Protecting our climate, and protecting our wildlife. Australia has some of the most magnificent and biodiverse forests in the world. New science also shows they are some of the largest carbon banks on Earth, helping to reduce climate change as well as maintain our water supplies. Yet many of these ancient forests, particularly in Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales, are clearfelled, burnt, and turned into millions of tonnes of woodchips for paper and cardboard every year.
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| Tasmania's forests |
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More native forest is logged in Tasmania than the rest of Australia combined - including some of the tallest old growth forests in the world. Find out about the threat from the Gunns pulp mill and other issues. |
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| Victoria's forests |
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Victoria's forests are some of the most effective carbon stores in the world, and provide crucial water supply areas. Find out about more about climate change, water, wildlife and logging. |
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| Save NSW's River Red Gums |
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Along the Murray River are the largest remaining red gum forests on Earth. With 75% stressed, dead or dying, these Australian icons urgently need to be protected. |
Forests Updates
- Make 2010 the year to protect and restore Australia’s forests as a climate solution - March 15, 2010
- Embracing forest protection as a climate solution - not just an offset mechanism - March 15, 2010
- Forestry workers urge us to find our common ground - March 10, 2010
2010 is a very important year for getting strong action by all levels of Government on climate change. So far, the targets of both Federal Labor and the Coalitions climate policies are inadequate. Public pressure needs to be applied so Australia can make a real, fair and significant contribution to global efforts to secure a safe climate.
Prime Minister Rudd and Climate Minister Penny Wong have recently announced more funds to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the degradation of forests and peatlands in the Indonesian islands of Borneo and Sumatra. Unfortunately, they continue to refuse to put the simple climate solution of protecting and restoring forests into action in our own backyard.
Watch this video from Our Common Ground and hear workers in the timber industry talk about how their jobs depend on plantations, not logging Tasmania's ancient forests.
Forests Events
- WildEndurance 2010
- Community carbon-accounting days
The Wilderness Society's 100km team challenge set in the Blue Mountains will take place over the weekend of 1st and 2nd of May 2010.
With your help, we can measure the amount of carbon stored in the forests that Forestry Tasmania is planning to log, and find out the true value of Tasmania's forests. Community carbon-accounting days: Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 February, Tarkine; Sunday 28 March, Blue Tier
Forests Media Releases
- Burnie forum to explore forest solution ideas - March 10, 2010
- Greens’ forest policy a welcome step towards a full forest solution - March 10, 2010
- Conservationists call for immediate Red Gum logging moratorium - March 09, 2010
Our Common Ground will host a community forum in Burnie this Saturday to explore how Tasmania can resolve the long running conflict over forestry in Tasmania.The community meeting will be chaired by local MLC and President of the Legislative Council Sue Smith, and will feature experts on resource, environmental, industry and tourism issues. 12 noon Saturday 13 March, Burnie Civic Centre
The Wilderness Society today welcomed the Tasmanian Greens Forest Transition strategy as a step in the right direction, offering high-conservation-value forest protection along with a plan for widespread reform to the forest industry. This policy is in stark contrast to the old-style logging policies of Liberal and Labor and offers real hope of resolving the conflict over forestry in Tasmania.
The Wilderness Society today called for an immediate logging moratorium in those forests proposed to be protected as part of the NSW’s Government Red Gum decision.
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