Check out recent media releases and news clippings below to find out whats news in the Tarkine.
MEDIA RELEASE: 19/10/2010
The Tarkine National Coalition is celebrating todays historic Statement of Principles as a great day for the Tarkine. As a result of this agreement, around 70,000 hectares of unreserved rainforest and tall eucalypt forest in the Tarkine would be protected by a moratorium within three months. This added to existing reserves means the entire 447,000 hectare area within the proposed Tarkine National Park boundary would be protected from logging. This area also matches the 2009 National Heritage Listing.
We congratulate the negotiators and all parties who have contributed to this process from both the environment movement and the forest industry, and we urge the state and federal parliaments to support this agreement. We are mindful that the shift out of high conservation value forests and the eventual transition out of commodity logging of native forests does represent challenges, and we will support calls for fair and just transition assistance to workers to enable them to take advantage of new opportunities in plantation based industries, restoration forestry or the emerging tourism opportunities in the Tarkine. The Cradle Coast Authoritys Tarkine Tourism Development Strategy has forecast 1100 jobs to be created based on tourism in the Tarkine.
The future of the Tarkine today looks much brighter. Conflict over logging in the Tarkine can end today. With 72% of north west coasters polled supporting the creation of a Tarkine National Park, we believe we can now bring the community with us in a positive campaign towards this goal.
MEDIA RELEASE: 27/10/2009
TARKINE DRIVE EPBC REFERRAL AN EXERCISE IN FARCE
The Tarkine National Coalition has described the referral of the $25million Forestry Tasmania Tarkine Drive as critically incomplete, inadequate and bordering on the farcical.
This incomplete referral documents highlight the high levels of risk to threatened species and intact forest communities, but then ask the Minister to approve the development on the promise that further reports and mitigation will be undertaken later. said TNC Tourism Project Officer, Scott Jordan.
These reports need to be completed before any proper assessment or review can be undertaken. This is clearly unacceptable.
The public will now have only 10 days to make public submissions to the Commonwealth, and by submitting the referral now without these reports being undertaken the public is being cheated of the opportunity to properly scrutinize the project and make informed public submissions.
In February this year 26 well credentialed scientists highlighted the risk posed by this proposed road to the last disease free refuge of the Tasmanian devil.
This referral acknowledges the risk both of introduction of the disease and increased road kill deaths, but only solution offered in that they will conduct road kill and headlight surveys before and after, and that they will use unspecified, unresearched and untested mitigation measures.
Wait and see is not an adequate response to the critical impact on the Devil.
The reports yet to be undertaken include a report into sub surface investigations under the Aboriginal Relics Act 1975, Wedge-tailed eagle survey, botanical surveys of threatened orchid and lichen species, targeted surveys into Tasmanian devil and Spotted-tailed quoll dens, and road kill surveys.
The Tarkine National Coalition has urged Minister Garrett to join with tourism bodies, environment groups and West Coast and Waratah-Wynyard Councils in their rejection of this proposed project.
For More Information or Comment: Scott Jordan, Tourism Project Officer, 0428300324