HAVOC

SPRING 2011

Newszine of the Huon Valley Environment Centre [Link]

Summer Events
...with the Huon Valley Environment Centre...

20-22nd January - A Decade of Forest Defence

Huon Valley Environment Centre's 10th Anniversary Festival. Live Music incl. Barons of Tang, Saritah and Combat Wombat, Food stalls, Cabaret, Children's entertainment, Guest speakers and activist films. Rivers Edge Campground, Lonnavale.

27th January - Artists behind the Action

Church Studio Franklin, 3408 Huon Hwy. Opening night 6pm. Exhibition from 27 Jan - 6 Feb The 'Artist Behind The Action's' exhibition is a collaboration of artworks from various artists to celebrate a decade of forest defense and the HVEC's 10 th birthday.

28th January - Forest Fiesta on Parliament Lawns

A gathering to celebrate Tasmania's native forests. Bring your art, industruments, friends & family to Parliament Lawns, Hobart.

29th January - Activist Skillshare

At Huon Valley Environment Centre with Aidan Ricketts, long term activist, lecturer at Southern Cross University's School of Law and Justice & author of 'The Activists Handbook'.

17-28 February - Weld Echo Art Exhibition

Long Gallery, Salamanca Arts Centre, Hobart. Opening night Friday 17th Feb 6pm. Our annual art fundraiser. A collaborative exhibition of works inspired by the Weld Valley, Southern Tas. For more information [Link] or huonenvironmentcentre@[Link]

elcome to the Spring edition of Havoc, the Huon Valley Environment Centre's quarterly newszine. The HVEC is a not-for-profit environmental NGO based in Huonville, Southern Tasmania. We are all volunteers and rely solely on fundraising and donations from our amazing supporters to be able to continue doing the work we do. We are an organisation of dedicated activists who work for a sustainable future for our forests and commuities. Havoc is one of our ways of reaching out to you, our present and future supporters. We hope you find something of interest in these pages, and when finished with it you pass it on to someone else who might be interested in our work. We hope to see you at one of our Defence'! Help us help the forests by donating to the Huon Valley Environment Centre. The less time we spend fundraising, the more time we can be out in the forests working for their protection. Your support is always greatly appreciated. You can donate online at [Link] or you can send a cheque / money order to Huon Valley Environment Centre, PO Box 217, Huonville, TAS, 7109. Contact us at huonenvironmentcentre@[Link]. Thanks to all the contributers, editors & the Beehive Collective for the beautiful front cover image. events happening this summer, particularly our 10th birthday celebration 'A Decade of Forest

For the Forests, Thank you!

Intergovernmental Agreement Update

or, How Many Broken Promises Can We Take?
2011 could have been a year of celebration for Tasmania's wild forest. In October 2010, A statement of principles signed by Environmental NGO's, industry groups and Unions paved the way for comprehensive forest protection and a restructuring of the logging industry. But, more than a year later, not one tree has been saved, more cash has been delivered to the timber industry and destructive logging continues in some of our island's most sensitive and iconic forest areas. So what went wrong? A series of broken promises, industry pressure and Government backpeddling have jeopardised the progress of this historic agreement. First, in December 2010, the Tasmanian Government failed to implement a promised moratorium on the logging of 572,000 hectares of high conservation value forest. Forestry Tasmania, the State-owned forest management agency, flaunted this failure of leadership by pushing ahead with roading and logging in some of Tasmania's most contentious forest areas. In August 2011, the Tasmanian and Federal Governments signed an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) that promised immediate protection for 430,000 hectares of high As 2011 draws to a close, Tasmanians are suffering the loss of hundreds of hectares of native forest that should have been saved from logging. Activists have occupied forests on the flanks of Mt Mueller to document this destruction. Prime Minister Julia Gillard must keep her word before the trail of broken promises undermines this crucial opportunity to protect Tasmania's forests. By Will Mooney But the agreement also required that hundreds of thousands of cubic metres of sawlogs and veneer peeler logs must continue to be supplied to the industry. Malaysian logging company Ta Ann Holdings has been promised an ongoing supply of over 265,000 cubic metres of timber per year from Tasmania's forests. Forestry Tasmania argued that they could not supply this timber without continuing to log within the 430,00 hectares. In another backflip, the Tasmanian and Commonwealth Governments have turned a blind eye to the ongoing logging of pristine forests within an area they earmarked for immediate protection. conservation forest. The IGA stipulated that the Tasmanian Government would 'ensure that the 430,000 hectares of State Forest identified ... is not accessed [for logging]' and that the Commonwealth would compensate any contract holder affected by the protection of these areas.

This is a transcript of a speech given by Jenny Weber from the Huon Valley Environment Centre at the Rally for Tasmania's Forests and Future on August 7, 2011, outside Parliament House, Hobart.

here is a large tract of threatened forest in the Weld Valley, we are calling the

North Weld, where the gullies are steep, massive eucalypts tower above dense rainforest, and an understorey of leatherwood, myrtle, sassafras, celery top pine and manferns have existed for many generations before us.

In one pocket of the unexplored tract of the North Weld, there is an extraordinary collection of seven giant eucalypts growing within 30 metres of each other. In the Middle Huon valley, beneath the soil, decomposing leaves and deadwood, runs a massive

karst system. An outstanding cave-system, a fragile ecosystem that is globally significant. A karst system that has significant cultural values to Tasmania's Aboriginal people. It contains evidence of continuous Aboriginal occupation and use of the area for at least 35 000 years and potentially much longer. It occurs in threatened tall old growth Eucalyptus forests within three kilometres of the boundary of the World Heritage Area.

