*MEDIA RELEASE*

16 August 2007

Forest Defenders expose selective logging sham in wilderness forest

“Forest Defenders have today halted logging operations in Tasmania’s Weld Valley.  Forestry Tasmania claims to be carrying out selective logging practices, in reality this current logging operation is no different to their usual and brutal clearfell and burn regime,” Huon Valley Environment Centre spokesperson Jenny Weber said.

“A Forest Defender is perched high above the main access logging route in a tree sit, with a message to immediately protect Tasmania’s world heritage value forests, such as those in the Weld Valley,” Jenny Weber said.

"Old growth and wilderness forest should not be used as a testing ground for Forestry Tasmania's destructive logging experiments. Instead these ancient places should be given the protection they deserve," Jenny Weber said.

"Experimental logging of old growth forests is like Tasmania's version of "scientific whaling": it allows ecologically destructive practices to continue under the guise of research and scientific study." Jenny Weber said.

Jenny Weber

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