Day 3 – Some people aren’t too fond of Currawongs, in fact the poor things never seem to be anybody’s favourite bird. Maybe it’s because they lack in vibrant colours or melodic and dainty song, rather they are black and grey with their song more like a squawk. Or maybe it’s their beady eyes and slight resemblance to the kind of birds likely to star in old school horror films. But me, I have a soft spot for the Currawong. Once, when I left Tassie to visit Melbourne, for some strange reason it was that sound that I missed the most as I walked through the streets surrounded by unfamiliar buildings. I guess because hearing their call is a reminder to me that I am home. It is the every day sound of life in the Upper Florentine Valley, which lies on the other side of Mount Mueller, and has been home to me for several years. There you can hear their cries echoing eerily across the valley. And sometimes they would gather together in a tree, hundreds chattering away in some kind of Currawong convergence. It’s nice to hear them here in my new home too.

Last night I slept out on the deck and fell asleep looking at the stars scattered across the sky between the top branches of my tree. Across the gully the moonlight reflecting on leaves made the forest look as though it was speckled with stars too.

This morning I woke to the chirps of White Throated Honeyeaters busy getting breakfast in the branches above me. Today was the first time they came to visit. I wonder if they’ve been a bit cautious of my presence these past few days. It must seem strange having a human move in up here. It made me smile to see them. They are one of my favourite birds, and they too remind of feeling home at home in the Upper Florentine.

We’ve had several tree-sits at Camp Floz, but the tree I spent the most time in was called Front Sit. I know we didn’t have the most original names – Front Sit, Middle Sit, Back Sit – though we also had The Lungs of the Land (or simply ‘Lungs’ for short), Birds Nest and Floating Sit (a platform suspended mid-air between several trees). But Front Sit was my special tree where I spent many nights and days. Every morning the same group of White Throated Honeyeaters would visit me like clock work. Well, to be honest, they weren’t really there to see me, they were there for breakfast. But I enjoyed their presence. They have a sweet and happy sounding chirp as they hop around on the branches. Sometimes I would catch them watching me watching them. Interestingly they didn’t come to the other tree sits, only the Front Sit on a regular basis. Perhaps it had the best tucker on the block, I don’t know. I wonder if they feel the same about the empty space where the Front Sit once stood as I do.

I hope that today’s Honeyeaters will be back to visit me tomorrow morning. I guess we’ll wait and see. I hope you’re having a good night, talk to you again tomorrow – Miranda.

Today was the day of insects!  I took this photo of a bug climbing my climb rope… no harness needed for this little one.  I also had a lovely visit from a Macleay’s Swallowtail – a butterfly that defer exclusively on Sassafrass leaves (rainforest species growing in this forest). Then a little latter I was sitting by a branch when all of a sudden my eye began stinging wildly. I hoped it wasn’t poisonous and imagined the ironic end to my efforts to save this ecosystem if I had to descend with a swollen and saw eye from a poisonous bug. I’m pleased to say that all is well with my eye now.  Though sorry to say to the little bug trying to crawl up my leg… I think I need a break from your company for a little while.

Right now I’m sitting enjoying the last dappled rays of sunlight, looking out across the Tyenna Valley and the Styx . Sadly the view in front of me is littered with a patchwork of clearfells.  Looking in the other direction however is pristine forest rising up the slope to meet the border of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area on Mount Mueller.

The late afternoon offers respite from the constant sounds of chainsaws and machines that start at 7am and continue until 4pm. In this time of peace and quiet I get to listen once again to the sounds of the forest.  There’s a plethora of different birds.  Some I recognise and some I’m yet to discover.  Luckily I packed my bird ID book and no doubt have plenty of time to get to know them.

My day also featured my first attempt at a tree-top exercise regime on my outdoor ‘deck’. I’ll have to think of ways to stay fit within the confines of my platform. Maybe it’s time to take up yoga?

Thanks for joining me for today’s blog. Be sure to check out my new video introducing the ObserverTree. Filmed, edited and uploaded from the tree top!  Share it around to your friends and help spread use word. Catch you tomorrow ~ Miranda

Day 1 – What an amazing day. My first day in the tree-sit was inspiring and heart-warming as support poured in for our new project. Thanks to everyone who has helped spread the word. Check out some of the media coverage online: The Mercury  ABC Online

Bob Brown’s helicopter flyer over was the highlight of the day. Looking up and seeing the cameras rolling, filming the spectacular forest from the air, and knowing that people all over the world would watching it was magnificent.

I hope that this project will reveal to the world the reality of how precious Tasmania’s ancient forests are, and how devastatingly destructive clearfelling is in these areas.

Today marks one year since the State and Federal Governments signed onto the Statement of Principles promising a moratorium on these forests within 90 days. Yet here we are one year later, and logging is still occurring. Four months ago the Prime Minister Julia Gillard signed her name to another document committing to an immediate conservation agreement over this area as part of 430,000 hectares to be protected. Forestry Tasmania claim that logging in areas due for protection is necessary to complete contracts goes against the agreement. It stated explicitly that where contracts couldn’t be met then compensation would be given.

“During the independent verification process, in the event that Forestry Tasmania reports that it cannot meet contractual requirements from production resources outside the nominated 430,000 hectares, the Governments will undertake the following steps. First, an independent expert will be jointly appointed by the Governments to review scheduling and other relevant data and attempt to reschedule harvesting activities so as to meet the requirements of contracts and maintain the interim protection of the 430,000 hectares. In the event that the independent expert concludes that it is impossible to achieve this through rescheduling on a reasonable commercial basis or through sourcing alternative supplies, the Commonwealth will compensate the contract holder for the value of lost profits and unavoidable costs. Any such costs will be met, in the first instance, from within the $7 million payment in financial year 2011-12 referred to in Clause 35.” – Page 4 of the Tasmanian Forests Intergovernmental Agreement.

To claim that they will protect this forest once it was been clearfelled is absurd. It’s like going into a shop and breaking something before you buy it, except if something has been evolving for thousands of years no amount of money can buy us a new one.

I am 100% committed to staying in this tree for as long as it takes to get the word out about what is happening here. I hope my presence up here will spark others to take action, rippling across the community and eventually bringing this destruction to a halt. I believe that it is possible that one day soon we will see these world class irreplaceable forests protected forever. Please help out by getting informed, spreading the word and taking action.

That’s all from me today, take care, and I’ll see you tomorrow ~ Miranda.