climate change, logging in these spectacular old forests is destroying water catchments, carbon sinks, and threatened species habitat, with the support of the Labor and Liberal parties,” Jenny Weber said.

“Old forests store thousands of tonnes of carbon per hectare. Tasmania's ancient forests are subject to ruthless destruction for woodchips. By allowing logging to continue in these forests Liberal and Labor are missing an opportunity to reduce emissions in an immediate and cost effective way,” Jenny Weber said.

“Logging is occurring in a hidden patch of spectacular forest containing seven confirmed Giant Trees, and rich fern gullies tall tree ferns The area is immediately adjacent to the Arve Road access to the Tahune Airwalk, just minutes from the southern town of Geeveston,” Jenny Weber said.

“Under a token Giant Trees policy, spectacular and giant Eucalyptus Regnans - the tallest flowering plants on earth - can still be decimated if they fall below the arbitrary height of 85 metres. Small token reserves are proclaimed around trees which meet Forestry Tasmania's specifications, whilst adjacent forests of equal value are consigned to the woodchipper,” Jenny Weber said.

Contact Jenny Weber
0427 366 929