Posted on 13-3-2002
Conservationists
Arrested In Australia
MELBOURNE, Victoria, Australia, March 11, 2002 (ENS) - Logging
and
woodchipping in the old growth Goolengook forest in East Gippsland
began in
two areas Saturday over the loud protests of conservationists.
They have
tried for years to safeguard the remote area, six hours from
the nearest
city, Canberra. One of the last areas of untouched old growth
forest left
in Australia, the Goolengook is rated as a Site of National
Significance
for its rainforest values, a rare mix of warm and cool temperate
rainforest
species.
The loggers were protected by state police and Department of
Natural
Resources and Environment (NRE) personnel. Today, 10 people
were charged at
the front gate at Goolengook, bringing the total number of people
charged
to 19 for the first week following the dismantling of the Goolengook
fort.
Heavy-handed tactics by the police and NRE staff have escalated
the
conflict together with the apparent suspension of public access
laws. The
Wilderness Society reports police are using floodlights and
infrared
tracking devices in an attempt to keep the public from scrutinizing
logging
activity in the Goolengook forest. "I am absolutely appalled
public roads
have been locked and at the total unaccountability of the NRE.
Media have
been denied access and logging continues behind locked gates,"
said Peter
Barnes, former senior executive engineer for Shell Energy. Fiona
York of
the Goongerah Environment Centre says the NRE is "out of control."
"Overnight we have seen the escalation of the conflict with
the
confiscation of people's basic life sustaining supplies, whether
or not
they are in restricted areas and the removal of name badges
by both the
police and NRE," she said. "This thuggery clearly demonstrates
that the
department is determined to push through their agenda of logging
behind
closed gates despite the ongoing public protest," said York.
Conservationists point out that the cost to taxpayers of the
police action
far outweighs the profits from the woodchips which sell for
A10 cents a
metric ton. Conservationists are mounting a sustained campaign
of civil
disobedience with hundreds of people coming in from all around
the country
to take part in the campaign to halt logging in this pristine
area of old
growth forest. Gavan McFadzean, Victorian campaign manager for
the
Wilderness Society, said, "This is a sad day for all Victorians.
Arguably
Victoria's highest conservation value old growth forest, and
an icon for
the environment movement, is being destroyed for as little as
10 cents per
ton. It is utterly senseless destruction." Sunday a documentary
filmmaker
was assaulted by an NRE officer and the Aboriginal owners of
the area made
a dramatic plea for its preservation. Community members managed
to gain
access to the area by walking over 15 kilometers (nine miles)
to areas of
logging.
The area is home to rare and threatened animals such as the
spot-tail
quoll, long-footed potoroo, the sooty owl and the powerful owl,
as well as
large old-growth trees and rare plants, such as the slender
tree fern, and
the green bird orchid. The Department of Natural Resources and
the
Environment justifies this logging operation as the East Gippsland
Management Plan and rezoned the area into a General Management
Zone - which
allows it to be clearcut with no further plant or animal surveys.
This was
later reinforced by the Regional Forest Agreement between the
federal
government and the state of Victoria. Green groups, members
of the public
and the government's own scientists have all publicly condemned
the
re-zoning and subsequent logging.
To protect the Goolengook the most hard core blockade ever constructed
was
built, and it proved to be the longest running in Australia.
It was January
1997 when the road was first blocked by a small tripod, and
since then has
seen countless structures, lock-ons and protests. On June 5,
1997, World
Environment Day, the clearfelling of the National Biological
Site of
Significance known for its rainforest values began. Since then
the blockade
has been busted and re-constructed at least 50 times, and over
160 people
have been arrested. "On February 21, Premier Steve Bracks announced
that
sawn timber supply would be reduced in East Gippsland by 43
percent. This
should mean that areas of old growth forest and rainforest should
be spared
from the chainsaw," said McFadzean. "Our concern that the Premier's
recent
announcement would have no impact in protecting old growth forests
have now
been tragically justified, as the needs of the woodchipping
industry
continue to determine the fate of our forests. "We are extremely
concerned
about the safety of conservationists in the area who, through
civil
disobedience, are attempting to stop the destruction," said
McFadzean.
"Environmental groups are committed and trained in the principles
of
non-violent action. We call on the logging industry to make
the same
pledge, and for the police and DNRE staff to act impartially
and ensure the
safety of conservationists at Goolengook." Conservation groups
have been
calling for Goolengook to be added to the adjacent Errinundra
National Park.
In Parliament, conservationists are urging a no vote on what
they say is a
flawed Regional Forest Agreement bill which exempts the native
forest
logging industry from national environment laws. It commits
the Australian
public to huge compensation payouts to industry if a future
government
decides to increase protection for endangered forest wildlife.
Senator Bob
Brown, a Green Party member, says the legislation will give
backing to the
destruction of the tallest trees in the Southern Hemisphere,
in the Valley
of the Giants on the island state of Tasmania. The bill comes
into the
federal Senate for debate this week.
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