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BBF cleared to run marathon through SST managed forest

The Bob Brown Foundation’s takayna Trail ultramarathon event in Tasmania will go ahead after a Supreme Court hearing on Thursday cleared the way. Sustainable Timber Tasmania had rejected the application from the foundation to hold the event which would be run through STT managed forests. Source: Timberbiz

The race – in its third year – seeks to raise money to support the Bob Brown Foundation campaign to have the takayna/Tarkine protected as a World Heritage listed National Park and returned to Aboriginal ownership.

The foundation sought the Supreme Court action to prevent STT blocking the race.

However, STT told the court on Thursday that the foundation did not need STT’s consent to run the takayna Trail and that a permit was not required.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Sustainable Timber Tasmania later said the organisation had “reaffirmed its position that it does not provide land manager’s consent for the event to occur on Permanent Timber Production Zone land.

“STT made it clear in the proceeding … that at no stage has it ever said it would restrict public access to Permanent Timber Production Zone land in this instance, and that remains its position.”

The organisation reiterated that while it did not support or encourage this run from going ahead, it would not restrict the BBF from proceeding.

“Now that STT have confirmed that a permit is not required from them, this removes the final hurdle for National Parks and Wildlife Service issuing their permit for the event to go ahead on 20 March,” Bob Brown Foundation’s CEO Steven Chaffer said.

The case has been set for a further hearing on Thursday 4 March at 2:15 pm for BBF’s application for an injunction.