Members of the Bob Brown Foundation have occupied trees in an area set to be clear-felled

Roads could soon be closed in a nature tourism area to allow for a logging operation – and protesters have already moved in.

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PROTESTERS have returned to the native forests of the Styx Valley as Sustainable Timber Tasmania prepares to resume logging in the region.

Members of the Bob Brown Foundation have occupied trees in an area on Styx Rd that is scheduled to be clear-felled.

The state government reiterated that giant trees would be protected, as conservationists expressed alarm the logging area contained ancient rainforests.

Bob Brown Foundation protesters occupy an area in the Styx Valley due to be logged by Sustainable Timber Tasmania.

Bob Brown Foundation’s campaign manager Jenny Weber said Sustainable Timber Tasmania was preparing to close roads in the nature tourism region to prepare for logging.

“Premier [Peter] Gutwein can choose to protect these forests for climate-mitigating benefits and wildlife protection or shut down the Valley of the Giants for ecological destruction and flatten some of the world’s tallest flowering plants … at the expense of a tourism industry that is already struggling,” she said.

Bob Brown Foundation protesters in the Styx Valley.

Resources Minister Guy Barnett said Sustainable Timber Tasmania did not harvest giant trees.

“Where giant trees occur in public production forests, they are reserved. The Government has been informed that the planned harvesting activity in the Derwent Valley is located within Permanent Timber Production Zone,” Mr Barnett said

“STT undertakes detailed operational planning prior to any harvesting in accordance with the Forest Practices Code and Sustainable Timber Tasmania’s procedures that seek to maintain or enhance environmental and cultural values, including the identification and protection of giant trees.

“In the interests of public safety, private forestry roads may be closed during harvesting operations.”