Survey Road Blockade 2010

UPDATE: Police and DSE are present, at least one person has been arrested and taken away.

Click here for footage

This morning a forest blockade has been re-established in the highly contentious Bonang River area, approximately 30km south west of Bendoc in far East Gippsland.  A tree platform is cabled to five logging machines, preventing logging from continuing.

This follows a number of forest blockades in the same area last week, which resulted in six arrests after protestors were removed from tree platforms, wooden structures and steel pipes attached to logging machinery.

“On a day like today, where we celebrate what is great about being Australian, it is hard to believe that this country is still logging its old growth forest.  It should not be up to a handful of Australians to put themselves on the line to protect this forest – it is up to all of us,” said spokesperson for the group Gillian Edmiston.

“It would be something truly worth an Australia Day award if the Brumby and Rudd governments could finally cease this outdated practice and permanently protect all old growth forest.  That would be something all of Australia could celebrate for years to come,” said Ms Edmiston.

The area contains one of the last stands of old growth forest and borders the Errinundra National Park.  It missed out on inclusion in the Brumby State government’s recent forest announcement, despite being in wildlife corridor between to National Parks.  The area has been the site of protest action due to its biodiversity, rainforest, endangered species and old growth forest since 1999.

MEDIA ALERT 22nd Jan 2010 – Survey Rd

UPDATE

Police Search and Rescue, DSE, VicForests and contractors are in attendance at the logging coupe.

There are four people locked onto logging machinery, one person hanging from a monopole attached to two machines and a one person on a tripod on the coupe gate.

There is a presence of peaceful protestors in and around the bush.

Arrests are expected.

UPDATE 2

First arrest has been made on Survey Road blockade.

A person that was on a tripod on the gate of a clearfell logging operation has been removed by Police Search and Rescue.

More arrests are expected.

UPDATE

There have now been 6 arrests at Survey Rd blockade in East Gippsland.

Thursday 21st January 2010

MEDIA RELEASE

Clearfell Logging on Border of National Park

This morning 20 conservationist have re-entered a logging operation on Survey Road in Far East Gippsland. The controversial coupe borders the Errinundra National Park and is one of the few remaining stands of Old Growth Forest left in Victoria.

There is currently one conservationist sitting on top of a monopole, 10 metres off the ground which is attached to two machines. Another four conservationists have locked onto two pieces of logging machinery using metal tubing, halting logging operations.

At the gate of the logging coupe a tripod has been erected with a person perched at the top to prevent logging machinery and trucks from passing. All of this follows a week of actions last week that prevented logging in the same Old Growth Forest for four days.

“Since the Errinundra National Park was formed in 1988 the edges of the park have been logged excessively. This ringbarking has had a significant negative impact on the national park as it has created an island of old growth surrounded by logged forest, which has significantly reduced the quality of the park itself,” says spokesperson for the group Gillian Edmiston.

“This area of Old Growth was constantly asked for in the 2006 election to be included in the new national park as it is a corridor between the two parts of national park that allows endangered species to move between areas.” concludes Ms Edmiston

“In times like these when we have seen the consequence of inaction in the climate change debate, it’s unacceptable for the government to remain inactive on these matters,” says spokesperson from the group Stephanie Conway.

UPDATE

VicForest has allowed heavy machinery to start working while protesters are locked onto logging machinery and balanced on top of a monopole within the coupe.

This dangerous practice puts these peaceful protesters in a vulnerable position and endangers their lives.

Click here to download video of treesit police bust

Wednesday 13th of January 2010
Media Release

Forest Blockade Continues to “Stop Work” for Third Consecutive day.

Conservationists have continued to prevent clearfell logging opperations  in the controversial Bonang River Old Growth Forest today. After enduring two scorching days, one protester enters their third day sittng a tree sit, attached to logging machinery.

The logging coupe is in the headwaters of the Bonang River and borders the Errinundra National Park in a controversial area of iconic old growth forest that has been the subject of protest actions for many years.

The ANU’s 'Green Carbon Report' proved that logging is a major cause of climate change. The Climate Group's 2008 emissions audit found that Victoria is the worst polluter of all Australian states The Brumby government needs to understand that logging of Old Growth carbon sinks has to cease to help battle climate change.

UPDATE 14th January 2010

Police Search and Rescue, DSE and VicForest are present at the clearfell logging coupe on Survey Road which is in its fourth day of protest action. 

The 2 logging machines that are attached by cable to the 30metre high tree sit have been tensioned of and the machinery has been removed.

One tree sitter remains in a tree sit defending the significant stand of Old Growth Forest.  Police Search and Rescue are ascending the tree.

UPDATE 4:30PM

After six hours Police Search and Rescue have still not removed the tree sitter from the 30 metre high platform.

The tree sitter has locked onto a branch above the tree sit using metal tubing.

The two logging machine which are no longer attached to the tree platform are now functioning in the logging coupe.

Protesters remain present on site occupying the bush.

Tuesday 12 January 2010
Media Release

Logging protest enters second day

Logging in controversial old growth forest in the Bonang River area has been halted again today, with a tree platform attached to logging machinery preventing work.

Protestors have been denied water with police emptying 20L bottles of water on a Total Fire Ban day, where there are no waterpoints in close proximity to the coupe.

A person has climbed thirty metres into the canopy of a giant eucalypt, perched atop a tree platform attached to logging machinery that preventing clearfelling from commencing, in the active old growth logging coupe

Monday 11 January 2010
Media Release

Forest blockade in old growth forest

Today forty conservationists stopped logging in controversial old growth forest in the Bonang River area, with a tree platform attached to logging machinery preventing work.

The logging coupe is in the headwaters of the Bonang River and borders the Errinundra National Park in a controversial area of iconic old growth forest that has been the subject of protest actions for many years.

“The message to the Brumby Government is simple: protect all old growth forest immediately.,” said spokesperson for the action, Gillian Edmiston.

“Australia’s old growth forests continue to be logged despite being shown to be an important source of carbon storage.

According to studies by the Australian National University, for every hectare of forest logged, 1500 tonnes of carbon are released into the atmosphere.

Forty protesters stop logging at Survey Rd	Treesit stops logging	logging coupe at survey road, bonang river catchment