Protestors halt forestry operations

February 28, 2007 12:00am

Protesters have barricaded the entrance to a logging access road earmarked for extension into southern Tasmanian forests.
Ropes were today suspended from a tree platform and tied to a gate at Denison Valley, preventing all current logging activity.

The Huon Valley Environment Centre (HVEC) says the first 4km stage of the proposed North Weld Road will link Denison Valley to the Weld Valley, exposing protected wilderness.

"The proposed new logging road threatens to cut deep into remote wilderness area in the lower Weld Valley on the flanks of the World Heritage Snowy Range," HVEC spokeswoman Jenny Weber said.

"It will access the edge of 2,000 hectares in World Heritage valued wilderness, including one of southern Tasmania's largest areas of unprotected rainforest.

"These initial logging operations are the start of the proposed extension into ancient wilderness forests and as long as John Howard fails to protect ancient forests, these protests will continue to highlight the importance of the Weld Valley."

Ms Weber said the "road to ruin" resulted from a trail of broken political promises.

"The coalition government must act to end this taxpayer-funded destruction before wilderness areas like the Lower Weld are decimated."