Endangered species protest and Environment ministers meeting

Conservationists from Still Wild Still Threatened are protesting at the national meeting of environment ministers at Wrest point today.

Protesters are staging a performance called the Endangered Species Banquet. Two protesters in a double headed fat man suit are devouring a Tasmanian devil served up by a representative of the Forest Industry. 

Two protesters dressed as possums have climbed two flag poles outside the main entrance and are displaying the banner "For Devil's sake, bin the RFA Garrett"

“The forests of the Upper Florentine are refuges for endangered species such as the Tasmanian Devil and Wedge Tailed Eagle. There is federal legislation that protects these animals in the form of the Environment Protection Biodiversity Conservation act; however the Regional Forest Agreement is exempt. Peter Garrett must intervene to protect Tasmania’s old growth forests and up hold the EPBC act which the Tasmanian Government and the RFA is making a mockery of” said spokesperson Ed Hill.

"We want to send a clear message to Peter Garret that he must put an end to David Bartlett's extinction experiment in our old growth forests. We encourage Peter Garrett to bring in a container deposit policy, but we strongly urge him to bin the RFA for the sake of our unique threatened fauna.' Said Mr Hill

"Everyday in Tasmania we are loosing irreplaceable endangered species habitat, we have reached crisis point for certain species such as the swift parrot. Time and time again the State Government has abandoned endangered species and doomed them to extinction. It is widely accepted that the Swift Parrott is nearly extinct and the Bartlett Government is facilitating this by allowing logging of its habitat. This is not good enough for a species on the brink of extinction that is protected by federal legislation."

“A Senate inquiry into the RFA will soon reveal the truth about this utterly flawed process, which provides no protection to endangered species” said Mr Hill.

MEDIA UPDATE 20/5/09 10:00am

Photo Copyright : Matthew Newton www.matthewnewton.com.au

Police have arrested four people this morning at a blockade of Gordon River Rd. A woman dressed as a giant black cockatoo was removed from an 8 meter high tripod by police who cut down the legs of the structure piece by piece. A woman who remained in the area as an observer was arrested in the forest surrounding the blockade. Police have arrested another female conservationist who they believe is in breach of bail and have warned that warrants for committing a nuisance will be issued to five others who were in the area.

Police searched cars that were leaving the protest confiscating cameras, video equipment and mobile phones. Three 48 hour "move on" orders have been issued in the last 24 hours, temporarily removing individual conservationists from the area of public land.

"The massive police operation we've seen this month to protect the old growth logging industry is a waste of the state's time and money as is the wood chipping of our world heritage valued forests. David Bartlett must act in the public interest and protect the ancient forests of the Upper Florentine rather than drain police resources to uphold the archaic wood chipping agenda of climate criminals Gunns Limited." Said spokesperson Ed Hill.

The road has now re-opened and logging of the old growth forest continues. Protests are expected to continue throughout the week.

Black Cockatoo stops Logging Destruction

Photo copyright: Matthew Newton www.matthewnewton.com.au

Twenty conservationists have established a blockade on Gordon River Rd in the Upper Florentine Valley this morning. An 8 metre high tripod has been erected and a giant black cockatoo is perched at the top. The tripod structure is preventing access for log trucks to the contentious old growth logging area in the Upper Florentine while enabling access for tourists.

“Today we have stopped the transportation of our high conservation value old growth forests, from the south west wilderness, to the Triabunna chip mill and then to the Asian market place to make low grade paper product” said Still Wild Still Threatened spokesperson Ed Hill.

“The old growth forests of the Upper Florentine are far more valuable left standing for tourism, climate stability, biodiversity and endangered species retention. Instead the Bartlett government insists on strategic and swift liquidation of these iconic areas for short term marginal economic gains” said Mr Hill.

“David Bartlett has shown his true environmental credentials this month, starting with the liquidation of ancient forest for wood chips in the Upper Florentine one week and then taking the axe to Tasmania’s environment department” said Mr Hill.

