This morning, veteran forest defender Ali Alishah has attached himself to the only access gate leading into a sub-alpine forest in the Central Highlands that Forestry Tasmania refers to as BD052A. This forest, near Brady Lake, contains large numbers of eucalyptus dalrympleana and the critically endangered swift parrot has been documented here.
Swift parrots breed exclusively in Tasmania, migrating to the mainland for the winter months. They require old hollow-bearing eucalyptus for successful breeding, in close proximity to flowering Eucalypts of select species – E. globulus, E. brookeriana, and E. ovata.
‘The Central Highlands of Tasmania – an especially sensitive and fragile region of immense importance in terms of biodiversity, ecological services, and cultural heritage – is currently experiencing the worst logging in Australia,’ said Mr Alishah.
Evidence ignored
‘One year ago today, veterinary scientist Dr Colette Harmsen and ecologist Dr Charley Gros reported and lodged evidence of Swift Parrots in coupe BD052A. Following this, Tasmanian forest defender Mon Ker and palawa elder Uncle Jim Everett were arrested while resisting the destruction of this forest,’ said Dr Lisa Searle, Bob Brown Foundation’s Forest Campaigns Organiser.
‘Despite this, Forestry Tasmania persists in destroying this important Swift Parrot habitat. This cannot be allowed to continue,’ she said.
‘As Forestry Tasmania continues to refuse to manage the native forest estate appropriately, then it’s time the government business enterprise was abolished,’ said Ali Alishah.
‘As this mercenary and unconscionable desecration of the legacy of the first custodians, the palawa, primarily for pulp – enabled by the flawed and failed 2013 Tasmanian Forest Agreement and fully funded by the taxpayer at a loss to the public purse – markedly highlights the need to end native forest logging and manage the native forest estate for biodiversity, its soils, its irreplaceable relational ecosystems, and the ecological services they provide us all,’ he said.
The Bob Brown Foundation says it will continue to take action in native forests across Australia until the government commits to secure protection for all native forests and a complete cessation of logging and clearing.
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