Southern Tasmania
A community run initiative to survey and understand the impacts of logging in High Conservation and Old Growth Forests in Southern Tasmania;
Forestry Watch
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Click Here to enter Forestry Watch
Run By the Huon Valley ENvironment Centre
Weld
River
One of the last wild rivers in south eastern Tasmania. The Weld valley
protrudes ino the World Heritage area, excluded from world heritage
status only because of it's magnificent tall timbers and accessability
to the forest industry.
The Weld River is a favourite fishing spot for many locals and becoming renowned world wide as a mecca for wild river Trout fishing. A new bridge has been constructed and new road networks are making their mark. Areas adjoining the world heritage area have already gone under the chainsaw.
The Weld River deserves protection and conservation due to it's world heritage qualities, wild river status and as a mecca for fishing enthusiasts world wide.
To go to the Weld Community Picket website, then click on me.
Short History of the Weld Valley, by Will Mooney, Click Here
Recherche Bay Southport
The heritage of Recherche Bay is in danger The landing place of the d’Entrecasteaux expedition (1792-1793), the site of the collection of many botanic species including Eucalyptus Globulus, Tasmania’s floral emblem, and the meeting place of the French and Tasmanian indigenous people will be logged in the next year unless you act now. Already a logging road has been bulldozed a kilometre into the Southport Lagoon Conservation Area.
Go to the Recherche Bay Website Great visuals and interactive map
Styx
Valley
The Styx valley is an area of some of the worlds tallest trees. Labelled
the 'Valley of the Giants' by the Wilderness Society, this is an area
where Forestry are trying as quickly as possible to destroy all qualities
of ancient grandour.
If you want to know anything about the Styx Valley then talk to the tasmanian branch of the Wilderness Society, they run tours and have been highly active for many years in the Styx forests campaign.
go to the wilderness socity website: Styx Valley TWIS
Southwood
Huon Proposal
. Southwood is a proposal put forward by Forestry Tasmania and fully
backed by the Bacon/Lennon Government for a woodchipping industrial
park based in the Huon Valley on the banks of the Huon River The project
has been called 'investment ready' , which means that Forestry Tasmania
provides the infrastructure and government approval for the project.
The industrial theme park will consume over 800,000 tonnes per annum
, 300,000 of which will be burnt in a forest furnace.
Southwood has inspired much community opposition to its proposal and highlighted to the mainstream the destruction on Southern Forests by the woodchipping industry. The idea of burning native forests under the guise of 'Green Energy' has further exemplified the desperate situation the woodchipping industry is in and only further angered local community. The green energy certification has been allowed by the Federal government's Renewable Energy Act, which allows 'wood waste' to be certified.
This is one of three proposals for Tasmania to develop woodchip fired power stations. Southwood can only be seen as a last ditch effort to prop up the crumbling industry of the woodchipping giants. World markets are being flooded by plantations and more sustainable standards are being sought with greater quality woodchips other than those from old growth forests. The forest industries could pull out of clearfelling old growth forests but are securing other avenues, such as Southwood, to continue their onslaught of native forests.
For more info you can visit the Huon Valley Environment Centre or call
62 641 286, check out the Southwood web site,
or your local community web site at:
Southwood Symposium
September 26, 2003
Plantation establishment
Residential/rural
areas; Judbury, Franklin, Cradoc, Lucaston.
Forest Enterprises Australia (FEA) and Gunns have moved into the Huon
Valley. Although signatories to the 'Good Neighbour Charter', they are
anything but good neighbours.
FEA are a tax insentive company, "invest in us you'll receive 100% tax back on your investment." There primary concern seems to be tax recovery and property deals, not growing trees. The company has been convicted by the Australian Securities and Investment Commision on many different levels of dodgy corporate behaviour.
.....go to ASIC's ruling on these charges.....
FEA use helicopters to spray roundup and brushoff, polluting water ways and destroying drinking water sources such as dams and spring systems with their over use of chemicals. 1080 is used to destroy native wildlife that love to eat their monoculture crops of Eucalyptus Niten. Once FEA have used roundup to poison all living plant matter, they plant these wastelands with nitens, a genetically enginered super tree species. The native animals have lost their food source and have nothing to eat but newly planted fertilised young trees which has been proven to be of a high desirability to possums and wallabies.
Poor neighbour relations led to the 1080 community picket in Judbury, Bermuda Road where FEA's gates were picketed for 8 days preventing them from using 1080.
FEA have recently been trialing alternative measures to 1080. These include shooting, trapping and placing tree gaurds around their seedlings.These are positive steps and should be further encouraged.
The clearing
of native forest for plantation establishment is of major concern. This
charge in plantation development is spearheaded by the '2020 Vision'.
This vision is aiming at removing any obstacles for the plantation industry.
From council legislation to community concerns, the 2020 vision is aiming
to cause Tasmanians a whole lot more trouble.
If your community has concerns over a forestry development or something of interest in your area then please send us your story at:
tasforests@yahoo.com.au