“David Bartlett’s blatant disregard for the environment as an issue for Tasmania is worrying indeed. Tasmania’s environment is the foundation of our economy and society. The Premier is not creating a “new Tasmania”, he is re-hashing the worst policies of the Lennon era” said Mr Hill.

“The forests of the Upper Florentine are refuges for threatened species such as the Tasmanian Devil and Wedge Tailed Eagle. There is federal legislation that protects these animals in the form of the EPBC act; however the Regional Forest Agreement is exempt. The Federal Government must intervene to protect Tasmania’s old growth forests and up hold their EPBC act which the Tasmanian Government and the RFA is making a mockery of” said Mr Hill.

“A Senate inquiry into the RFA will soon reveal the truth about this utterly flawed process, which provides no protection to endangered species” concluded Mr Hill. 

 

Arrests are expected to take place today at the protest site.

22 Arrests on Mother's Day in Forest Protest

300 people attended the rally at the start of the controversial new logging road. Speakers including Tim Morris MP, Geoff Law, and acclaimed photographer Rob Blakers addressed the crowd, as well as local forest campaigners and Derwent valley residents. 

Police formed a human barricade across the road to try and prevent conservationists from entering the exclusion zone. A number of Derwent Valley residents who have been lobbying the government to save the area crossed the line in peaceful protest and were arrested. This brought the total number of arrests to 15.

50 people then walked down Timbs Track, a walking track that parallels the logging area not in the exclusion zone. From there they walked through the rainforest and into the coupe. As a result police ordered logging contractors to stop work and their machines were locked into a giant cage that has been constructed. Once in the coupe, 7 further community members were arrested, bringing the total arrests to 22. 32 people have been arrested in the last week.

A diverse range of people were arrested including veteran forest campaigner Geoff Law, a local woman in her seventies from Westerway and a 17 year old male.

"Today's rally highlights the massive amount of support for the campaign to end old growth logging. David Bartlett must solve this dispute swiftly if he doesn't want it to become an election issue, which it most likely will as the majority of Tasmanians want to see an end to this wood chip driven madness," said spokesperson Ed Hill.

"The huge diversity of people from all walks of life here today confirms that this is a mainstream issue that average Tasmania's want solved before it is too late for our old growth forests," said Mr. Hill. "The Tasmanian public has had enough of this government's rampant old growth logging regime, they have had enough of the lies that Forestry Tasmania pedal to try and prop up their obviously unsustainable industry, and they have had enough of seeing their forests sold off with marginal returns to the tax payer and massive profits for climate criminals Gunns ltd." Said Mr Hill.

"Today we had local community members getting arrested for defending their own backyard. Local residents of the Derwent Valley have exhausted all other avenues of campaigning. They have been refused a meeting with Premier Bartlett and Primary Industries Minister David Llewellyn several times. Now as the chainsaws and bulldozers tear apart this ancient forest, what option to these people have but peaceful community protest?" said Ed Hill.

The 22 arrested were taken to Hobart where they are currently being processed, they have been charged with trespass.

All photos: Matthew Newton www.matthewnewton.com.au

Conserationist Bailed under Virtual House Arrest

The protester who chained her self to a truck carrying pulp logs from the Upper Florentine has been charged and bailed. Bridget Gattenby, 21 of Mountain River was charged with public nuisance and obstructing a road. Her bail conditions prevent her from leaving her familly home between the hours of 7am and 3pm daily and state that she may have to present herself to police if requested to do so.

 

"Tasmania police continue to show the public whose interests they really represent. By enforcing heavy handed and over-the-top bail conditions on peaceful protesters the police are clearly acting in the interest of Forestry Tasmania and Gunns Limited. This is an attempt by Tasmania police to try stamp out peaceful protests in the Upper Florentine by trying to make it hard as possible for peaceful protesers to conduct their activities," said spokesperson Ed Hill.

