RED ALERT: Protests and arrests continue to try save Tasmania's Wilderness : Melbourne Indymedia

Early this morning, forest defenders halted logging operations in the wilderness forests of the Weld Valley. Three community members were arrested for trespass in the newly created media and public exclusion zone.

“Today's forest defense continues the success of the last six days where over a hundred community members have been a part of the campaign to ensure the world heritage of the Weld Valley are protected,” said Adam Burling, one of the people arrested this morning.

Protests and actions have escalated ever since police raided and busted two blockades in the Weld Valley last Wednesday morning. The iconic pirate ship and Weld Camp have since been bulldozed and burnt by Forestry Tasmania.

“The State Government needs to hear the call of Tasmanians to adequately conserve Tasmania's precious wildlife and high conservation-value forests like those in the Weld Valley,

“While eighty percent of the Weld Valley is protected, the remaining area set for logging has been identified by international experts as having World Heritage value,” said Adam Burling, spokesperson for the Huon Valley Environment Centre.

A RED-ALERT has been sent out to forest defenders and more arrests and disruptions to logging operations are predicted. Protesters have vowed to continue their struggle to save Tasmania's old-growth forests.

Over 90% of Tasmania's Old Growth is locked up and the industry has access to less than 10% to keep the sawmills open. These ferals have cost the Tasmanian people a lot of money just to keep their political ambitions alive. The contractors are sick of having their equipment damaged by these people. They are having to leave their families and camp on their worksite to protect their livelihood from the green menace. With school holidays coming up the influx of more green menace will invade our isle on bikes etc and locals will again have to protect their equipment instead of having precious time with their families.

with the Eco concern aside, Deforestation will not put food on your family table for long, selective logging will secure your job and the preserve the forest. Workers unite in the spirit of Judi Bari!

Tess - logging of an 'old growth' forest cannot be sustainable by definition alone. There is no long term financial benefit for the people of Tasmania to chop and burn them into oblivion, whether it be 10% or 90%. It's an ugly practice that will cost Tasmania in many ways well into the future.

What the so called 'green menace' propose is to create a sustainable industry that is beneficial for all Tasmanians - most of whom by the way want old growth forests to remain upright.

You speak of spending precious time with family. Have you considered that the very forests you propose to destroy forever are places for ordinary families, not just 'ferals', to enjoy precious time for generations to come.

There is no right answer for Tess. She sees 'business as usual' something that was designed to continue forever. Are The forests gods gift to humans?, our resource to exploit and benefit from, to clear and to burn.
I remember a few years ago when wood chipping was described as a way forestry should profit from the waste, now wood chipping is wasting Tasmania which is Probably the last place on the continent that has a forest left to clear.
This 10% she speaks of, is that 10% a year? How much of the 90% is left? Is that 90% of old growth forest areas in Tasmania or is it 90% of the Tasmanian landmass?
With 86% of all old growth forest gone from the continent in 200 years are we now supposed to believe that wood chipping and monoculture is the sustainable way of future forest management?
I believe that in order for the industry to survive they must be permitted to clear old growth forest; however for an ecosystem to survive the clearing must stop.
John Howard’s new Kyoto plan should include a sensible initiative of saving all existing old growth forests, as well as planting trees to soak up co2. This would harness the value of the existing environment without the costs and associated energy going into creating a bullshit planting scheme that will never replace what is now being turned into paper.
Already drought has affected the rest of the continent, partly because of deforestation. Tasmania is lucky but as the rains wash away its soil and clog its streams it too will suffer wide spread environmental destruction. Those who now say we must protect our jobs will be looking for a new island.
Its no use coming here, this island doesn’t have a future; the little girt of green we have left will die because of drought, Australian deserts are getting closer to the sea at a time when our leaders are planning a future where twice the population and twice the resources will be needed with twice the pollution and twice the problems.
Australian will by that time look back jealously at what Tasmanians have now but by that time it would be too late.
I cannot see a time when governments will protect the enviroment. No government has before, so why should things change now just because nature has hit back?

The drought will only make humans destroy whats left faster, plans are now underway to drain wetlans on the Murray, water catchments are dry and Tess wants the same for Tas.

"Tess" should know that Forest activists in Tasmania are NOT out to get the contractors who log the forests. Contractors are told where to go by the inept forest managers and the woodchip bosses. Unfortunately, Forestry Tasmania has sent contractors out to build new roads and log in a pristine wildernes forest that has had access or logging. It is not suprising that the Tasmanian community reacts. Also, forest activists do not damage contractor's machinery. They put themselves on the line to defend these forests. Can you tell me of one case where activists have been convicted of damaging machinery in the Weld Valley??
Lastly, Tess's statistic of 90% of oldgrowth protected is completely ridiculous. Once Forestry has logged the last forests then 100% of oldgrowth will be reserved. The more they log, the higher the percentage that is reserved. That is a meaningless statistic.

Tess said:
"The contractors are sick of having their equipment damaged by these people."

Well, Tess. If you've ever been to Tasmania and spoken to the honest contractors and police officers who work in the Huon Valley area, you would know that to date no forest defenders who have tried to protect the Weld Valley have actually damaged any equipment!

On the other hand, Forestry Tasmania have taken and damaged equipment from blockaders, tackled and heavily-handled protestors, contractors have burnt and damanged vehicles... and the list goes on. And this is first-hand information.

You should probably stop generalising and start finding out true information yourself.

Tess said:
"Over 90% of Tasmania's Old Growth is locked up"

FIY:

Forestry Tasmania says: "the activists had repeatedly failed to acknowledge that 82% of the Weld Valley was protected within the World Heritage Area."

The reality is: Activists have acknowledged that large portions of the Weld Valley are protected within the World Heritage area, but this only enhances the argument for comprehensive protection for the remaining area and its values.

While only portions of the valley are protected within the World Heritage area, the entire valley contains unique features of world heritage significance. The lower Weld Valley is a large, diverse area comprising several thousand hectares of pristine forests, button grass and riverine landscapes, outside of protection. The lower Weld contains outstanding natural features, including tall forests, breathtaking views, spectacular unnamed waterfalls, cave and karst systems.

In recognition of these and other values the area has been identified as of World Heritage value. Experts including the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, Scientists commissioned by the Australian Federal Government in the 1990's and Tasmania's Parks and Wildlife service have all argued that the the current reserve boundary in the lower Weld Valley is inadequate to protect the conservation values of the area.

The reason that the lower Weld was left unprotected is not because it doesn't include significant values, it is because it contains rich stands of tall eucalypt forest that the woodchip industry wants to log.

As of yesterday (24.11.06) 20 supporters of the Weld Valley have been arrested trying to defend it from destruction.