This blog is to tell people why there is a campaign to halt clear fell logging on Bruny Island. Clear fell logging on Bruny produces few benefits for residents, shack owners and visitors but has the potential to impact on the Island's values. The campaign is aimed at g[Photo]etting the Tasmanian Government to recognise those special values and put resources into protecting them.
Why is Bruny Island Special?
Bruny is an island of singular natural and scenic beauty and a place of international and national biological, cultural and historic significance. Dramatic coastlines, sweeping uncrowded beaches, forested hills, abundant wildlife and stunning scenery.
The island is steeped in history and culture. It was the home of indigenous Tasmanians for over 30 000 years, a stopping place for early European exlorers - Tasman, Cook, Bligh, D'Entrecasteaux, Furneaux, Flinders and others called here. Bruny Island is the site of the first European art in Australia, the type species of Eucalyptus was collected here, and the remains of early whaling and pre-industrial logging still exist in their original setting.
What is the issue?
A State Government enterprise - Forestry Tasmania - has spent hundreds of thousand of dollars providing infrastructure to support a clear fell logging operation behind Adventure Bay. This will provide no new employment on Bruny Island. However, it may impact on its natural, historic and cultural values and adversely affect tourism.
Visitors come from interstate and overseas, as well as from other parts of Tasmania, to experience the scenery, the wildlife and the Island's history and culture. Over 100 people are employed in providing services to these visitors. The Government spends minute amounts on infrastructure for this industry or to protect the Island's values and assets.
Many Islanders and visitors think the Government should be putting resources into protecting these special values and supporting a viable tourist industry as it does elsewhere in the State.The Government will not have a meaningful debate about the issue. Concerned residents, shack owners and visitors have put their own resources into a campaign to get a better deal for the Island.
The future
Future blogs will give more info, meanwhile you can help by writing to Premier Paul Lennon, Parliament House, Hobart, Tasmania 7000. email- paul.lennon@parliament.tas.gov.au
and Minister for Resources, David Llewellyn, email - david.llewellyn@parliament.tas.gov.au .
Leave your comments for this posting by clicking on the comment link below.
and Minister for Resources, David Llewellyn, email - david.llewellyn@parliament.tas.gov.au .
Leave your comments for this posting by clicking on the comment link below.
3 comments:
Thank you for bringing this tourism, environmental and cultural issue into community awareness.
To undertake clear fell logging on Bruny Island is to disregard the values of a community who appreciate the natural environment.
Imagine you are a resident or tourist leaving Bruny Island on the ferry and next to you is a big log truck.
Imagine choosing to live in a naturally beautiful and environemntally diverse place, only to have log trucks driving past your back yard.
Imagine explaining to your children or interstate visitors how we as a community let this happen.
Its a sickening shame if this isn't the last time the local government ignores its residents.
Clearly the government do not want this to become an issue and they are choosing to largely ignore it.
Letters to the Premier and responsible ministers (interestingly most of whom are members for Franklin) have recieved dismissive replies based on misinformation supplied by Forestry Tasmania, claiming wide community consultation and support for logging. Tragically one of our other Franklin parliamentary representatives, the Hon Will Hodgeman, leader of the "opposition" chose to reply to my expressed concerns by forwarding me a copy of a letter I had already recieved from the Premier!
To their great credit Kingborough Council voted 8/4 against the advice of council officers who simply regurgitated Forestry misinformation, to support the petition of over 600 raterpayers who opposed logging on Bruny and asked for logging to be postponed pending an economic impact study.
Despite the recognition by council of widespread community concern I note that forestry have already smashed a road into the first coupe and state that council have no power to stop them.
This is an issue which can only be pursued by community action. It is critical that all people who are concerned about the social and economic impact of logging on Bruny Island stand up and demand real consultation with the community.
This logging program is to occur witihin 1.5km of Adventure Bay township, within the watershed of the source of the townships drinking water. Unladen lod trucks will travel through Adventure Bay township and fully loaded log traucks will be sharing the islads narrow, dangerous, partly unsealed roads with locals, tourist buses cars and caravans as well as our school buses.
This operation will bring no employment to the island while compromising our rapidly expanding tourist based economy.
The Bruny Forestry Consultative Group have agreed to a puplic meeting on Saturday 10th of May. It is vital that as many interested people attend that meeting to insist the Forestry Tasmania and Gunns Ltd fully justify the operation and explain how it is to be carried out without damage to the islands values.
It may also be valuable to approach both candidates for the upcoming Legislative Council seat of Huon as to their attitude to logging on Bruny Island.
You can view information on how to raise public awareness of these issues by looking at the following:
http:www.brunyisland.org
pademelon
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