This morning, forest defenders returned to protest and halt logging of ancient forests near Tasmania’s Lake St Clair.

Huon Valley woman Fi Gipters is defending the Tasmanian Devil habitat in Waykaywirinu / Central Highlands by attaching herself to a destructive logging machine.

“Native forest logging is having a direct and damaging impact on global heating and climate and killing wildlife while removing their crucial habitats. Tasmania has just witnessed distressing images of a Tasmanian Devil devastated by devil facial tumour disease (DFTD) while lightning strikes started fires last night in Takayna. This is a climate and extinction emergency and yet politicians insist on exacerbating it with logging critically important forests,” said Jenny Weber, Campaigns Manager at Bob Brown Foundation.

“By their actions and their inaction, state and federal governments are saying they don’t care about extinctions and they don’t care about our planet and future generations.
We have a prime minister who has come out as nature-negative, ignoring the science for short-term gain. Today, with the help of my beautiful friends, I am taking a stand against this heartbreaking, criminal destruction,” said 58-year-old Fi Gipters, who is terrified for the future of our planet.

“Tasmania’s politicians are complicit in the climate emergency and extinction crisis by continuing to log native forests. Politicians are giving the finger to global heating and escalating bushfire risk by the ongoing logging of essential forests,” said Colette Harmsen from the forests.

“Direct action in native forests is necessary for as long as native forests are being annihilated. The future of our planet is worth it,” said Colette Harmsen.