Tasmanians Ancient Forests Demo,

international | environment | event notice Friday August 28, 2009 19:10 by old growth - climate camp

WORLD HERITAGE NOT WOODCHIPS

Dublin Demo: 31st August 1pm

Grafton Street Entrance to Stephens Green

Come along and take part in the international day of action to protect world heritage value ancient forests in Tasmania currently being destroyed for woodchips. The destruction is despite the unanimous resolution of 2008 World Heritage Committee calling upon the Australian Government to take steps to extend the boundaries of The Weld World Heritage Area.

In Dublin we’ll be putting pressure on the Australian government to extend World Heritage status to the remaining Ancient Forest in Tasmania. We’ll not be acting alone with demonstrations in, Switzerland, England, New Zealand, Scotland, and in cities throughout Australia, with the message ‘Tasmania’s Ancient Forest World Heritage Not Woodchips’ and ‘The Whole World Is Watching’.

Tasmania is Australia's southern island with far stretching wild lands. On the Eastern border of the South West World Heritage Area is the vast and wild Southern Forests. What does remain of the Southern Forests is ecologically and culturally valuable to the Western Tasmanian wilderness area. Here in this wild country are valleys of ancient landscapes, tall eucalypt rainforest, untamed rivers, karst systems, diverse plant and animal life in a spectacular setting of glaciated highland peaks and lakes.

Tasmania's forests of Tall eucalypt, unlike many on mainland Australia, tower over cool temperate rainforests, containing many species unique to Western Tasmania, including Leatherwood, Celery-top Pine and Horizontal Scrub. Huon Pine, a remnant of the supercontinent Gondwana, overhang the banks of the Huon and Picton rivers in the Southern Forests and can live for more than 3000 years. The forests of the eucalyptus regnans in the Southern Forests are the world's tallest flowering plants. Old-growth Eucalypts provide important nesting holes for birds and animals such as the Eastern Pygmy Possum, Sugar Glider and Yellow-Tailed' Cockatoo. They also provide important habitat for Tasmania's raptors - such as the Grey Goshawk and, the Wedge-Tailed Eagle.

Currently unprotected and being devastated by shocking industrial forestry practices that clearfell, burn and poison large areas, the Southern Forests, are being lost.

This is your chance to help protect it!