Ongoing destruction of globally significant forests unacceptable

The Wilderness Society, Environment Tasmania, and the Australian Conservation Foundation say Lutruwita / Tasmania’s majestic forests are world class, and deserve world class protections.

Timber companies’ like Ta Ann claiming legitimacy in sourcing timber from Australia’s globally-significant forests—especially the ancient forests of Takayna / Tarkine—are outdated.

The Tasmanian Forest Agreement was abandoned by the Liberals in 2014. The Liberals’ recent election promise to log up to 40,000ha of Tasmanian Forest Agreement future reserves is a clear indication that the current Tasmanian government is out of step with regional and global expectations. These forests were slated for protection, not logging, and markets are already rejecting this wood.

Ongoing logging in Lutruwita / Tasmania’s world class forests is not in line with global agreements and market expectations.

Much has changed since 2012: such as repeated, large bushfire events across Australia, the signing of the Glasgow Forests Declaration, the development of the European Union Deforestation Regulations, and the Albanese Government’s commitment to no new extinctions.

Ta Ann is out of step, as is the Tasmanian Liberal Government and Tasmanian Labor under Dean Winter’s leadership.

In Lutruwita / Tasmania, logging continues in endangered species habitat—home to forest dependent wildlife like the Tasmanian masked owl and the Tasmanian wedge tailed eagle. Forest types both rare and endangered continue to be logged and burnt without the consent of the Rightful Owners, the Palawa people.

Several court cases for alleged illegal logging against Forestry Tasmania are pending, and the state owned logging agency continues to operate exempt from federal environmental law.

On Friday 31 May, 2024, Ta Ann released a statement about its processing of peeler logs sourced from both plantations and native forests. The native forest logging undertaken by Forestry Tasmania in the agreement to supply Ta Ann is still without Full FM FSC certification.

We urge the Tasmanian government to invest in the regional jobs that Tasmanians deserve, in a plantation-focused forest industry that is decent, safe and sustainable. Well-thought out plans for a just transition, and support for the workers facing inevitable change, are crucial.

In a climate and biodiversity crisis, there has never been a more critical time to protect Lutruwita / Tasmania’s precious native forests.

For further information please call: Troy Beer, Media, Wilderness Society 0419 992 760