Sustainable Timber Tasmania has rejected claims by the Bob Brown Foundation that protests have shut down logging operations in the logging coupe north of the Pieman River in the South-East Tarkine. The protest is the second in the Tarkine in recent weeks, with a separate action focussed on an area near the Que River.Source: Timberbiz
“Our occupation of these forests has successfully forced the loggers to abandon further destruction of these remarkable ancient forests and we will stay in these ancient forests until the last machine is out,” Bob Brown Foundation organiser Dr Lisa Searle said.
However, Sustainable Timber Tasmania has confirmed harvesting activity has already finished for the summer after meeting customer requirements for product from site BO092C near the Pieman River.
“To be clear, operations did not conclude due to protest action, as deliberately misrepresented by the Bob Brown Foundation,” a STT statement said.
“The remaining tasks to be completed now include timber processing, as well as rehabilitation work, which protects soil and water values prior to the forest workers leaving the site.
“The presence of protesters on site continues to hamper these important rehabilitation efforts from being done in a safe and efficient manner.”
Greens MP Rosalie Woodruff said the area was one of outstanding natural beauty and should be spared as part of the fight against climate change.
But Infrastructure Minister Michael Ferguson rejected the call and said the government stood behind the forestry industry.
“There’s just a PR war with misinformation coming from the Bob Brown Foundation.
“This is selective harvesting of special species in an area that even in the Green-Labor Tasmanian forestry agreement was okay, but now it’s not okay.
“We support the forest industry, and it’s very sad that the Bob Brown Foundation continue to provide misinformation. It shows that they’re desperate for relevance at the moment.”
