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5TH ANNUAL BE MY FLORENTINE CABARET
FRI FEBRUARY 11TH - SUNDAY FEB 13TH 2011
UPPER FLORENTINE VALLEY BLOCKADE
GORDEN RIVER ROAD, 20km PAST MAYDENA.

THE WEATHER CAN BE UNPREDICTABLE IN THE UPPER FLORENTINE
REMEMBER TO BRING WARM CLOTHES, TENT OR SWAG,
SLEEPING BAG AND WET WEATHER GEAR

PLEASE RESPECT THE PRISTINE ENVIRONMENT OF THE
UPPER FLORENTINE VALLEY.

PASS THIS ON THROUGH YOUR NETWORKS AND SPREAD THE WORD

Tuesday, 12th October 2010 

This morning, conservationists conducted a peaceful walk-in to logging coupe BB022I, located in the Weld Valley, where logging is still occurring in high conservation value forests. A new report ‘They are still falling: a critical time for Tasmania's high conservation value forests', prepared by Still Wild Still Threatened and the Huon Valley Environment Centre, was also delivered to Premier Bartlett.

SWST and the HVEC are alarmed at the continuing destruction of southern Tasmania's high conservation value (HCV) forests. Recent surveys by conservation volunteers in the Derwent and Huon Districts have revealed that large-scale industrial logging, including clearfelling of critical areas of HCV, continues, with new logging operations recently commencing in coupes with outstanding wilderness and other conservation values.

While SWST and the HVEC welcome industry claims to be charting a future away from native forest logging we would like to bring attention to the fact that critical areas of High Conservation Value forest are still being destroyed and exported as woodchips and veneer.

"Today's peaceful demonstration highlights the ongoing loss of high conservation value forests in Southern Tasmania. Clearfelling alongside the iconic Weld River is one of the many large scale and destructive logging operations occurring in the southern forests today," Huon Valley Environment Centre's Jenny Weber said.

"We are on the verge of a very welcome breakthrough in the Tasmanian forest debate. Unfortunately, new logging roads are being pushed into wilderness areas and high conservation value forests are being logged as we speak," Still Wild Still Threatened Spokesperson Christo Mills said.

"Still Wild Still Threatened and the Huon Valley Environment Centre are calling for an immediate moratorium to be placed on all high conservation value forests identified by Tasmanian ENGOs, as a precursor to formal protection. We recommend that current logging operations in these forests cease and that no new logging coupes are started in high conservation value forests as of today" said Christo Mills.

For more information on the Huon Valley Environment Centre, go to www.huon.org 

See attached report, or download from our Resources page.

 MEDIA RELEASE

20 October 2010 

Huon Valley Environment Centre and Still Wild Still Threatened whole heartedly welcome yesterday's historic agreement on forests and see it as a step in the right direction to begin the process of healing the conflict over forestry in Tasmania.

"There is now consensus between industry and environment groups over the importance of immediately protecting Tasmania's high conservation value forests. We need to protect our native heritage in the interests of all Tasmanians. This agreement accepts this," Still Wild Still Threatened's Ed Hill said.

"This is a positive first step. The real progress to finally end this decades old dispute will be made on the ground when high conservation value forests are put under an immediate moratorium leading to full legislated protection as National Parks and formal reserves," Still Wild Still Threatened Ed Hill said.

"Our organisations agree with Gunns Ltd regarding calls for an immediate moratorium on logging HCV forests," Huon Valley Environment Centre's Jenny Weber said.

For decades, Gunns Ltd was a driver of destruction in Tasmania's forests, but now they have stated that ending native forest logging is not only good for business and the economy but it is what their markets want. Communities all across Tasmania are concerned about the threat of logging to water catchments, threatened species and wilderness quality forests," Jenny Weber said

"Our organisations will continue to advocate for immediate protection of these forests and monitor logging operations in priority areas," Ed Hill said.

"We urge all levels of Government to immediately implement a moratorium on logging these forests, as advocated by ENGOs and the industry," Jenny Weber said.

Photo: Upper Florentine Valley. Rob Blakers