Hot campaign - PTR1698
This year our work has been dominated by the Private
Timber Reserve application 1698. A PTR is a land covenant that legally
perpetuates a parcel of land for logging, and removes it from council
planning regulation and other laws defending conservation values, i.e. the antithesis of a
conservation reserve. This PTR application covers 1,100 hectares,
almost 40% of the private land of Reedy Marsh. The area includes rare
White Gum forest communities; over 40% of the area has Threatened
vegetation communities, forest and non-forest. 100% is classified as
Vulnerable land and key fauna habitat for Threatened Species. There
are at least seven Threatened Species present on the land. There is considerable public opposition
to the declaration of PTR 1698, and with the assistance of Councillor
Bob Loone an appeal in the public interest is being mounted through
Meander Valley Council. More than 2000 people from all over Australia signed a petition that we
presented to Council to seek their support in this appeal. The Reedy
Marsh Forest Conservation Group prepared a substantial document
covering the issues.
More information may be downloaded here:
Articles included in recent
newsletters, and also:
June 2006 update: Hearing day was in Westbury Town
Hall Supper Room, Tues 20th June 2006 at 10:30 am.
Friday 17th also went well. It is somewhat warmer
than the Deloraine venue. This was the 13th day
of the PTR hearing. At least 2 more days expected. Undoubtedly the largest objection to a PTR
ever mounted in the history of the legislation. Thanks to all who
have been so supportive.
April 2007 update: The Forest Practices Tribunal failed the environment, despite the vast body of
our appeal evidence and
expert testimony. We are now in the early stages of presenting for a
review of that decision in the Supreme Court. This is a big
commitment for TEA. A win in the state Supreme Court will make
history, and you can be part of that. We need help like never before
to turn the tide of the rapacious logging of threatened vegetation
communities and endangered species habitat. Your practical support,
fundraising and the moral momentum of Bob Brown's federal court win
on the Weilangta appeal will all contribute to our success.
Please consider making a donation to support this
urgent legal action.
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a direct bank deposit (contact us for details),
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More information on this campaign coming soon.
Great Western Tiers National Park proposal
campaign
For a number of years, TEA has advocated the
protection of the slopes of the Great Western Tiers, from
woodchip-driven logging in particular. The significance of the area
is well established nationally by way of its
National Heritage Listing
[External Link], and values include its contiguous association with
the existing World Heritage plateau, intact altitudinal ecological
sequences, karst, tourism, recreational and visual amenity. We have
already achieved some areas of protection, and community awareness
is growing. The GWT-NP proposal document and a detailed map will be
posted on this site very soon.
This campaign is stepping up again now. This in the
face of a monstrous Pulp Mill proposal supported [to a degree of
corruption, some may say] by state and federal governments contrary
to the wishes of the Tasmanian community. This Mill would double the
rate of forest destruction in Tasmania, and place further
unsustainable pressures and impacts on our air, water and other
life-sustaining systems, alienate farmers and rural communities from
land conversion to mutant plantations, jeopardise clean green food
production and tourism, and destroy fisheries with dioxin pollution.
The Great Western Tiers have never been in as much need of National
Park protection and your help to achieve this goal as right now.
Climate change
The government's draft strategy is useless; richly
deserving criticism and judgement. Read ours below.
Convenor's annual reports
The Environment Association channels efforts in many
areas, with major campaigns and other activities changing in emphasis
in response to environmental threats and protection opportunities. The
courage, dedication and drive of our volunteers is the key to saving
our natural home. An indication of the nature and diversity of TEA's
past and ongoing activities
may be gleaned from downloading any from a selection of Convenor's
Annual Reports:
