Protest actions in the under-represented Counsel Valley

Forest Activists Expose Forest Destruction Adjacent to World Heritage Area

Today forest activists halted roading operations by peacefully occupying old growth forests of the Counsel adjacent to the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. This protest was undertaken to expose what seems to be a strategy to carve up forests close to the TWWWHA boundary, removing any wilderness values ensuring these areas will not be protected in the future.

“The spectacular Eucalyptus regnans forest of  CO2B in the Counsel is an outstanding example of what was deliberately left out of the World Heritage so that Forestry Tasmania could have unrestrained access to destroy them. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)  points out that the tall eucalypt forests are underrepresented within the protected area but Forestry Tas. is out roading and loggin right next to the protected area so the boundary will never be extended.”

“The Tasmanian community is calling on the World Heritage Committee to immediately condemn the large increase in raoding activities adjacent to the World Heritage Area and to strongly reiterate it’s request for extension of the boundaries to include the tall eucalypt forests of Tasmania’s Southern Forests,” said Ms Keene.