Tasmania’s forests defense groups ramp up protest action

By Danielle McKay

Tasmanian Still Wild Still Threatened activists scaled Parliament House in Canberra yesterday in protest at Sunday’s Heads of Agreement signing and have pledged to continue action.

Huon Valley Environment Centre also vowed to continue non-violent actions yesterday, including illegally boarding woodchip ships, chaining protesters to forestry equipment, blocking roads with tripods, and community walk-ins.

Environment centre spokeswoman Jenny Weber said the agreement failed to offer immediate protection to high conservation areas because verification of the final 430,000ha would take months. Ms Weber said it also fell well short of protecting the initial 572,000ha that conservation groups identified as high-conservation-value forests.

“We will be maintaining our vigilance and will continue to engage in non-violent action until the forests are protected as promised,” she said.

For further coverage go here
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-07-25/20110725-mixed-response-to-forests-deal/2809086/?site=hobart

For full article go here
http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2011/07/26/248351_tasmania-news.html