Bob Brown Foundation activists occupy Esperance forests

Twenty environmental activists are occupying a forest in southern Tasmania, protesting logging in native forests. Latest >>

TWENTY environmental activists are occupying a forest in southern Tasmania, protesting logging in native forests.

The Bob Brown Foundation activists have established an Esperance Forests Defenders occupation in an area behind Dover they say is threatened by logging.

The protesters are occupying the forests with tree-sits through the canopy, and ground-based flora and fauna survey sites, according to campaign manager Jenny Weber.

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“The fact that these native forests are threatened by logging is exactly why native forest logging needs to end in Tasmania,” she said.

“They are rich in wildlife, are contiguous with the current World Heritage Area and contain large tracts of old growth forests.

Activists have taken to the trees near Dover, in the Esperance forests to protest native logging.

“We have documented a range of species in the area including endangered spotted-tailed quolls on fauna cameras and yellow-tailed black cockatoos.

“These forests have great stands of ancient hollow-bearing trees which are slated to be logged.”

Last month the Bob Brown Foundation fended off allegations of tree spiking after Karanja Timbers posted pictures of bolts driven into logs on social media.

The company said the bolts broke a saw which will cost $3000 to replace, and said it could have been fatal to the three workers nearby.

“These forests need secure protection from logging as the global climate and biodiversity crisis demands urgent protection of all intact native forests,” Ms Weber said of the protest today.

“Our campaign to defend and protect native forests will engage citizens to occupy threatened forests and expose the vast areas of wildlife rich forests which are slated for logging.”

Activists have taken to the trees near Dover, in the Esperance forests to protest native logging.

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Action organiser Erik Hayward said the activists will continue “roving occupations” throughout Tassie’s forests.

“This is a globally rare climate storehouse, contiguous with pristine tracts of World Heritage forests,” he said.

“We are going to carry out these roving occupations throughout Tasmania’s threatened forests as part of our campaign calling for an end to native forest logging.

“We will defend this place from the chainsaws which are set to come at any time.”