Media Alert: Forest protection message to be beamed around the world
Tomorrow will see actions happen in cities and towns across Australia and the world, calling on the corporate customers of Ta Ann to cease purchasing wood from Tasmanian forest destruction. The global 24 hours of action started today and culminates in a massive show of support tomorrow, with over 40 actions confirmed so far.
This global action builds on the action of conservationist Miranda Gibson, who has spent 65 days so far at the top of an old growth tree near the Styx Valley. Ms Gibson’s commitment to remain in the tree until the forest is protected has inspired people right across the world.
Ms Gibson will be bringing Tasmania’s forest protection message straight from the trees to the people of the world, using Skype to speak at action locations right across the globe. Actions will also include images of Tasmania’s forests projected onto buildings in prominent locations, music, street theatre and banners displays.
Miranda Gibson will speak to the media via a live internet feed at press conference on Parliament Lawns, Hobart, tomorrow at 12:30pm, joined by Jenny Weber from the Huon Valley Environment Centre.
“This next 24 hours will see people from right across the globe show their support for Tasmania’s globally iconic forests. The international community is sending a very clear message to the Japanese corporate customers of Ta Ann that the global market will not accept the destruction of high conservation value forest” said Ms Gibson.
Media Release: Conservationists call for Ta Ann to move out of high conservation value forests
Today Still Wild Still Threatened is calling on Ta Ann to stop accepting wood from high conservation value forests. The group will be joined by people all around the world in this call on February 14 and 15 as part of a global action for Tasmania’s forests. This action is now more timely than ever, as Ta Ann are at a critical cross roads. Today the company announced 50% of their Japanese customer base had been lost due to the increasing awareness globally about the forest destruction.
Miranda Gibson, spokesperson for Still Wild Still Threatened, today reiterated this urgent call on Ta Ann to change their practices. Miranda has spent almost nine weeks at the top of a tree that is in an area due to be logged to supply wood to Ta Ann.
“Ta Ann have been misleadingly marketing their product as “eco” and yet sourcing their wood from controversial high conservation value forests. It should be of no surprise that people around the world are calling on them to change their practices. Today’s announcement shows clearly that the global market demand is for true eco-friendly products, not wood sourced from the destruction of Tasmania’s high conservation value forests.” said Ms Gibson.
“This campaign has exposed the truth and given customers around the world the information about where these products are coming from, which they have the right to know.” said Ms Gibson.
“Ta Ann are at a cross roads, they can either continue to entrench themselves in outdating practices of forest destruction or they can come into line with the Tasmanian forest negotiations and stop accepting wood from high conservation value forests. Why does Ta Ann wish to remain entrenched in outdated forest destruction, regardless of the consequences for the Tasmanian community, rather than move forward?” said Ms Gibson.
“In an unprecedented move, the legislative council is today attempting to silence the public. The MLC’s that have today announced that they would not pass a piece of legislation if community opposition continues are abusing their power and their democratic responsibilities. ” said Ms Gibson.
Miranda’s Daily Blog: Day 61
“What you are doing is so amazing” …. “your action will go down in history” …. “I wish I had the courage that you have”….. “I wish I could do what you do” …. “you are a true hero”
Hmm…. how awkward! These are just some of the things people have said to me since I have been in this tree. I shyly thank them for their support. But it makes me feel a little uneasy. What do you say when someone calls you a hero? What I really want to say is “I am not a hero”
I guess it’s because I don’t want to be your hero. I want you to be your own hero. And you can be. For the forests, for yourself, for the world. Everybody can do something that makes them a hero. I think the most important part of my action is that it is inspiring other people. I hope that I can inspire you too.
I am not sitting up here on behalf of you. I am sitting up here in solidarity with you.
My action alone will not save the forest. That is just not how it goes. I really need you. Maybe I even need you to be MY hero! Because without you we cannot save this forest. It’s not that I don’t believe that the actions of one person can make a difference, otherwise I wouldn’t be sitting up here, right? But I think that the way it can make a difference is to inspire others so that together we can create change. I think this is how it is always throughout history. But it is often not how history is told. Somehow in the retelling the stories always change. The history books become filled with “heroes.” The tale of David vs. Goliath gets repeated over and over again. I can’t know whether the story of David and Goliath is true. But I do know this much… it is very difficult when you are one person small and alone trying to fight off something that is much bigger than you (for example… the logging industry) and it would be much easier to fight if there were lots of Davids (so to speak) working together. For every story in history of a hero, an idol, a leader who changed the world…there is the unwritten story of many many people who took action, many people without whom that change would never have come about.
