Logging Halted in Upper Florentine

A man and a woman have force logging operations to halt this morning when the conservationists chained themselves to logging machinery. The protester scaled the walls of a locked cage that logging machinery is parked in nightly and attached themselves to harvesting equipment. Police search and rescue have attended the logging coupe daily since operations began on May 4 and are expected to remove to protesters shortly.

Logging operations entered their fourth week as Forestry Tasmania used dynamite to blow up ancient trees deemed to dangerous to cut.

"In just 27 days over 25 ha of this pristine old growth forest has already been liquidated for woodchips. The speed of this operation is unprecedented and highlights the government's eagerness to get it done quickly as it is clearly unpopular amongst constituents." Said spokesperson Ed Hill

"The actions today have temporarily stopped logging of trees that were seedlings when Abel Tasman first set foot in Tasmania in 1642. Later today these same trees will be on their way to the wood chip mill and eventually exported to Asia. This is reckless and irresponsible management of Tasmania's heritage and it is shameful to think that we are continuing down this self destructive path well into the 21st century."  Said Mr.Hill

"Until logging of the Upper Florentine ceases, the community will continue peaceful stop work actions. The community has had enough of the Bartlett government's spineless approach to this issue." Mr Hill said

"The Bartlett government has continually ignored opportunities for constructive dialogue with conservation groups to come to a solution to this decades long dispute. Premier Bartlett needs acknowledge that the old growth logging debate is one of the most serious issues for this state. The Premier must show leadership and engage with conservation groups rather than taking the "ignore it and it will go away" approach." Said Mr Hill.

"The Tasmanian government is making a mockery of the federal government’s commitment to help end logging of rainforest in developing countries, by logging old growth rainforest in their own back yards."

"Peter Garrett and Kevin Rudd need to step in and stop the senseless destruction of Australian rainforest." Concluded Mr Hill.