A karst system that was only discovered when a bulldozer fell in to part of it in early 2002 and still the area remains unprotected. I am here today to remind us all of what is out there in Tasmania's threatened and wild forests. The giant trees, wild rivers, clean crisp streams, wildlife habitat, the valuable karst systems, the ancient rainforests, the natural landscapes that have evolved over millions of years.

The healthy Tasmanian Devils, they who are on the brink of extinction. They who will benefit from protection of their forest habitat. I am here to remind us of the ancient trees, such as the Myrtles, the dominant species in

Tasmania's cool temperate Gondwana derived rainforest. A tree that can reach 500 years of age. I am here to remind us of the wildlife that rely on Tasmania's native forests. Tasmania has animals that are found nowhere else on earth. Endangered species; like the Tasmanian Wedge-Tailed Eagle, the largest bird of prey in Australia. The Tasmanian masked owl, the largest barn owl in the world. And the Swift Parrot that breeds only in Tasmania, one of Australia's rarest and fastest birds. They all require large old growth trees for nesting and breeding and are endangered due to ongoing habitat loss.

Urgent protection is not only needed for the icon forests that have been given international that have not been given the same attention.

recognition, it is also about the large tracts of high conservation value forests across Tasmania

And it is also about all the native forests in Tasmania. Native forests that face a doomed future in the hands of Ta Ann who has a contract secured till 2027.

Native forests that are of global importance to reducing climate change, consumers of carbon, purveyors of water, treasure houses of species. Shelter and nests for wildlife; platypus, frogs, wombats, bettongs, pademelons and wallabies.

We keep being asked to compromise. We compromise every day another wild forest falls, another tree hollow smashes to the ground, endangered species habitat vanishes. Reflecting on all that we have lost, the forests that people have lived in, have stood in the middle of roads as the bulldozers arrive, they have climbed the tall trees, and slept in their branches on and cable logging machines those forests that are now gone. tree-sits, attached themselves to machines, and traversed dense wilderness forests, sat atop tripods

And we have seen them on the back of log trucks, as large looming piles of woodchips, on the wharf being loaded as veneer and whole logs and in the ash cloud that rises to the sky and blankets our homes each regeneration burn season.

We have not participated in these acts of civil disobedience because we thrive on conflict and have extremist views. We are not the agents of conflict. We see the value of leaving the forests standing and the tragedy of the violence against these wild places that is perpetrated every day.

Our campaign is a cry to honour life, to respect the ecosystems that support us and the many animals and plants that share our earth.

John Williamson and Tasmanian Devil at August 7 Rally

The Mercury Newspaper, August 07, 2011

More than 200 people have rallied outside Parliament House in Hobart calling for Tasmania's forests to be protected. Singer John Williamson opened the rally singing Waltzing Matilda to a crowd holding signs and banners to save the forests. The Greens rally comes ahead of the Prime Minister's visit to Tasmania to sign a formal agreement on the future of the state's forests and logging industry. The Greens have rejected the deal saying it gives compensation to logging contractors up front but fails to provide immediate protection of the state's forests. They organised the rally to counter a pro-logging meeting organised by the Liberals in Launceston during the week, which attracted more than 200 people.

Jenny Weber Speaking at August 7 Rally

Forestry Burn off. April 21st 2011, near Southport. Photos by Julian Scheffer

'I fell through a big pile of hot ashes while taking the photos and got badly burned on the foot... It felt like falling in water'

REPORTING ON FOREST BURNS

In August, Forestry Tasmania (FT) and CSIRO released a report on the effects of FTs regeneration burns on the concentrations of damaging particulate matter in industry burns and domestic wood heating to the Tasmanian airshed in 2008' [Link] [Link]/[Link]?id=7609). Other critics point out that regardless of how high in the atmosphere the particles go, once they have been released into the effect and contribute to climate change. In FTs media release about the report, a company spokesman suggests that biomass burning organic matter to generate electricity will be part of Tasmanias future in lower carbon energy: Biomass represents an eco friendly alternative to fossil fuels and a renewable resource for electricity. Under a biomass option, heavy fuels and forest waste would be collected from the forest floor and used to process. Although there may be a small place for biomass power in a more sustainable Tasmania, using it as a justification for cutting down the forest a big carbon sink and burning it is a ridiculous thing to do and unlikely to increase FTs public credibility. The media reporting of this study blames users of wood heaters for particulate matter in the atmosphere; and it is always in companies interest to shift blame for pollution back onto individual people. If Tasmanians are busy saving up to get their homes insulated and unsustainable practices. As Kim Booth says: This is not a case of one type of smoke pollution being better than another. All smoke emissions are an unwanted nuisance for the community, particularly for those with pre-existing respiratory problems such as asthma. If FT didnt log these forests in the first place, there otherwise. burn less wood, they will have less time to criticise FTs generate energy, with little emissions produced in the the atmosphere. The report concludes that regen burns are only responsible for 11% of particulate matter in the Huon valley, with wood heaters contributing 80%; however, both the scope of the report and the way in which it has been presented to the media have been criticised. Anyone who has spent time in Tasmania in the autumn will have seen the eerily coloured clouds of smoke and interesting light effects in the sky caused by these and exacerbated respiratory problems including ahead, as happened in Burnie earlier this year burns. Residents of some areas complain of increased asthma, and in the worst cases, being unable to see ([Link], 'Smoke from regeneration burns blankets Burnie', 5th April 2011 [Link] burnie/2629678). FT claims to be improving its remain unconvinced. 2011-04-05/smoke-from-regeneration-burns-blanketsburning practices, but many Tasmanian residents The report measures the concentration of particulate