This is what I want to say when people call me a hero.
Me sitting up here in this tree wouldn’t make any difference if it wasnt’ for you. If you weren’t reading my blog, spreading the word, taking action. The companies who are buying the wood that comes from this forests, they probably wouldn’t really care what I think. Let’s face it, I probably wasn’t going to be buying any of their timber flooring anyway, right? Who do they really care about? Well, it’s you. I mean, not just you, but all of you – collectively. When they see that right across the world there are people who are speaking up for these forests, that is when they will start getting worried. And if my action is going to save this forest, that is how it will happen. Not through my action alone, but as the catalyst for actions right across the world.
Community action in the Upper Florentine forest
Please don’t think that I am something special, that I am living a life you couldn’t live, doing things you couldn’t do. Sure, maybe you aren’t able to climb up into these trees. But you can still speak up for these forests (and the other things that are important to you too). In what ever way that you can. Whether it be painting a sign and getting your photo into our 24 hours of action (hint, hint). Or writing a letter to the editor about the issue. Posting information on facebook. Handing out flyers. Taking part in the cyber action. These things are as important as sitting in trees!
So please, next time you think that I am a hero, remember that you are a hero too! Next time you feel glad that I’m up here defending the forests, remember that I am doing this WITH you. And that only together will we be able to make a difference.
On that note, I want to encourage everyone to take part in the global day of action. Even if all you can do is write a small sign, hold it up in your lounge room or back yard and get a photo. It doesn’t matter how small your action is, it still counts.
On Wednesday when we contact the Japanese companies who are buying wood from Ta Ann that comes straight from these high conservation value forests….. we want to show them how much people care about these forests. I know that you care, because you are taking the time to read this. But we have to make sure that they know too. The impact that we can make if we have 20 actions is twice as big as if we had 10. The impact that we can make if we have 100 actions… well, that would be just HUGE.
Ta Ann and their customers are beginning to feel the pressure. The word is spreading. Their “eco”-friendly brand is at stake. The cyber action has been getting lots of attention. If we can show them that the world does not want to buy products made from ancient forests… if we can show them that the world wants to see these world-class forests protected….If we can show them that it’s not just one person sitting at the top of a tree who loves these forests, but hundreds of people all over the globe… then we will be one great big step closer to them making the change they need to.
Please, join me on feb 14 and 15. Be my hero!!!
Miranda
Miranda’s Daily Blog: Day 60
Can you imagine these forests being cut down simply to be burnt? Can you imagine the government and forestry industry giving themselves a pat on the back (and a stack of carbon credits) for being so “clean and green” by destroying these forests?
A few days ago Independent Rob Oakeshott, member for Lyne, made the move to overturn regulations in the Clean Energy legislation, that currently disallows the burning of native forest wood for power from being recognised as “renewable energy.”
It is an absolutely ridiculous concept to create incentives for forest to be cut down as ‘renewable energy’ when forests are our major carbon stores! It is completely the opposite of what is needed. There needs to be incentives to protect the forest.
This is a very scary prospect for Tasmania, because there are already proposed forest furnaces. Now that the global market is beginning to reject wood and paper products made from Tasmania’s ancient forests, the government seems to be creating new perverse ways to continue to log these forests.
As Warrick Jordan, from The Wilderness Society said “These regulations are not about burning a few offcuts at the local mill. The Australian commodity native forest industry is currently in freefall, with markets for woodchips disappearing rapidly and the industry going through a period of fundamental structural change. Burning vast quantities of woodchips for power is a desperate attempt to keep the industry alive while the last healthy forests are liquidated.”
To destroy irreplaceable ecosystems simply to burn the wood for power cannot and should never be called “renewable energy.” There are other options out there for energy creation that do not involve the annihilation of wildlife habitat and pristine forests.
