Cool heads needed to hold onto opportunity for forest resolution

Media Release
The Wilderness Society (Tas) Inc.
15 February 2012

The Wilderness Society today called for cool heads to prevail as tensions over the future of forests and the timber industry threatened to boil over and destroy the best opportunity for peace in thirty years.

“Inflammatory and personalized commentary in the public debate risk dragging that debate into a polarized and dangerous slide backwards to the dark places it has been over recent decades,” said Vica Bayley, spokesperson for the Wilderness Society.

“There is a process in train that offers the only opportunity for the foreseeable future to achieve a resolution to the long running conflict over logging.”

“What we have seen this week should serve as motivation for all to reach a resolution that protects identified forests, supports industry restructure and moves Tasmania on from divisive debate.”

“To not achieve this resolution will commit Tasmania to ongoing logging in important forest areas, corresponding campaign activity and a continuation of community conflict over forests.”

The Wilderness Society stands ready to participate in stakeholder discussions to agree on the final shape of implementation of the Forests Agreement. Despite the announcement by Ta Ann this week, the company has publicly requested that all signatories to the Statement of Principles get on with the job of finding a solution.

For comment:
Vica Bayley: 0400 644 939