6/2/2002

FORESTRY AVOID WORLD HERITAGE QUESTION DURING BLOCKADE

Forestry Tasmania’s response to the community obstruction of a logging road in Southern Tasmania has been criticized for avoiding the fact that the Weld Valley was recommended for world heritage listing by the State Government’s own Parks and Wildlife Service and the World Conservation Union.

The community obstruction of the logging road into the valley has been in place since Monday, and features a spectacular tree-sit, linked by cables to the forestry gate on the road. Activists say they plan to block the road for as long as it takes to highlight the plight of the Weld.

Adam Burling, from the Native Forest Network said today, “All we’ve had from Forestry so far is the usual clever use of statistics on forest logging classifications, instead of a genuine effort to face the central issue, which is that they want to destroy the Weld Valley.

“Just standing amongst the awesomely giant trees in the Weld, vindicates its world heritage credentials and completely blows away any arguments in favour of clearfelling this place.

(END: Contact Adam Burling or Jenny Weber; email aburling@nfn.org.au <mailto:aburling@nfn.org.au> We come out from the action to check this email each afternoon).

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The Native Forest Network- The Southern Forest Alliance- The GAIA Foundation Tasmania.

For updates, see www.tasforests.green.net.au