Logging in Tasmania’s Southern Central Highlands has been halted today by Bob Brown Foundation protests, to highlight the dramatic increase in the clearing of ancient forests. This latest devastation is in coupe BD002C, northeast of Wayatinah and on the edges of the Franklin – Gordon Wild Rivers National Park. Fourteen activists put themselves between the machines and these critically important carbon-dense forests. Activists are holding red flags in the coupe to highlight the environmental emergency being created by logging of old growth forests.
Two protesters have locked themselves to forest destroying machinery to call for protection of the old forests that are rich with wildlife habitat in this region.
“Australia’s most aggressive clearfell logging in old forests is happening right now in Tasmania’s remote Southern Central Highlands. This is not a record we should be proud of,” said Bob Brown Foundation campaigner, Erik Hayward.
“There is a forest massacre happening in this remote part of Tasmania and these forests need protection. Over 5 km of new roads have demolished forests since July 2022, opening new areas of pristine forests for logging. The logging areas are a red flag for climate change, the loss of endangered species and the trashing of forests with trees that are hundreds of years old. We cannot afford to lose any more of these critically important areas for conservation,” said Erik Hayward.
“Seventy-eight per cent of this particular logging area, BD002C, is being sent to the chip mills for cheap export to China as pulp. Not only are these native forest carbon stores being trashed but they are trashed at a huge cost to the taxpayer.”
“There are Forestry Tasmania red flags all over the state, from the clearing of Swift Parrot breeding grounds and giant eucalypt forest destruction in the Southern Central Highlands. Native forest logging needs to end before we lose an entire region of rare ancient forests,” said Erik Hayward.
Bob Brown Foundation’s report card on this region shows:
• Total forests scheduled to be logged in 2022-2023 season: 2000 hectares
• Estimated area of forests already logged (ie currently active OR already completed): 1528 hectares
• Total of length of roads scheduled to be built into pristine forests: 8.2km
• Estimated length of roads already pushed into forests: 5.5km