- New logging planned in Takayna will be met with community resistance, say forest defenders
After a meeting in Burnie today, Forestry Tasmania revealed that they had logged a highly controversial Masked Owl habitat in Takayna, despite Tasmanian logging Minister Abetz assuring Bob Brown Foundation that the forest was off the logging plan.
More than 100 people defended the remote forests of Frankland River in June 2024, and today we were told the state logging agency re-entered this forest in the area in June 2025, after Minister Eric Abetz had written to Bob Brown Foundation in July 2024, confirming that the coupe had been removed from the three-year logging plan.
“Either Minister Abetz has lied to our foundation, or he has lost control of his agency. What is clear is that the so-called management of native forest logging is a farce. Native forest logging must end,” said Scott Jordan, Bob Brown Foundation Takayna Campaigner.
FR002A is not listed in the annual update to the Three Year Wood Production Plan, and therefore is unlikely to be subject to further forest harvesting operations. Eric Abetz, 24 July 2024. (Letter below)
Scott Jordan and Campaigns Manager Jenny Weber today met with representatives of Forestry Tasmania to hear about their intention to destroy another native forest in the north of Takayna, when it was revealed they had destroyed sensitive endangered species habitat on the Frankland and Arthur Rivers in June.
“Forestry Tasmania has confirmed they intend to destroy another Masked Owl habitat. Forestry Tasmania’s plan to clearfell log these forests will destroy mature leatherwood forests where we have numerous records of endangered Tasmanian Devils,” said Scott Jordan.
“We made it clear today that the native forests of Takayna and Tasmania need secure protection from logging. We put Forestry Tasmania on notice that we will be standing with the community to defend this forest in Takayna if they send in the logging machines at taxpayer expense,” said Jenny Weber, Bob Brown Foundation Campaigns Manager.