atmosphere they will have some kind of detrimental

matter (PM) in the atmosphere in two areas, Geeveston and Grove, over a period of nearly 18 months in 2009 10. FT suggests that the lower particulate figures from regen burns are partly because regen burns send particulates higher up into the troposphere, while smoke from wood heaters stays closer to the ground where people can breathe them in. According to Greens MP Kim Booth, the results of the report are not surprising, as the areas in which it was Tasmania, so there would be a higher than average carried out are relatively highly populated for Southern contribution from wood heaters. Other studies have

suggested that particulate levels from forestry burns have been greatly underestimated (For example, see the EPA's 'Preliminary reassessment of the relative contribution of PM10 particle pollution from forest

would be no need to regenerate them by burning or

IN DEFENSE OF OUR DEFENDERS

This article was written while Tasmanian forest activist Ali Alishah was serving 38 days in Risdon Prison for forest defense related charges. Forest activists in Tasmania are increasingly seeing harsher penalties laid down as they continue to fight for the protection of our threatened, precious forests.
The earth works currently being undertaken at the Conservation and Heritage site at Longreach on the Tamar River by Hazel Brothers contractors are not permitted. As the permits for work had expired at the end of August, the movement of machinery and small infrastructure onto the site at the start of September led to multiple arrests of protestors. One of these legal right to work ignore the fact that the act of protest and subsequent court proceedings are contesting that legality, as legislative review for a range of environmental and social issues is clearly imperative. behavior through unprincipled legislation is used as a pretext to justify attacks on the public and criminalises citizens acting on their conscience. This, together with smear campaigns against activists, seeks to shift the action comes from the reactive random acts of the Legitimisation of coercive and intimidating

citizens, Mr Ali Alishah, is still incarcerated weeks later for repeatedly acting on his conscience and bravely taking non-violent direct action. That these illegal works at Longreach are

blame from the perpetrators. The real risk at any direct corporate associates, employees, contractors and some Police, dictated to by a government that continues to serve private corporate interests at the expense of its own electorate. Our communitys volunteer grassroots nonviolent direct action environment organisations do not We have a wide range of activities such as education, reports, scouting, surveys, skill-shares, fundraising, networking, rallies, vigils, community open days, exhibitions and media, all of which contribute to that effect everyday lives. There is on going liaison with other groups and our communities to ascertain what actions may be ons and media events all highlight issues and may relevant where. Banner drops, rallies, open days, walk guided walks, film nights, concerts, presentations, community awareness of and engagement in issues undertake stop work actions without due cause or care.

allowed to continue, perverting evidence of failure to achieve substantial commencement by the permits expiry date, is testament to the Tasmanian Governments abrogation of their responsibilities. The failure of the Tasmanian Government to exercise due process, the failure to fulfill their duty of care to their electorate and environment and the failure of legislative and regulatory authorities creates a situation where people feel compelled to act to exercise precautionary measures to prevent the risk of additional damage and failure. Recent calls from some politicians to further

criminalise citizens exercising their democratic right to protest are unnecessary and counter productive. It must be understood that it is never the intention of non-violent direct action activists to cause fear, risk or argument that protests interfere with the contractors hazard and care is taken to not damage machinery. The

prevent works for a short time. There are times and places when it is indeed justifiable to intervene in work by corporations and their associated contractors, work that is damaging our ecosystems and society and is deemed to have dire consequences. Occasionally a more interventionist peaceful

Dedicated activists, who forgo comfort and security as they juggle study, jobs and family commitments trying to maintain the threads of normal life, make many sacrifices. Frontline life is very arduous and activists have high expectations of what they can endure and achieve, they push themselves to do the best day and

approach must be employed in which case structures, tree-sits, drag-ons and lock-ons, may be used to ensure that contractors cease and desist from their harmful a stronger stand needs to be made some people feel that the personal risk to them selves is nothing activities. Hard times call for hard measures and when

night. It can seem that they do not have an off button. may experience sleep deprivation, a constant state of hyper-vigilance, repeated incidents of displacement The type of work these activists do means they

and dispossession, are at high risk of burnout and are exposed to events that may be traumatising. Long-term activists often also experience discrimination, systemic violence and systemic disadvantage. Despite realising the real consequences of participating in direct action many continue to act on for their actions as demonstrated by commitment to appearances at court dates and payment of fines, or even, as in Mr Alishahs case, imprisonment. Direct their conscience and are prepared to take responsibility

compared to the greater risk of allowing corporations in collusion with governments to continue down the path to destruction. As our work pertains to risk and precautionary

measures, we are aware of the need to cooperate in a with the actions we take. Non-violent direct action

mindful and conscientious manner to minimize harm crews prepare, plan, practice and have protocols and

procedures for actions with most roles generally being non-arrestable. Passionate commitment and common values such as open communication, honesty and trust help to make this work. It matters not just what we do, but how we do it. While grassroots activists generally operate on a

action by a group of people with the will to peacefully intervene to prevent damage directly may end in police charges relating to their actions. Matters can then be taken through the court to contest unjust and legislative review. Forest industry corporations in Tasmania have a demonstrable disregard for the welfare of their workforce and the health and well being of the Tasmanian community. The past 40 years of industrial scale forestry on this Island has culminated in the harm and degradation of our soil, air, water, inequitable laws and legislation while lobbying for

local level, they seem to come from all round the world. The modus operandi and culture of groups of activists may be unfamiliar to people, certainly there can be discrimination and stigma attached, with activists

being treated either as gods or demons when in fact they tend to be very human, practical, resourceful and resilient people. Grassroots activists are self-funding communities. Having very public lives, they strive to their behavior. and work voluntarily for and in cooperation with their maintain decent standards at camps, at actions and in

endangerment and extinction of flora and fauna and disruption of our communities. Many believe that this civic duty to intervene. By Cecily. A. Edwards. 23-09-2011 harm cannot continue unchallenged and that it is their

