CONCERN OVER INCINERATION OF TARKINE RAINFOREST

The Tasmanian Greens today are concerned that the massive blaze in the Tarkine is destroying internationally renowned rainforest that may never recover from the impact of the fire and that fire-fighting resources must be prioritised to also protect conservation values as well as property threatened by the fire. Greens Opposition Leader Peg Putt MP said that the Greens and conservation groups had warned that the controversial Western Explorer road would prove a source of destructive activity and an ignition source for wildfire, a prediction that has regrettably proven correct. The Greens are now warning that no further roading into remote Tarkine wilderness should be allowed, although the government is actively pushing such an agenda via Forestry Tasmania.

"The Greens are extremely concerned by the enormous out of control fire in the Tarkine, especially in respect of the incineration of rainforest areas which are likely to be destroyed forever," Ms Putt said. "Remember that the Tarkine is Australia's largest temperate rainforest, a jewel we have a duty to safeguard." "We warned when the controversial Western Explorer road, known then as the Road to Nowhere, was pushed through that it would lead to increased threat to the outstanding conservation values, and that it would become the access point for wildfire as has now proven to be the case." "Within a few short days around 15,000 hectares has been consumed, and it is imperative that substantial resources are deployed to try and save threatened rainforest areas and thus protect the outstanding natural values which experts agree are of World Heritage significance." "In the 1980s a wildfire destroyed tens of thousands of hectares of myrtle rainforest at Savage River leaving devastation we would never want to see repeated." "Many concerned constituents are anxious about the bushfire, and we all hope that the fire-fighters will be given sufficient resources to also prioritise protection of the rainforest under threat, as well as the protection of property." “The environment of the Tarkine consists of a mosaic of different vegetation types, including buttongrass and tall eucalypt forest as well as the rainforest, and some of these are better adapted to fire than the pure rainforest.” "We are thankful that we have such a professional cadre of fire-fighters, and do hope that they will soon be able to bring the fire under control, although we alarmed by reports that there is no current attempt to halt the blaze." "This event highlights how important it is that we do not open the Tarkine to further threat by pushing any more roads into pristine wilderness." “Whilst fire may be a natural event, fires of this intensity are rare and would not normally have been able to take hold so close to the rainforest, and fire frequency has also increased markedly as a result of current human activities.” “Of course we also are worried that this fire may affect the Savage River mine where good efforts to control the legacy of pollution from past mining activity have been underway,” Ms Putt concluded.. Tue Mar 2008 08:03 (9 months, 3 weeks ago)