Let the images speak for themselves. Each image is clickable.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Styx Cable Logging
Logging operations were stopped for the day in old growth forest in the Styx Valley while 40 conservationists in Hobart CBD marked out the shape of the 72 hectare Styx Valley logging coupe.
"It took over two hours for 40 people to mark the giant area that is getting clearfelled in the Styx Valley right now. This massive coupe represents just one of 290 native forest logging coupes on public land that Premier Bartlett will decimate this financial year." spokesperson Ed Hill said.
Follow this link to view the superimposed map.
"This logging site in the Styx Valley doesn't look much different to illegal logging sites in Indonesia, the difference being that logging of rainforest in Tasmania is legal." Mr Hill said.
"Tasmania should be world leader in sustainable forestry; instead Premier Bartlett is clearfell cable logging huge swathes of old growth forest right to the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area boundary."
"As the logging industry faces major cut backs and stagnant markets it is obvious there is necessity for re-invention. Cable logging is out dated, highly destructive, and clearly not the sustainable direction the industry needs to be heading.” Said Mr Hill.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
MORE FLORENTINE CHARGES DROPPED
Police question credibility of FT staff
Charges of assault and public nuisance against forest protestors in the Upper Florentine have been dropped in Hobart magistrate’s court today. Natalie Keene, 31 of Hobart, Ali Alishah, 25 of Hobart and Lee Sargent 29 of Kaoota had charges of assault and public nuisance dropped and Lauren Platzer, 23 of Kaoota, had her public nuisance charge dropped.
Principal legal officer Mark Miller made a statement in court that questioned the credibility of Forestry Tasmania employees involved in the incident as they used their cars to block a road preventing peaceful protesters from leaving the area. Mr Miller also made it clear that no peaceful protester was committing a nuisance or assault as Forestry Tasmania staff claimed.
"Once again we're seeing Forestry Tasmania leading the police down the garden path to once again make wrongful arrests of peaceful forest defenders. Premier Bartlett must resolve this issue and engage with forest campaigners rather than leaving it up to Tasmania police who have repeatedly had to drop charges due to FT’s incompetence and misleading claims that have led to dozens of wrongful arrests.
Forestry Tasmania is a government enterprise out of control; Premier Bartlett must pull them into line and resolve the continual cycle of his police force being misled and making wrongful arrests." Said spokesperson Ed Hill.
"This situation exemplifies Forestry Tasmania's approach to dealing with the public, lie, intimidate and misuse the law. Premier Bartlett must insist FT change the way they do business and resolve the ongoing conflict by giving ancient forests the protection the deserve whilst ensuring a sustainable future for the timber industry by making use of existing plantations." Said spokesperson Ed Hill.
"When this incident occurred in May this year Still Wild Still Threatened consistently stated that these charges were blatantly wrongful and would be thrown out in court. Peaceful forest defenders have been presumed guilty until proven innocent when they've been innocent all along. FT and the State government have vilified forest defenders for their supposed illegal actions and once again they've been found to be legal. Premier Bartlett needs to recognise community concern over the destruction of the Upper Florentine rather than accepting the advice of incompetent and untruthful employees of FT." Said Mr Hill.
"Mr Miller's comments about this incident make it clear that FT staff were the only people committing a nuisance by illegally detaining forest protesters using a government vehicle to block an access road. Still Wild Still Threatened is currently seeking legal advice over the potential for police to charge FT staff with public nuisance." Said Mr Hill.
"Today's decision by the police to not proceed with the charges vindicates the right of our community to peacefully stand up for Tasmania's ancient forests." Concluded Mr. Hill.
MORE FLORENTINE PROTEST CHARGES TO BE DROPPED
Accusations of assaulting Forestry Tasmania staff unfounded
Tasmania police are today dropping assault and public nuisance charges against four conservationists, arrested in the Upper Florentine last May. Principal legal officer for the police, Mr Mark Miller, will make a statement on the reasons for discontinuing the prosecution against defendants Alishah, Keene, Platzer and Sargent in the Hobart Magistrates Court today at 11.30am in Court No. 4.
“Protests in the Upper Florentine have always been peaceful. Still Wild Still Threatened is committed to peaceful protest and despite Forestry Tasmania’s attempts to discredit the environment movement by making unfounded accusations of violence, we will continue to stand up and peacefully protest against the brutal violence that is logging of ancient forests.” Said spokesperson Ed Hill.
“The forest defenders whose charges have been dropped have constantly maintained their innocence and today Tasmania police will confirm this. Forestry Tasmania needs to stop leading Tasmania police down the garden path and stop using their politically driven influence that leads police to make wrongful arrests.” Said spokesperson Ed Hill.
On Monday, prosecutions against another 16 Florentine protesters were adjourned so that the police could seek advice from the Crown Law office and DPP regarding Forestry Tasmania's claim that another exclusion zone had been found.
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