Push to consider an end to all logging in WA native forests

Push to consider an end to all logging in WA native forests

November 15, 2006 - Researchers from Murdoch University are pushing for the creation of an organisation dedicated to improving the health of south-west Western Australia's tuart and wandoo forests.

The Murdoch researchers have spent the past three years working with industry and community groups to determine why once fertile forests and woodlands are shrinking. South-west environment groups are building a movement to dismantle the State Government's forest management polices of logging in all WA native forests...
The worst-affected area is in the Yalgorup region south of Mandurah, where the trees are slowly dying. The university's Dr Paul Barber says if a dedicated centre for excellence was created to focus on the problem, there is a good chance a solution could be found.

"If we were to get that funding we would expand our research not only just looking at tuart, we would be expanding our research on wandoo, the flooded gum, salmon gum because these problems are widespread," he said.

Environment Minister Mark McGowan says he is interested in the idea. "Certainly a very good idea, I'm always supportive of initiatives to save important parts of our environment, we also need work on the ground and that's what we're investigating as well," he said.

Meanwhile, conservation groups from around the south-west have united in an effort to dismantle the State Government's forest management polices.

In a media release last week the Preston Environment Group say the FPC was supposedly set up to log and manage the state's forests and to create new industries for timber products. But Mark Shean from the Northcliffe Environment Centre says the commission's work is turning many established forests into plantations.

Several peak South West conservation groups have formed an alliance, calling for an end to all logging in native forest. The groups met in Balingup on Sunday to form the Global Warming Forest Action Group.

More groups and individuals are expected to unite in support over the coming weeks. Mark Shean says conservation groups from around the region have formed the Global Warming Forest Action Group to push for the dismantling of the FPC and to promote the stronger protection for the state's forests.

"What we want to do is get any political party that's sympathetic to our view to come on side and if they won't support us then we plan to run candidates against those sitting members and try and force their hand that way," he said.

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ARCADIA BLOCKADE: 2 weeks of actions and 11 arrests.

Roading work has begun, and is expected to continue for a few more weeks, before felling can commence. Chainsaws are being used to cut down bigger trees, bulldozers to clear smaller trees and scrub, graders being used to create roads. From our observations, roads are being made through stream reserves and areas marked out for dieback, with no sign of any monitoring being done by the Department of Environment and Conservation.

Spokesperson for the Arcadia Action Group, Brian Green said, "We are here on behalf of all Australians - who are concerned that the logging of native forest is contributing to Global Warming, including the extinction of a rare mainland quokka colony."

The blocakde of Arcadia forest continues. On Saturday the 18th of November a picnic will be held at camp with bands and banner making and tours of Arcadia.

Find out more about the Arcadia Forest action here:
http://www.radicalhack.com/arcadia/


SOURCES:
Green groups unite to challenge WA logging - Arcadia group maintain defiance
Dedicated centre sought to boost forests' health