Australia: More Anti-Logging Protests Threatened
3/6/00
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Title: More anti-logging protests threatened
Source: Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Status: Copyright 2000, contact source for permission to reprint
Date: March 6, 2000
Conservationists have warned of further anti-logging protests in
Western Australia's south-west, until logging stops in high
conservation value areas.
More than 100 people have rallied outside the Simcoa silicon smelter,
north of Bunbury, at the launch of the Preston Environment Group's
Year 2000 Jarrah Forest Campaign.
Group spokeswoman Donna Selby says people want to know why up to
200,000 tonnes of jarrah logs are purchased cheaply to be burned as
charcoal. Ms Selby says the protest action will continue.
"At this stage we want the Court Government to impose an immediate
moratorium on the logging of any high conservation, old growth
forest," she said.
"Especially any areas of jarrah forests such as Ester and Louden,
that as I say, are being logged as we speak.
"It's been too long, we've waited and we've waited for our government
to come to its sense and listen to the people and they're just not
doing it," Ms Selby said.