RTIST
CALL-OUT
A DECADE of FOREST DEFENCE
3 Day Festival in Southern Tasmania
January 20 - 22nd 2012

LOOKING FOR
PERFORMERS & ARTISTS

Cabaret # Circus Freaks Dance # Burlesque Bands # Solo Performers

huonenvironmentcentre@[Link]

[Link]

Trip to Bell Bay

So we thought wed drive up north to Bell Bay for a day or two, the clutch went halfway there so we ad to get a tow, all the way to Launy town. The next morning we thought we were late, but were just in time, we dont think lockin-ons a crime, especially to stop Gunns and their associated slime. But seriouslystuck out here in the cold, makes me think back to some days of old, locked on in a tunnel, in a sit up a tree, getting harassed and called a stinkin greenie. Damn this winds cold wish I hadnt taken off me beanie, I just got so hot runnin through the bush, I wonder how long the cops are goin to be. Thoughts of climbin up a cable covered in grease, in the hope that finally the forests will be left in peace. Then it struck me, building the pulp mill has started, probably more than seven years so far this fight has lasted. So now where are all the opposers from then? one, two, three, four, I can only count ten people out here putting themselves on the line, and another is in Risdon doin a months time. Its getting colder with more wind and some rain, I move around to keep warm, wiggle fingers and block out the pain of the cold harsh metal that surrounds me, the gusting wind and more rain. Crap, no-one locked onto the second dozer, I thought we were busted and just went for the nearest loader, I watch the D9 start work and sort of feel like a loser. But Im not and in a way we did fine, and at least we arent ants working for the machine. What an unfulfilling life, destroying and at lunch rudely jokin bout your wife. Then up pops a cop, he just wants his pay, bet you he doesnt know you can make paper from hemp or clay, people manage to build space stations in this age and day, but somehow destruction and outdated practices still have their way. After some hours the cops cut us off, one by one, and get unnecessarily angry when you wont release your lock-on. Why does this make them so angry? Then one yanks my arm til I cry. Just doin their job, programmed not to care whats really goin on.

Em

Logging has creeped its awful way further into forests in the south, where tall ancient trees, ancient rainforest forests, forests bordering the world heritage area and species and wildlife habitats are still falling, old growth forests where new roads have been pushed in - when

Southern Forests Action Update

Ta Ann.

logging commenced in these Picton forests two weeks after the Intergovernmental Agreement was announced. Activists set up a blockade and six logging machines were prevented from logging by a conservationist up a single pole structure attached to the machinery. These ancient forests are being sent to Malaysian logging giant

they could have been saved in a moratorium. In the Huon the community mobilises and stands up for these ancients.

Catamaran - November
Behind the Recherche Bay in the far south of Tasmania, logging was discovered in November. World heritage value forests are being clearfelled forests on the boundary of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. A haunting view from the logging area is the Ridge, Mt La Perouse, Cocks Comb and the Hippo. spectacular world heritage mountain range of Moonlight Activists held two actions, in one a small number of activists walked in to the logging area and documented the logging. On the second occasion a team of activists machines in the logging area. Logging in this forests was woodchips shipments have been postponed

Arve Valley - September

When first locating the threatened coupe in the Arve valley, we noticed the very large old growth forests, the high altitude rainforest spotted with celery top pines that were really old and the amazing

Pandanis,

Mountain Peppers, Sassafras and Myrtle forest that is steep down to the headwaters of the Arve River. Logging commenced in this ancient ecosystem, an area at the end of a long logging road. It was snowing on the night we all arrived to set up a tree sit. The cold falling snow was after halting work in the area for but one day, he sat in a

eerie in the devastated area. One protestor was arrested tree-sit in the threatened old growth alpine rainforest, as it snowed and rained all day. We were very sad to hear that logging was halted in this forest in the middle of the schedule because there was no market for the timber, we

established a tree-sit which was attached to all six occuring despite a controversial announcement that Tasmanias only export woodchipping company, Artec. It was revealed that the area is being clearfelled for Ta Ann, export peeler logs and woodchip logs. by

were sad because we thought about the wildlife and the ancient rainforest that did not need to be ruthlessly Tasmania and Government. slashed at the hands of the incompetent Forestry

Picton Valley - September

Activists have been witnessing the building of a new logging road in to old growth forests in the East Picton Valley, accessing a large tract of wilderness forests that flanks the Hartz Mountains National Park. The new road has been the site of many protests by the Huon Valley Environment Centre. In September the

Logging in both the coupes in the Arve and the Picton

are forests that were contiguous with the Hartz Mountains, and the Tasmanian World Heritage Area. to commence logging very soon. These are some of the There are three coupes in the Picton Valley that are due areas that Forestry Tasmania has stated they can not move out of due to their contract with Ta Ann. Loss of these wild forests is the legacy of PM Julia Gillard and Premier Lara Giddings. By Jenny Weber

logging

commenced in the first coupe at the end of this new

road. Though there remains 2km of road to be built. The

Behind the Veneer:

Forest Destruction & Ta Ann Tasmanias Lies

Huon Valley Environment Centre investigates...

Ta Ann Holdings has a track record of rainforest destruction and human rights violations in the
Malaysian state of Sarawak. Ta Ann Tasmania is a subsidiary and has been misleading their customers and falsely promoting their products in the international market place as eco-plywood. The Tasmanian and Australian governments are implicated as they have knowingly supported this misrepresentation and allowed the destruction of Tasmanias globally renowned old growth and high conservation value forests. The Tasmanian Government has announced their intention to legislate the wood supply contract for Ta Ann, which would lock in the ongoing destruction of Tasmanias forests.

In Sarawak, Ta Ann is implicated in palm oil expansion, displacement of indigenous people due to logging and logging of endangered species habitat such as the orang-utan (1). They are utilising their claimed eco credentials in Tasmania to re-establish the companys image in the markets. In Tasmania the forests continue to be logged while the native forest industry is ailing. However a company that has entered the fray, Ta Ann, is being fed a large quantity of native forests. Ta Ann is currently Tasmanias largest recipient of native forest timber. They are receiving timber from Tasmanias native forests to meet their wood supply of 265 000 cubic metres of timber. The Huon Valley Environment Centre was at the opening of Ta Anns business in the Huon in 2006 with a small Sepawi entered the premises. Our campaign is

banner holding as a procession of then Premier Paul Lennon, Liberal Senator Eric Abetz and the notorious Hamed building around Ta Ann and over the past months we have held direct actions, had briefings with Baru Bian and Clare Rewcastle, two people who work Sarawak, released a detailed report about the closely on the logging issues that involve Ta Ann is practices of the company here in Tasmania and visited Japan, where Ta Ann has a very strong sales of plywood. export market. Japan accounts for 90% of Ta Anns

[Image: HVEC activists at the Ta Ann mill opening] Huon Valley Environment Centre has undertaken a detailed research task about Ta Ann Holdings over the past twelve months, and in September 2011, we published some of our initial findings in a report. Behind the Veneer; Forest Destruction and Ta Ann Tasmanias Lies, is a Ann (2). report we have been writing over the past nine months, whilst also coordinating a direct action campaign against Ta

Huon Valley Environment Centre had a public launch of our report and there was no media interest here in Tasmania. Not a single journalist turned up to the press conference. After all the comments made over the years that all we seem to do is direct actions and cause conflict, when we release such an important document, there was not a blip of attention. Activists on the frontline in Tasmania have been witnessing the shameful export of native forests, crucial.

when high conservation value forests should have been in a moratorium and a swift transition out of native forests is

Ta Ann is at the helm of the native forest logging in Tasmania, and is part of the ongoing taxpayer subsidised industry. Tasmanian Greens MP Kim Booth, questioned in November 2011, the Minister for Forests Bryan Green export price. Kim Booth MP said the figures, published in the 2011 Forestry Tasmania publication, Sustainable Forest MP to explain why Forestry Tasmania cut the price Ta Ann pays for peeler logs at the same time as it increased the

Management, look like yet another concession to a failing timber operator. The price per cubic metre for domestic peeler logs was cut by $10 to $60 dollars, at the same time as the price on export market went up by $2 to $85. The to the pulp wood price. Its apparent that Ta Ann has been rejecting a large proportion of the peeler logs being carted to its mill, logs which site, meaning that there is no way that the Ta Ann contract can still be financially viable. It is just not possible to logs are simply being discarded once they arrive at the mill. price for pulpwood also fell by $10 to $52, which appears to indicate that the price to Ta Ann for peeler logs is locked

they are not required to pay for. There is now reportedly around 100,000 tonnes of waste timber lying around on the grow, cut down, load and cart to the mill peeler logs for $60 per cubic metre, especially when a large proportion of

Direct Action at Hobart Wharf:

It was a bold and significant step in Tasmanias direct action campaign was when Huon Valley Environment Centre activists embarked on taking action against Ta Ann vessels on Hobart wharf. In April 2011, fourteen forest activists of veneer for eight hours. Two activists climbed the cranes on the vessel and shut the loading down. One protestor who climbed a crane on the vessel was held in remand for two nights. engaged in a peaceful protest and six conservationists were arrested after a non-violent action disrupted the loading

In July 2011, eight conservationists conducted a dawn protest on another vessel in port to load Ta Anns veneer. Five conservationists locked on to the top of the crane tower. These five peaceful protestors were strip searched by of the activists was held in remand till the evening to appear in court. The Huon Valley Environment Centre and the protestors were attacked by the State Government and the Opposition for their action, however we remain committed to continuing to put a spotlight on the ongoing crisis in Tasmania, which is seeing ancient forests and endangered species habitat vanish. Our message for the actions at the Hobart wharf was, Ta Ann has become one of the largest logging companies in the world while cooperating in environmental and social justice abuse in Sarawak, Malaysia. Ta Ann continues its poor is closely linked to the family of Sarawak's controversial Chief Minister, Abdul Taib Mahmud, who owns properties and companies worth hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars around the globe. Ta Ann is one of 49 companies blacklisted by the Bruno Manser Fund for its ties with the Taib family. It is chaired by Taib's cousin Hamed Sepawi. This is the beginning of our campaign to rid Tasmania of Ta Ann. We are all proud to work in solidarity with the people and forests of Sarawak. environmental record through its push for continued logging of high conservation value forests in Tasmania. Ta Ann the police, in an unnecessary and inappropriate treatment of people participating in a non violent direct action. One

Who is Ta Ann?
Ta Ann Holdings is a Malaysian-based multinational logging and timber products company. In January 2006, Ta Ann was welcomed to Tasmania with a golden political handshake and they have since established forestry operations to sell Tasmanian wood products to customers in Japan, China and Europe. Ta Anns intention with their Tasmanian venture is to market eco-wood products as being sources from plantation or sustainably managed regrowth forests.

