From: The Mercury

Fears of forest face-off

24jan06

A CONFRONTATION between Forestry Tasmania and protesters is looming in the Lower Weld Valley in southern Tasmania.

Protester Jess McLachlan said a tree-sit had been established above the Eddy Rd gate to prevent Forestry Tasmania locking it.

One leg of a tripod stopped the gate being locked.

She said campers at the tree-sit village, established to protect the forests of the Weld Valley, feared they would be trapped behind the gate which provided access into the threatened area.

Camp Weld had been stopping proposed road work into the World Heritage-nominated forests of the valley for the past four months.

Ms McLachlan said yesterday the site had been visited by police and Forestry Tasmania and she expected some action today from authorities.

Camp Weld and members of the community would be 20km behind a locked gate.

"We are concerned for our safety and we are asking that Forestry Tasmania does not lock the gate," she said.