 

"I'm virtually under house arrest. I thought that bail conditions like the ones i have were only used on serious criminals who pose a threat to society, not peaceful demonstrators who are actually trying to bring positive change which will benefit the whole commmunity. These bail conditions are obvioulsy politically motivated, I pose no threat to society and do don't deserve to be under virtual house arrest. Tasmania police seem to be more interested in protecting the profits of Gunns Ltd than acting in the public interest," said Bridget Gattenby.

 

"What we are seeing here is an obvious step up in the approach of Tasmania police in relation to bail conditions. On Wednesday 5 people were arrested and recieved various heavy handed conditions such as curfews and daily reports to the police. Today they placed a bright young woman with vision for our future under virtual house arrest. This has obviously been a concerted decision from police to step up their attack on environmentalists. David Bartlett is using the police force as his own privated forest millitia to oversee the annihilation of our remaing areas of old growth forest," said Ed Hill.

 

"Tasmania police refused to investigate an alledged assault by a Forestry Tasmania employee on Wednesday. It is unacceptable that the police wont even investigate an assault committed by Forestry Tasmania yet they are happy to place a peaceful protester who poses no threat to society under virtual house arrest," said spokesperson Ed Hill.

Pulp logs head to woodchip mill

A female protester who chained herself to a truck carrying pulp logs, in the Upper Florentine has been arrested this evening. She has been taken to Bridgewater police station for processing. This is the tenth arrest in five days since police began removing protesters from the area. Police have maintained a constant presence at the logging site since 5:30am monday morning and have told protesters they will be there untill logging has finished.

 

"Tasmania police are acting like the private security guards of corporate climate criminals Gunns Ltd. It is not in the public interest for their police force to be overseers of the destruction of our finest natural heritage. It seems the Bartlett government is happy to funnel as much money as it takes into this police operation to see that this ancient wilderness forest is obilerated forever," said Ed Hill.

"I'm sure many of the officers out there would prefer to be keeping the community safe catching real criminals rather than prosecuting people who unselfishly take a stand for Tasmania's forests. Peaceful activists pose no threat to our community, they are trying to improve our community and environment not threaten it," concluded Mr Hill.

Conservationist stops woodchip truck

A conservationist has chained herself to a log truck on Gordon River road in the Upper Florentine this afternoon. The truck is carrying pulp logs from the old growth forest coupe FO44A to the Gunns-owned Triabunna chip mill.

The road is blocked to truck traffic however cars can still get through. The blockade has prevented three gravel trucks from carrying out work on the controversial road into wilderness forest. 

 

"The timber on the back of this truck was once a part of 400 and 500 year old trees that were mature long before the world had even heard of Australia. These are some of the last temperate tall forests in the world that should be regarded as a national treasure. Instead Premier Bartlett is sanctioning their destruction for low grade paper products for the Asian market," said spokesperson Ed Hill.

 

"Forestry Tasmania claims yesterday that coupe FO44A in the Upper Florentine has a "very high volume" of sawlogs are utterly ridiculous. Last January Forestry Tasmania publicly conceded that 80 to 90% of the timber in the coupe would be woodchipped. How can anyone believe Ken Jefferey's out right lies regarding saw log volume when Forestry Tasmania have already admitted that the vast majority of the coupe will be chipped. The fact of the matter is that the forest is so ancient that there simply aren't many saw logs in their to start with. Most trees are very old, hollow, twisted and unsuitable for milling. Forestry's pathetic lies over saw log volume are an attempt to convince a very sceptical public of the legitimacy of the operation which is clearly woodchip driven," Ed Hill said.

 

"We are already seeing the start of a massive down turn in the woodchip market, with ports drowning under woodchip stockpiles and mills being forced to close periodically. Why then does the Labor government insist on decimating these last pristine areas that will be thrown on the chip heap and attempted to be sold in an increasingly stagnant market?"

"This is a last ditch effort by Forestry Tasmania under the guidance of Gunns and with the financial backing of the Bartlett government to systematically destroy these final areas before a senate inquiry recommends changes to the regional forest agreement to not be exempt from the Environment Protection Biodiversity and Conservation Act," concluded spokesperson Ed Hill.