Time to find Our Common Ground

The destruction of Tasmania’s forests has been a source of community division for decades. The Wilderness Society and other environmentalists have been calling for the protection of Tasmania’s ancient and high-conservation-value forests, while the logging industry and successive governments have been claiming that this would lead to dramatic job losses.

Tasmania's children deserve to inherit our ancient forests. Photo: Vica Bayley

It is time to put the divisions of the past behind us, and to end the artificial contest between protecting jobs and protecting forests. As we enter a new decade, It is time for a win-win solution. We can protect our forests, grow Tasmanian jobs, develop a vibrant timber industry and create a harmonious community.

The Wilderness Society, along with a diverse array of organisations and businesses representing all political persuasions, are forging ahead to create a sustainable and prosperous Tasmania, under the banner of ‘Our Common Ground’.

The goals of Our Common Ground are:
•    Protect Tasmania’s ancient forests, rainforests and other special forests
•    Shift native forest industrial timber production into existing plantations
•    Build a prosperous timber industry to provide secure jobs
•    Establish sustainable and socially acceptable plantation management
•    Create new jobs from our protected forests
•    Restore trust in our democracy

Why act?

Global demand for wood and paper products from native forests is declining rapidly, with more and more consumers demanding plantation timber. This gives Tasmania the best opportunity in decades to protect the forests we all love.

The current management of our existing plantation estate is unacceptable, and the whole sector needs a dramatic overhaul.

But we can do this together as a community and build a Tasmania we can all be proud of.

Get involved!

To join the campaign go to www.ourcommonground.org.au

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