Forest defenders from the Bob Brown Foundation have ignited flares on Parliament House lawns in Hobart’s CBD today, protesting the flattening and incineration of native forests and the staggering losses that have resulted. The protesters are calling for an immediate ban on the Tasmanian government’s practice of post-logging burns, which have been responsible for numerous fires and the burning of thousands of hectares of wild landscapes.
“Every autumn, Forestry Tasmania ruins air quality while conducting what they call ‘regeneration burns’ in native forest areas that were logged in the previous 1-2 years. Helicopters fly over the landscape, dropping a napalm-like substance that creates a fire hotter than anything this landscape can withstand. The fires burn so hot they destroy the soil seed bank, only allowing a few select species to survive. These burns also release tonnes of carbon into the atmosphere contributing to the climate crisis. This archaic and destructive practice is accelerating the climate and biodiversity crises,” said Lisa Searle, Forests Campaigner for the Bob Brown Foundation.
“We are demonstrating here today to send a message to our decision-makers that we will not tolerate the ongoing incineration of native forests. There is no time left to lose. The Bob Brown Foundation is calling on the Tasmanian government to end this destructive practice and take urgent action to protect what remains of the state’s unique and precious native forests and endangered species,” Bob Brown Foundation’s Campaign Manager Jenny Weber said.