Ta Anns decision to open shop in Tasmania was driven by two core objectives: they were offered hardwood by Forestry Tasmania, at lower rates than they could access in Malaysia or Indonesia and they needed Tasmanias clean, green image to access an increasingly environmentally concerned and lucrative international market.

Ta Ann Tasmania (TAT) has rejected timber from plantations, staked its future on continued access to timber from native forests and has actively lobbied to stall an industry-wide transition to plantation harvesting. TAT is now a major driver of the industrial-scale logging of Tasmanias unique native forests.

Huon Valley Environment Centre has applied on-site research, obtained documents under Right to Information (RTI) and gathered primary source information from local forest workers as well as community members to reveal conservation value forest destruction in Tasmania. TATs operations are neither environmentally nor financially sustainable. Despite having a cheap source of timber, stand at AU$18 million. In 2010, with both of its mills fully operational, Ta Ann made a loss of AU$11 million. that despite claims to the contrary Ta Ann is driving unsustainable native forest, including old growth and high

TAT has made an operating loss in each of its five years of operations in Tasmania. Accumulated net losses currently

Ta Ann is a major customer of Forestry Tasmania, the state government agency who is contracting the logging. Their specifications for log quality and characteristics are cited by Forestry Tasmania as a reason for continuing to log facility for the native forest woodchip logs, the logging of high conservation value forests and old growth forests continues in Tasmania, and Ta Ann is receiving logs from these logging operations. within identified high conservational value forests. While the forest industry struggles to find a market or processing

Baru Bian visit:

In August 2011 the Sarawak MP for the Justice Party Baru Bian visited Tasmania with a clear message. He said he was shocked Ta Ann was allowed to operate in Tasmania especially in light of their practices in Sarawak. Baru Bian is an inspiration to all who work for social justice. As well as being a politician advocating for human rights in the repressive state of Sarawak, he works as a human rights lawyer. At the time of his visit to Tasmania he was working on more than 100 cases brought by indigenous communities of Sarawak against logging and other development companies that were violating indigenous land rights (3).

Clare Rewcastle:
Clare Rewcastle is another inspiring figure in the fight for social and environmental justice in Sarawak. Clare is a British investigative journalist, but spent the first eight years of her life growing up in Sarawak. In 2005 after returning to Sarawak she established the blog The Sarawak Report, which reports an independent view of events in Sarawak where media is tightly controlled by the state. In December 2010 Radio Free Sarawak was launched to enable this independent voice further reach to people in remote communities (4). Clare visited Tasmania in September, she gave talks in Hobart and Launceston.

Interestingly the visits of these two significant people gained almost no mainstream media attention. However for on the ground activists it was both enlightening and inspiring to connect with Bian and Clare. It enabled us to gain a close perspective of practices that companies like Ta Ann engage in, in Sarawak and reiterated the importance of continuing to campaign against these practices here in Tasmania.

Campaign in Japan:
Next on our agenda for campaigners from the environment centre was meeting with customers of Ta Ann in Japan and Climate campaigner and former leader of the Tasmanian Greens Peg Putt. I was a guest speaker at an and in the UK. In October, on behalf of Huon Valley Environment Centre, I visited Japan, with International Forests International Forest Summit that was hosted by the Japanese Government, and then with Japanese forest campaign organisation Japan Tropical Forest Action Network (JATAN), Peg and I met with Ta Ann Tasmanias customers. Meetings were held with flooring manufacturer Panasonic Electric Works and Japan's largest house building companies, Sekisui House and Daiwa House. We exposed Ta Ann Tasmanias timber source to some of their and international NGOs who are focused on forest protection, and a media conference was held in Tokyo. customers in Japan, in alliance with Japanese forest campaign organisation, JATAN. We also met with Japanese

The environment centres report exposes Ta Ann and their Japanese partners claim that their timber from Tasmania is only sourced from plantations and regrowth forests. In the market Ta Ann is promoting their Tasmanian eucalyptus veneer as environmentally friendly and from a plantation and regrowth only source through their Japanese partner SMKC. Yet Ta Ann has submitted to the Australian Federal Government that plantations are not as an additional resource (5). used by the company: plantation timber is yet to be proven as a viable substitute for regrowth from native forests or

[Image: one of Ta Ann's Tasmanian 'eco-wood' is being marketed in Japan] Our message to the customers of Ta Ann was that the source of the company's timber has been misrepresented. Companies such as Panasonic Electric Works, Sekisui House and Daiwa House have set goals to procure environmentally friendly timber, whose production does not contribute to large scale logging, nor harm biodiversity

or the climate. Informing these companies about the ecologically destructive logging practices in Tasmania and the reality that Ta Ann is sourcing timber from old growth, world heritage value and high conservation value forests was a shock to the companies who believe the timber source is environmentally friendly, who had been misled and in some cases thought that Ta Anns veneer was plantation grown. We also informed Ta Anns Japanese customers that Ta Ann Tasmania and their wood supply contract is standing in forests, and this company is implicated in environmental and human rights abuses in Sarawak. It was important to inform Japanese customers of the potential reputational damage involved in their relationship with Ta Ann. with Australian NGOs over the woodchip trade between Tasmania and Japan (6). JATAN committed to making Ta Ann in Tasmania a focus of their campaign, following their successful collaboration

the way of full protection of 572 000ha identified for reservation in the Intergovernmental Agreement on Tasmanias

Over to the UK:

In November, Huon Valley Environment Centre assisted Tim Birch from Markets for Change in the UK. In a six month investigation by Australian NGO Markets for Change, veneer produced by Ta Ann Tasmania was tracked to a new sports complex being constructed at the University of East London that will host the United States Olympic team before and during next years London Games. Markets for Change released a report Team USA: Training for

the olympics on Tasmanian forest destruction (7). The UK Independent Newspaper ran an expose (8). The UK investigation has revealed that some of the worlds leading sports stars could be training on wood sourced from the destruction of Tasmanias pristine forests in the lead-up to the London 2012 Olympic Games.

