Wilderness Society Tasmania launch national campaign to crowdfund fight against Malbena
The state’s largest conservation organisation has launched a national fundraiser to fight tourism developments in wilderness areas.
Tasmania
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A $60,000 fighting fund is being established by the Wilderness Society to fight developments in national parks.
The state’s government’s Expressions of Interest process for developments on public land has heralded an increase in conflict between the conservation movement and the tourism industry.
Wilderness Society campaign manager Tom Allen said the proposed helicopter-serviced standing camp at Lake Malbena was a prime example of the sort of proposals the fighting fund would be employed against.
“No-one actually knows the exact number: there are 30 or 40 similar proposals in the EOI tourism pipeline.
“We’ve seen from the only wilderness impact assessment commissioned by us the negative impacts just that single Lake Malbena proposal would have on wilderness values
“Multiply that by the 30 or 40 in the pipeline and Tasmania can genuinely kiss goodbye to its World Heritage wilderness values.”
Mr Allen said he would rather work with the tourism industry to produce win-win outcomes, but the broader conservation movement would not shy from a fight.
“We’re here to keep Tasmania’s world heritage wilderness and national parks public, thriving, and unspoilt,” he said.
“Our campaign has been an amazing success on behalf of the community, thanks to groups like Fishers and Walkers, the Tasmanian National Parks Association, and the wider community who recognises that it’s fundamentally right and in Tasmania’s best interest that our national parks and World Heritage Area stays public.”
Originally published as Wilderness Society Tasmania launch national campaign to crowdfund fight against Malbena