Harvester vigil ends in arrest
Tuesday 20th Feb, 2007
AAP
Logging in Tasmania's South-West stopped yesterday when an
environmentalist chained himself to a tree-harvesting machine for seven
hours.
The man was arrested in the Weld Valley after police and the State
Emergency Service used heavy metal-cutting equipment to free him.
On Sunday 50 protesters ignored police and marched into the Forestry Tasmania exclusion zone.
The Huon Valley Environment Centre says the activity will continue and
is calling on the Federal Government to impose fines of $5 million for
logging in an endangered species habitat.
"The wilderness-quality forest is being logged at an alarming rate in the Lower Weld Valley," spokeswoman Jenny Weber said.
"In this day and age increased awareness about climate change, the
Government needs to be doing everything it can to alleviate the impacts
of climate change and protecting old-growth forests is an answer.
"The Huon Valley Environment Centre and unhappy community members will
continue to highlight the destruction of the Lower Weld Valley with
non-violent protests."
Inspector Mark Mewis of Kingston warned that any illegal activity would be dealt with.
"At this stage we are taking the softly, softly approach and will send in resources as and when needed," he said.
"Anyone acting illegally will be dealt with according to the law."
Forestry Tasmania on Friday lost a Supreme Court injunction to stop
members of the Huon Valley Environment Centre from texting, promoting
or emailing any protest activity.
Industry groups say work stoppages are hurting the state's economy.
"When protesters illegally lock themselves onto machinery they impact
on the supply of resource to mills and the livelihoods of the families
that depend on this resource for their lawful business," Forest
Industries Association spokeswoman Katy Hobbs said.
"Forestry is an integral part of the Tasmanian economy and these
continuing attempts to undermine forestry activity in fact undermine
the Tasmanian economy."
She said the current protests were what the failed injunction had tried to prevent.
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