Arve Action 13/0/807

Media Release

13 August 2007

Tasmania’s Southern Forests Defenders halt logging in Arve Valley

“Two forest defenders in Tasmania’s Southern Forests have this morninghalted operations in an Arve Valley clearfell. Today’s action is to highlight the value of natural forests in mitigating climate change andthe enormous ecosystem loss that occurs with clearfelling Tasmania’sancient forests,” Huon Valley Environment Centre spokesperson JennyWeber said.

“Two activists are occupying treesits suspended from machinery in agiant 83 hectare Arve Valley clearfell,” Jenny Weber said.

"Australian and international research proves that logging mature andold growth forests , and converting them to managed regrowth, leads tomassive carbon emissions," said spokesperson Jenny Weber.

"Australian experts have recommended preserving older, natural forestsas a practical and cost effective means to mitigate the effects ofclimate change. Preserving existing old forests is now seen as moreeffective than growing new trees or plantations." Jenny Weber said.

“We call on the Federal and State Governments to end the large scaleland clearing that is robbing Tasmania of it’s natural landscapes. Ifthe fast track chemical and pulp mill continues, it will be a disasterfor the future of Tasmania’s old growth tall forests,” Jenny Weber said.


Back to the Arve.

Fifteen crew stopped work yesterday in AR41A. This ugly, old growth clearfell is adjacent to the 950 ha Arve Loop Reserve, and connected through pristine forest to the Hartz NP and Picton Valley. A sit suspended of a cable loop to three machines hedl up work until 1pm. FT and cops then left and contractors began felling in another area of the coupe, even though activists were known to be in the bush in teh immediate area. This was pretty unfortunate given the good interaction between crew and contractors at this action and the previous one.

The loaders were kept by the sit all day, with the bunny escaping by night fall. Three activists were told by FT rep Terry Ware they woudl be summonsed or arrested at a later date as a result of him signing statutory declaratiosn that they refused to leave the exclusion zone, even though he produced no firm evidence that the area in question was in an exclusion zone.

Letter to Editor


Forestry Tasmania have declared yet another exclusion zone in the Tasmanian public's Southern Forests. The Arve Valley, west of Geeveston, is the latest area to be locked up, denying the public a chance to view or prevent the destruction of ancient forests.

As the Weilangta appeal begins,this appears to be a part of FT's genuine efforts to protect threatened species. This time however, the threatened species is the old growth logger.

Exlusion zones now cover significant sections of the Arve,Little Denison, Styx,Upper Florentine, and Gordon State Forests, as well as the Weld Valley, which has been closed to the public since November 15 2006. The Southern Forests is starting to resemble a "wildlife habitat corridor", though not for rare and endangered species such as the Little Denison Crayfish or the Wdge Tailed Eagle, but for the anachronistic and struggling old growth logging industry.

Areas such as the Weld, which Forestry Tasmania actively promotes as a tourist drawcard, despite the fact that the public are not legally allowed to visit the area, contain ancient forests which are being sacrificed to the woodchippers. It is time that FT stopped hiding the destruction being unleashed behind locked gates, and allowed the public access to every piece of their unique Southern Forests. Isn't Forestry mandated to utilise the forest for the good of all Tasmanians', not just those who own shares in Gunns Limited?

Warrick Jordan,
Lucaston