Media Release: 11-01-12
Conservationist has spent four weeks in tree-sit while PM fails to keep forest promise.
Today marks four weeks since conservationist Miranda Gibson set foot on the ground. Miranda Gibson, spokesperson for Still Wild Still Threatened, has spent the past four weeks 60 meters above the ground in the upper canopy of Mount Mueller’s forests, in Southern Tasmania. Miranda has vowed to remain at the top of the tree until Prime Minister Julia Gillard honours her word to protect the area in a conservation agreement.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard will be in Tasmania this coming weekend and Miranda Gibson has written to personally invite her to visit The Observer Tree.
“This morning I have written to the Prime Minister, inviting her to come and see for herself this forest that she promised to protect. This area has become known as “Julia’s Forest” in recognition of the role that Julia Gillard plays in the fate of these trees. The decision is in her hands, to keep her word and protect this forest, or to leave as her legacy a clear-fell and a failed promise” said Ms Gibson.
“I have been at the top of this tree for four weeks now. I am committed to remaining up here to watch over this forest, because the government has failed to do so itself. Logging is due to begin again next Monday. For this reason the Prime Minister’s visit is very timely. This is an opportunity for Julia Gillard to step in and halt any further destruction of the 430,000 hectares of forest that she promised would receive an immediate conservation agreement” said Ms Gibson.
“The Prime Minister’s failure to protect these forests places into question the very integrity of our democracy if the leader of our country can sign a document and then fail to deliver on that agreement” said Ms Gibson.
(Photo by Alan Lesheim)
Posted on January 11, 2012, in Media Releases. Bookmark the permalink. 6 Comments.
T h e O b s e r v e r T r e e 
Congratulations, Miranda. It must be freezing out there today. Any snow falling?
Miranda – what a gutsy, brave person you are! Congratulations! I sincerely hope that in a few more weeks these forests will be protected forever. When that takes place, a monument should be erected acknowledging your actions, and all those brave people who have helped with that achievement. Thank-you, to all of you for your actions.
Good on you, Miranda! I have sent an email to Julia Gillard telling her that you deserve to have her ear. Let’s hope it helps…
@Geoff Tasmania is in the Southern Hemisphere. It’s summer…..?
How is Giddings dealing with the cultural right to log? While the public message is $276M to exit native forests and a logging moratorium, what she saying privately to forestry that we see its business as usual pursuing old growth logging self-righteously of its perceived right to log – perhaps having the $276 cake and logging the forest too. In 2004 the Timber Workers for Forests defended their “statutory requirement that a minimum of 300,000 m3 of high quality eucalypt veneer and sawlog be made available annually.”
There is a parallel government message process going on.
Hi Miranda
Good on you – accolades from Cambodia.
Enjoy the breathtaking view which you must be getting up there and good luck.
Hoping for something positive out of your efforts
Frances
Great work, we need more people like you in the world.