Protect Tasmania's Wilderness World Heritage Area
Right now, the Tasmanian government has disturbing new plans to allow logging and massive tourism developments in Tasmania's Wilderness World Heritage Area.
It was only last year that hundreds of thousands of Australians helped stop the Abbott government's attempt to strip some of Tasmania's ancient forests of World Heritage status.
It's hard to believe that any government would try it again.
To make things worse, right now, the federal government is handing over approval power for environmentally damaging development to state governments.
If the Tasmanian state government has the power to approve development in Tassie's World Heritage forests, the chainsaws could be revving in old-growth forests before we know it.
Our natural heritage — the places we love — are not commodities. They are special places, of great natural and cultural significance, that deserve the highest level of protection.
Responsible tourism is vital for Tasmania. But commercial tourism in the heart of a World Heritage protected wilderness cannot respect the natural and cultural values of the area.
Tell Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt to protect the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.
Dear Minister Hunt,
I am deeply concerned that the draft Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area management plan released by the Tasmanian government in January allows for logging of ancient, World Heritage listed rainforests.
Any logging of these rainforests will deliberately damage and degrade the site's outstanding natural attributes and is inconsistent with Australia's duty to protect and conserve the site's World Heritage values under the World Heritage Convention and the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act 1999.
In comments to the Australian newspaper, you said you would "fully and completely" protect Tasmania's Wilderness World Heritage Area and that there would be "no compromise" on the area's values.
I thank you for your commitment and urge you to reject any management plans which allow for logging or large-scale developments in the Tasmanian World Heritage Wilderness Area.
These plans highlight why handing over EPBC approval powers to state governments is so worrying. I urge you to withdraw the bilateral agreements that will allow for the handover of approval powers from federal to state governments.
Our World Heritage sites — Australia's natural heritage — deserve the highest level of protection. As Federal Environment Minister, I urge you to protect our country's natural heritage for all Australians.
Sincerely,
[Your name here]
