Dozens of people have gathered on the Arthur River over the weekend as part of a campaign to end logging in the Tarkine’s Arthur River forests.
Tasmanian Greens Senator Nick McKim joined around 50 community activists in a flotilla on the Arthur River in an effort to “highlight the destruction caused by logging in the state’s Tarkine rainforest”.
“It is awesome to be in a river wonderland with people committed to protecting such a special place. It’s time to stop native forest logging and protect these places,” McKim said.
“We have been escorted up the river by majestic White-bellied Sea Eagles and Wedge-tailed Eagles, reminding us that this is their home and it is vital for us to defend it.”
Tasmania Police were called to the river during the flotilla due to harassment and aggressive behaviour from people in motor boats, who were reportedly driving at canoes and kayaks.
The Bob Brown Foundation, which organised the flotilla, alleges logging has been flattening the habitat of these species for the past several weeks.
“The community is standing up to the bulldozers and the government to protect the Tarkine. We will not let this precious place be destroyed,” Brown said.
The foundation say the Tarkine is home to several endangered species, including the Tasmanian devil, wedge-tailed eagle and swift parrot.
Tasmanian Resources Minister Felix Ellis has previously said the Tarkine is not “pristine wilderness” but an example of jobs and the environment “coexisting for generations”.
“In spite of misinformation peddled by the Green movement, mining, forestry and energy in the Tarkine continues to coexist with recreational pursuits, tourism ventures and the environment, as they have done for generations.”
