Tasmanian wilderness areas under threat of logging 'not worthy of protection'

TASMANIAN old growth forests that face being logged have been described by Environment Minister Greg Hunt as ''degraded''.

Wilderness 'not worthy of pro...

CONSERVATIONISTS have released photographs of old growth forests that could be logged under the Coalition's plan to roll back Tasmania's Wilderness World Heritage Area.

The aerial images, of large areas featuring some of the world's tallest trees as well as rainforest, were released today to support claims the Abbott government is misleading the public in asserting the areas are "degraded".

Environment Minister Greg Hunt today justified his attempt to strip 74,000 ha from the world heritage area on the grounds that they include 117 degraded sites, including logged areas, and are therefore not worthy of protection.

"What has been put to the (World Heritage) Committee for reconsideration is 117 degraded or logged areas …. that many people feel should never have been added because they significantly detract from what is one of the great world heritage areas," Mr Hunt told the ABC.

However, world heritage consultant Peter Hitchcock said about 90 per cent of the areas sought to be removed from protection were untouched forests with significant conservation values.

Images released by The Wilderness Society, which insisted they all came from the 74,000 ha put forward for delisted, include sweeping vistas of old-growth forests untouched by loggers.

"These images demonstrate what's at stake with Mr Hunt's plan to undo world heritage protection to allow new logging in areas like the Upper Florentine, Weld and Great Western Tiers," said society campaigner Vica Bayley.

In the long-contested Upper and Middle Florentine Valley about 7000 ha of towering eucalypts were to lose protection despite containing only three logged zones of about 150ha in total, he said.

The environment groups called on the government to withdraw its application to the World Heritage Commission to rescind listing for the area.