forests

The world's forests remove over one quarter of current annual human carbon emissions from the atmosphere each year, the equivalent of about 2.4 billion tonnes of carbon according to the latest published scientific research. An international team of scientists, including from the US Forests Service and the Australian CSIRO, have quantified the greenhouse gas carbon sink provided by the world's tropical, temperate and boreal forests.

On sunday night fourteen forest activists walked into the Barnback Creek area in Tasmania's Weld Valley to protest continued logging of threatened old growth forests. At least one person is pole sitting locked on to forestry equipment.

"Huon Valley Environment Centre is calling for an immediate end to logging of high conservation value forests, urgent protection is vital. We are loosing critical endangered species habitat and forests of immense value," Huon Valley Environment Centre's Jenny Weber said.

Tasmanian environment groups will join with communities around the country tomorrow to voice concerns in a nationwide Day of Action against the burning of native-forest products in power stations to generate electricity.

Wood-fired power generators would adversely impact Tasmania’s clean, clever brand and represent a major new threat to both high conservation-value forests and the ability to reach agreement around a lasting solution to the forestry crisis in Tasmania.

On Wednesday, April 14, more than 100 local people, led by three Aboriginal Traditional Owners, held a peaceful demonstration in the contested logging area of Mumbulla mountain on the far south coast of New South Wales. Mumbulla Mountain is sacred to the Yuin people and stronghold of the last koalas in the region between Bermagui and Bega. Logging of Mumbulla Forest koala habitat near Bega started on 29th March 2010. The traditional owners present said "We, the traditional owners of Mumbulla Mountain, are distressed that woodchip logging is taking place on part of our sacred land. The land should be handed over to us to care for it, our sacred sites and the animals that live here. We need to preserve it for our culture and our future generations."

Related: Proposed Eden biomass power station an environmental and climate disaster |
Youtube video: Mumbulla Mountain traditional owners say 'no' to logging | Mumbulla Photoset