Bob Brown called it a “swindle” and I think that is an accurate description. Most people would be shocked to find out that energy they are purchasing as “renewable” has resulted in forest destruction.
Take action on this issue today:
Flyer for Global Day of Action
Click on the above flyer images to download pdf copies for printing out and distributing during the Global 24 Hours of Action for Tasmania’s Forests this week.
Poster for Global Day of Action
Click on the poster image to download a large pdf version. Use it to promote your local event for the Global 24 Hours of Action for Tasmania’s Forests!
Miranda’s Daily Blog: Day 58
It’s subtle, but I can feel it every time. The way I slightly tense up each time at the sound. In reality it’s actually that moment of silence where it happens. In between the chainsaw cutting out and… just waiting for the crack, the crash, the fall of the tree. Sometimes I don’t even realise I’m aware that it’s happening. I guess when it goes on all day, it becomes back ground noise. But I never really stop hearing it, I never stop feeling that slightly tense moment in each of those silent seconds before each tree falls. I guess this is what I am here for – this is the observer tree and I am the observer. My observations so far… trees are falling everyday in these forests. I hear them falling in Tn 42A, the coupe adjacent to me. But I know that these are not the only ones. They are falling in huge numbers every minute of every day right across the state, right across those 430,000 hectares that were promised protection.
Not only does logging continue, but a report released today has shown that logging has actually INCREASED in the areas that were meant to be protected!
As the report points out Forestry Tasmania (FT) were actually meant to implement a moratorium close to a year ago now. This was meant to cover 572,000 hectares and be in place by March 15th 2010. Yet logging continued, despite the Tasmanian Environment Minister writing to FT and formally directing them to reschedule coupes, in line with the agreed moratorium.
In September 2010 FT were given 12.5 million dollars of tax payers money in order to fund their work in rescheduling logging out of the proposed new reserves. They took the money. But the logging continued!
Then recently we saw the so-called “conservation agreement” signed. Instead of protecting this forest, this locked in continued logging. As the new report explains the agreement allows FT to “log its planned 1,900 hectares within the new forest reserves during the first half of 2012. This means the Conservation Agreement protected only those forests that Forestry Tasmanian had not included in logging plans. In other words, it provided temporary protection for forests that were not going to be logged and allows business as usual logging of contentious areas“
So where has this whole process lead to, for the forests? Well, the report confirms that FT’s “logging operations within the 430,000 hectares are greater than even before it’s wood supply obligation was halved and before the conservation commitments given by the Premier and Prime Minister”
In their original plan they would have provided 36% of the high quality wood saw log supply for the area nominated protection. Yet, instead of rescheduling to source this elsewhere, as the IGA directed, they are now sources 44% of the wood from the area that should have been protected. And the figure was as high as 50% in november and december 2010.
In their original plan FT had less than a quarter of the coupes across the state falling within the 430,000 hectares nominated for protection. Now? Instead of decreasing the amount of logging in the area meant to be protected by a conservation agreement…. almost 40% of the state’s logging coupes are now inside that area ear-marked for protection.
This becomes even more ridiculous when you take into account the fact that the demand for wood has actually decreased due to the exit of Gunns Ltd, who were the holders of a contract for 300,000 m3 of wood annually. This exit basically halved the amount of wood required for the industry. Yet, FT have increased the amount of logging in high conservation value forests.
All those numbers can get a bit confusing. So, here it is in a pie-chart (from the ENGO’s report):
The government really does have a lot to answer for! To promise protection of an area and then allow it to be logged at an increased rate is an absolute scandal!
It is even more critical now that I am here, in this tree, exposing this ongoing logging. The government and Forestry Tasmania cannot be allowed to get away such an abuse of people’s trust, misuse of public money and wanton destruction of the forests.
Please join us next Wednesday in a global call for these forests to be protected.
Miranda
One week to go!
Hope you’re all getting excited about next week’s international action! And busy with painting your signs and banners!
If you are in the following towns there is an action happening near you! (For details of when and where please email observertree2011@gmail.com)
Tasmania:
Hobart, Derwent Valley, Launceston, Deloraine.
