[The Weld Valley]In the far south of Tasmania, lies the Weld
Valley. The Weld River flows wild and undisturbed from the 
South
West World
Heritage Area. One of the oldest and most spectacular forests
to be found anywhere on earth flourishes in this valley. Some
of our most unique and threatened plants and animals reside in the
valley, including
the world's tallest flowering plants, the Tasmanian Wedge-Tailed Eagle,
and the recently discovered Little Denison Crayfish. The lower Weld
Valley is currently unprotected and is
under immediate threat by logging, woodchipping and the Southwood
industrial logging and woodchipping complex on the valley's doorstep.
The State Government, through Forestry Tasmania, are currently pushing roads and creating the infrastructure needed to penetrate deep into the ancient forests of the lower Weld Valley. Their aim is to log right to the edge of the South West World Heritage Area. This would not only destroy the unprotected forests of the Weld, but also have an effect on the world heritage values of the area protected. Added to the National Park, the lower Weld Valley, would hold enormous eco tourism potential as well as protecting a high conservation area.
Logging and roading has recently occurred along the border of the World Heritage Area. The Huon Valley Environment Centre and The Wilderness Society have been lobbying the World Heritage Committee about threats to the integrity of the WHA from escaped fires and weeds due to logging operations. The World Heritage Committee met in New Zealand in June '07 and 21 countries voted to express their concern about the logging, and there are plans to send an inspection team to investigate the issues further. This has not happened since the inspection delegation to Kakadu during the Jabiluka mine debacle, and vindicates the opinions of those concerned about the unrestrained nature of industrial logging industry in Tasmania. Below you can find further reports on the issue.
More information...
Read the report "The Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area: World Heritage in Danger" authored by the Huon Valley Environment Centre and The Wilderness Society, and submitted to the World Heritage Committee meeting in Christchurch, New Zealand, June 2007. (In Adobe Acrobat (pdf) format)
Read the Crisis Report submitted (21.05.07) to the World Heritage Committee in Paris by the Huon Valley Environment Centre. (In Adobe Acrobat (pdf) format)
Read "The End of the Weld - as we know it" by Col Bailey. This is a fantastic story of the Weld's history and an expression of love for this beautiful, special valley. Col Bailey is an author and runs the Tasmanian Tiger Research and Data Centre.
Read the report "Biodiversity Impacts and Sustainability Implications of Clearfell Logging in the Weld Valley, Tasmania" by Timber Workers For Forests.
Visit the maps page to see the area, and to get a basic mud map and instructions on how to get to the Weld Valley from Huonville (45 mins south of Hobart on the Southern Outlet - follow signs).