International markets and now the British public, are aware that Tasmania continues to allow the logging of our unique tall eucalypt forests.

PEFC is just not good enough:

Ta Ann is using certification under the Australian Forest Standard, which has Program for Endorsement of Forest This is despite widespread global proof that PEFC certification, via AFS (Australian Forestry Standard), is not an indicator of acceptable environmental standards and does not safeguard high conservation value forests from ongoing logging. A recent report by nine leading international environmental NGOs has identified major deficiencies in the Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification globe. The report attacked the schemes for greenwash and using misleading language whilst failing to protect forest biodiversity (9). Released in October 2011, 'On the Ground: The controversies of PEFC and SFI' , (PEFC) system and noted its failure to safeguard forested environments across the

Certification (PEFC) status, to assure customers that their source of timber in Tasmania is environmentally friendly.

details a series of cases, including how indigenous peoples' rights in Chile, Canada been certified as "sustainable" in the USA, Tasmania and Sweden, and how clear cutting tropical rainforest to make room for plantations has been endorsed in Indonesia. Report released by the NGOs coalition: Climate for Ideas (United Kingdom), Forests of the World (Denmark), Dogwood Alliance (United States), Hnut DUHA (Friends of the Earth Czech Republic), Les Amis de la Terre Association for Nature Conservation), Netherlands Centre for Indigenous Peoples. (Friends of the Earth France), Greenpeace, Sierra Club of British Columbia, Suomen Luonnonsuojeluliitto (Finnish and Sweden have been dismissed, how massive old growth forest destruction has

PEFC is not an acceptable indicator of environmental credentials in Australia. Activities certified under the Australian Forestry Standard (AFS) in Tasmanias southern forests are adversely affecting biodiversity and the protection of forests with outstanding conservation values. PEFC certification in Tasmania fails to ensure environmental protections or sustainable logging practices. Thus PEFC certification in Tasmania fails to ensure environmental protections or sustainable logging practices. Rather, PEFC allows the logging of old growth forests, and endangered species habitat and does not ensure protection of important environmental values such as World Heritage values.

But we only use regrowth timber:

Ta Ann uses eucalyptus logs sourced from logging operations conducted in areas of old growth forest and forests with documented outstanding conservation values. These forests contain a dynamic mix of species, of old and young trees. Whilst Ta Ann may not process old growth logs, its demand for the young, straight eucalyptus trees that flourish in these mixed forests is driving the logging of sensitive and contentious areas. Forestry Tasmania, the state government agency who supplies Ta Anns timber, has acknowledged that old growth is destroyed. The forest areas designated as regrowth in Tasmania are often primary, natural forests that have never been

forests contain a mix of older and younger trees. Ta Anns demand for the younger trees means that the whole forest

subjected to logging or industrial activity. Natural wildfire has created a mosaic of species. In fact, in 2008, the worlds tallest hardwood tree, 101 metres high and many hundreds of years old, was discovered in an area of forest mapped as regrowth.

Ta Anns demand for large volumes of logs suitable for peeling is also creating pressure for more logging roads to access remote areas of forest, often directly adjacent to Tasmanias World Heritage Area. These roads open the forest and protected areas to impacts from fire, weed and pests, let alone the impacts of logging.

A Process and Action in Smithton:

A round table process is underway in Tasmania between the timber industry, unions, and environmental organisations in an effort to resolve conflict and a crisis in the forest industry. This has led to an inter-governmental identified for potential protection in a Statement of Principles agreed between industry and conservation group Anns insistence on maintaining their wood supply from within this area is standing in the way of immediate cessation of logging in these high conservation value forests. agreement between State and Federal Governments. 572 000 ha of high conservation value (HCV) forests have been stakeholders. A moratorium was agreed to be implemented on logging in HCV areas and should now be in place. Ta

The Intergovernmental Agreement was announced in August 2011. In response to the very real risk that native forest protection would fail to be delivered and the fact that Ta Anns contract was secured by the agreement, and guaranteed until at least 2027. A coalition of groups, The Huon Valley Environment Centre, Still Wild Still mill site at 6am and two activists are locked on to machinery, halting operations. Threatened and CODE GREEN took action at Ta Anns veneer mill in Smithon. Twelve conservationists entered the

The Intergovernmental Agreement leaves open over 140,000 hectares of identified high conservation value forest to potential logging, as the agreement only addresses 430 000ha being placed in immediate reserves. Contracts with companies such as Ta Ann could jeopardise the future protection of high conservation value forests, with further reductions to the reserve area still on the table. The Tasmanian and Australian Governments promised in August 2011 that, '430,000 hectares of native forest (will be) immediately placed into Informal Reserves'. Forest protests in the Picton Valley, Arve and Catamaran since

August 2011 reveal Tasmania is continuing to lose spectacular wild ecosystems despite promised protection. Under the IGA 430,000 ha of High Conservation Value forest specifically identified in Attachment A of the Agreement should already be protected under informal reserves and a Conservation Agreement (EPBC Act). Ta Ann are receiving wood from inside that 430 000ha.

