Tasmania's devastating logging practices exposed
Ever wanted to see the devastating impact that logging is having on the Tasmanian landscape?
It is now possible to see the huge scale on which Tasmania’s forests are being destroyed.
Each year in Tasmania, approximately 15,000 hectares of native forest are destroyed. The magnitude of this is hard to grasp but the following overlays for Google Earth now make it possible.
A total of 155 areas, totalling 57 square kilometres, of native forest will be permanently cleared of forest and converted to plantations in this year. This landclearing is devastating our biodiversity and water catchments.
Quick start: Download either or both (.kzm) files to your computer. Double-click them and it should automatically launch Google Earth. Need more help?
Quick tips:
• Double click on overlay icons  . A pop up will give you more info. To see overlay map (from Forestry Tasmania), choose 'Download Google Earth overlay map'
• To automatically zoom into an area click on coupe border. You may need to get closer first.
• Special feature: After launching Gunns' woodchip mill overlay, click on a mill and from the pop-up choose 'See Japanese Paper Mills'.
Google Earth is a free program which enables you to view satellite images of any location in the world using your internet connection. By downloading these overlays into Google Earth, you can see all of the planned logging in Tasmania’s public native forests for the 2006-2007 year. However, selective logging and contingency coupes are not yet included.
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Gunns' woodchip mill at Bell Bay |
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Once you have downloaded the overlays, you will see each planned logging coupe. As you zoom in you will see, in addition to the placemark circles, the outline of each coupe. Clicking in the placemarks will reveal further information about each logging operation.
Coupes with an orange border will be clearfelled and then replaced with tree plantations. Areas with a pink border will be clearfelled, allowed to regrow to native forest, and then placed on a logging rotation. Yellow areas are other types of logging, such as aggregated retention or clump clearfelling, but not including selective logging. Areas with green borders are reserves - these boundaries are still being worked on. Reserves are, at this stage, only included if logging is occurring close by.
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By tilting the camera angle, Google Earth allows you to see Tasmania from many different angles |
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To find out what much of this wood is destined for, you can also download overlays showing the locations of Gunns Ltd’s Tasmanian woodchip mills. Zooming in to these locations will show you piles of woodchipped forest awaiting export. Clicking on the placemark circle will reveal further information, including a link to the Japanese paper mills which process most of these woodchips. Clicking on this link will take you on a virtual flight to Japan, to see Tasmania’s forests piled high on Japanese wharves.
These overlays have been created by the Otway Ranges Environment Network (OREN).
For more information, please contact:
Paul Oosting
Pulp Mill Campaigner
Workphone: (03) 63 31 74 88
Mobile: 0409 963 734
Created: 30 Nov 2006 | Last updated: 30 Nov 2006
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