Mainland Australia:
Brisbane, Lismore, Sunshine coast (QLD), Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Canberra, Perth, Blue Mountains, Bellingen, Alice Springs, Newcastle, Bell Bay, Roma, Mount Tambourine, East Gippsland.
International: Contact us for details.
If your town isn’t listed above please let me know so I can add you to the list!
If you haven’t got anything planned yet, never fear, it can be as easy as you want it to be! A simple hand-written sign held up for a photo is fine.
It’s been 8 weeks today since I set foot on the ground. This campaign is gaining momentum world wide. Now is your chance to join me in calling for the protection of Tasmania’s forests.
Please add your voice to this action. Every extra one counts!!
Important notes:
1. Don’t forget to confirm your action with us before hand or it will miss out on being included in the media release.
2. You’ll need to your photo through before midday Feb 15th (Australian EST). If you are unsure what time this is for you locally, we can let you know.
Miranda’s Daily Blog: Day 56
It is such a quiet and still night that I can hear the water rushing in the nearby creeks. The trees are glowing silver in the moonlight. Not a leaf moving in the still air. It’s incredible how much this forest can change day by day. Down below me, the moonlight makes its way through the upper canopy, slivers of light reaching down to the celery top pines at the base of my tree.
Celery top pines are amoung the first tree species I began to recognize and be able to name in Tasmania. It’s destinctive leaf shape resembling the top of celery was a useful handy hint to never forgetting its name. In reality those leaves are not really leaves at all, they are phylloclades (modified flattened stems). I guess this is how it gets its botanical name: phyllocladus aspleniifolius. It’s actual leaves are miniscule brown stubs, less than 1mm in size. This conifer is endemic to Tasmania (meaning it grows no where else on earth). It is has it’s orgins in the ancient Gondwanian rainforest and has close releatives growing in the mountains of Borneo and New Guinea.
In an area of Tasmania’s Huon Valley that is known as the Picton logging operations have begun in coupe PC024B. This ancient forest ecosystem is home to a diversity of rainforest species including celery top pine. The Huon Valley Environment Centre conducted citizen science in area. A sample of a celery top pine that had been logged was analysed. Using dendochronological techniques the group found the tree to have been around 280 years old. To put this in context, the group noted in their media release that the tree would have been growing already in that forest when the Huon Valley was explored by D’Entrecasteaux in 1792. While perhaps still in its early life (the tree could have lived to possibly 800 years if it had been given the chance) it is well and truly an old growth tree. This tree was felled as part of a logging operation that is being conducted to provided wood for a company that is currently claiming to use only regrowth!
The newly launched website www.taann.com.au which has been set up by environmental groups to expose the truth about Ta Ann’s activities in Tasmania, provided a rebuttal to some of the recent misleading claims made by the company. Here is part of their response to this issue about regrowth:
“It is the origin of the logs that is the issue, not their size. Ta Ann implies that because they use regrowth logs there is no adverse environmental impact. They exploit a misapprehension that regrowth is always from areas that have been extensively logged and replanted, but this is not the case in Tasmania”
The sample of celery top pine (aged approx 280 years) was displayed on Parliament lawns by the Huon Valley Environment Center
The Picton valley continues to be decimated. This is an area in close proximity to a Indigenous heritage cave system of global significance, located in nearby threatened forest. This forest should have been safely guarded by a conservation agreement right now. The evidence has been made clear that the reason this coupe (and 42 others) was excluded from that agreement in order to meet the needs of Ta Ann. To imply that they are an innocent bystander in the destruction of this irreplaceable ecosystem is laughable. Ta Ann Tasmania are driving the ongoing logging of these forests and it is about time they owned up to it.
I know I mention it just about everyday, but I think I’ll say it again- please get on board for the Global 24 Hours of Action! It’s only a week away now, so time to start getting your banners and signs ready!! If you are keen to take part and haven’t let me know already, send me a quick email observertree2011@gmail.com. We need to make this action as big as we can, to send the strongest possible message to Ta Ann’s customer companies. I know that all of you reading this care about these forests. We need to make sure those companies know how much we all care about them too.
Till tomorrow,
Miranda
T h e O b s e r v e r T r e e 