The drawn out Inter-governmental Agreement process of protecting these ancient forests is becoming questionable, when the State and Federal Government allow Ta Ann to drive the logging of endangered species habitat. 68% been identified as critical to the supply of logs to Ta Ann percent of the logging operations planned to occur within the areas nominated for protection in the next year have

Ta Ann has made admissions that they are processing and selling timber sourced from the logging of pristine, primary forests in Tasmania that ENGOs, as well as international agencies such as IUCN, have identified as containing outstanding conservation values. The Government process in Tasmania was supposed to have delivered a full moratorium on 572,000 hectares of

HCV native forest by March 2011. That deadline was missed because of industry and government back-peddling. If the original spirit of the Agreement had been honored, these forests would have been immediately protected from logging and no longer available to Ta Ann.

Ta Ann played a central role in lobbying to stall the immediate protection of these forests because it was concerned about the impact of protecting HCV forests on its wood supply. Logging industry, government and forestry forest area could not be delivered. The current IGA process involves an assessment of 570,000 hectares of forest that have been identified by ENGOs as containing exceptional conservation values. Yet, these areas are still being logged while the assessment is underway. continuing to receive and process this timber, Ta Ann is jeopardising forest protection in Tasmania. Ta Ann is driving the logging of forests that are being assessed for protection because of their conservation values. By representatives consistently raised the supply of wood to Ta Ann as a reason why full protection for the nominated

Ta Ann Tasmania can influence Forestry Tasmania, by requiring them to supply Ta Ann with timber from outside the contentious 572 000ha and furthermore make effort to implement a transition plan out of native forests. These measures will further the opportunity for forest protection. Ta Ann's long term demand for native forest, and the Tasmanian government's commitment to their contract till at least 2027, locks in Tasmania to losing valuable wildlife habitat and vital carbon stores for decades.

Where to from here?

Huon Valley Environment Centre is urging Ta Anns Japanese customers to make a critical analysis and verification of the source of the timber from Ta Ann Tasmania. We suggested the companies make an evaluation of Ta Ann as a company and their operations in Sarawak. We question the ethical nature of Ta Ann Holdings.

Our recommendations, contained in the HVEC report on Ta Ann recommend that Ta Anns customers cease to take supply originating from Ta Ann whilst they: (i) continue to source wood from old growth and high conservation value forests already identified and recommended by the Inter-governmental Agreement on Tasmanias Forests (the 572,00 ha), and, (ii) demand legislated supply from natural forests.

Instead request a plantation only wood source from Ta Ann, and ask them to correct their claims regarding wood source and ecological sustainability of the product. We advocate an immediate cessation of wood supply from the supply. Reliance by Ta Anns customers and Ta Ann Tasmania on certification of wood products (especially PEFC and the as the sole qualifying criterion for wood procurement as it does not guarantee acceptable environmental standards. ... high conservation value forests, followed by a rapid transition from remaining native forests to a plantation-based

AFS) as sufficient evidence for the highest class of wood supply is insufficient. We believe certification is inadequate

Importance of protecting remaining native forests in Tasmania:

Tasmania is globally renowned for its old growth forests, significant biological diversity, and spectacular wilderness. Significant tracts of high conservation value forests, including old growth and areas of World Heritage value, tall eucalypt forests and rainforests, are being logged under broadscale industrial logging practices. These forests are carbon rich forests in the world. Their logging is destructive of the conservation values and highly emissive of greenhouse gases.

also significant for maintenance of endemic biodiversity and as repositories of forest carbon, being amongst the most

Our campaign around Ta Ann comes with a climate consciousness that ongoing logging of native forests here in Tasmania, and in Sarawak is a climate disaster. Our campaign efforts are made to highlight the ongoing damage logging of native forests is contributing to climate change. important land-based climate solution (10). The Climate Commissions report A critical decade has identified protecting forests from logging as the most

The report which was released on the 23rd of May 2011 identified the protection of native forests in Australia from logging as a critical climate change mitigation measure. The report says that eliminating harvesting of these native forests is perhaps the most important policy measure that can be taken to reduce emissions from land ecosystems. Australian scientists have identified cool temperate native forests of south eastern Australia as the most carbon dense in the world. Tasmanias tall wet eucalypt forests have been found to store up to 1500 tonnes of carbon per more carbon than the degraded native forest ecosystems or agricultural crops that replace them. By Jenny Weber, Huon Valley Environment Centre hectare (11). The Climate Commission report states that mature undisturbed native forests ecosystems store much

References and further reading: (1) Pandering to the loggers Why WWF's Global Forest and Trade Network isn't working. [Link] Released July 2011. Report-2011-Web (2) Huon Valley Environment Centre's Report. See it here [Link] See more information about Baru Bian [Link] (4) Visit Clare Rewcastle's website Sarawak Report [Link] Industry, Ta Ann Tasmania Pty Ltd and Native Forest Value Adding' (6) JATAN website [Link] (5) Ta Ann Tasmania, Submission No.54, March 2011 'Current and Future Prospects of the Australian Forest [Link] (7) See Markets for Change report about Ta Ann [Link] (8) See the Independent UK's article [Link] (9) [Link] (10) Steffen, W. Report of the Climate Commission, 'The Critical Decade' 2011 [Link] (11) ibid