11.01.12 New logging target in Weld Valley, PM continues to fail on forest protection

Huon Valley Environment Centre is urging for the immediate protection of 
all the forest inside the nominated 430 000ha, as promised by the
Federal and State Government, after activists discovered new roading
tags which target wilderness forests in the Weld Valley.

‘The beautiful fern filled forests along Barn Back creek in the Weld
Valley appear to be the next target for Forestry Tasmania. These
forests will go to feed the mill of Malaysian logging giant Ta Ann.
Sadly, this is just another example of the broken promise by PM Julia
Gillard that areas such as should be under moratorium. The
Intergovernmental Agreement has failed on delivering any conservation
outcomes,’ Huon Valley Environment Centre’s Jenny Weber said.

Logging is due to resume in the high conservation value forests in
Tasmania in the next week, and Huon Valley Environment Centre is
keeping a watchful eye on old growth forests in the Picton and Weld
valleys that are on the plan to be logged.

Forestry Tasmania is planning to push a 2.5km road in to high
conservation value forests in the Weld Valley, forest that flanks the
Barnback creek. This new road would be pushed off Eric Pettets rd, a
logging road that was built after the Huon Valley Environment Centre's
Weld Ark blockade was demolished in 2006. Barnback Creek is a 6km
tributary of the Weld River, logging is proposed for 70 hectares of
previously unroaded forest.

‘Prime Minister Gillard needs to honour her word and implement a
conservation agreement on all the forests within the nominated 430
000ha of high conservation value forests. Logging will continue to
see endangered species and valuable carbon sinks lost for the Borneo
timber barons, Ta Ann', Jenny Weber said. 

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