WA forest blockade planned

By Anne Pavy
and Anthony Benbow

PERTH -- Four of the best of WA's last wilderness forests -- Hawke, Rocky, Sharpe and Giblett in the south-west of the state -- are on the Department of Conservation and Land Management's logging agenda.

These areas contain the last undisturbed karri forest. All four have priceless wilderness characteristics found nowhere else in the world. All are vital to the survival of many endangered plant and animal species.

Under CALM's plans, these forests will be clear-felled for woodchips. Five-hundred-year-old forests will end up blowing around the world's rubbish dumps within a few months.

On May 19, a meeting of 50 activists launched plans for peaceful direct action in the affected forest blocks. The meeting was organised by the West Australian Forest Alliance (WAFA) and the Wilderness Society. WAFA is an alliance of 20 forest campaign groups located in Perth and the south-west.

WAFA is organising a peaceful demonstration, to call attention to the priceless beauty and value of these areas, to raise public awareness and to pressure the Federal ALP government to protect unlogged areas of forest and transfer cutting to tree crops and plantations.

The action will start with a Forest Festival in the south-west on July 2 and 3, and go on from there. There will be planning meetings and training sessions leading up to the festival.

On June 4, World Environment Day, a demonstration will be held in Perth to draw attention to the destruction of the world's forests. It will take place in Murray Street Mall at 12 noon. For further information call Environmental Youth Alliance on 227 7367.

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