The Federal Court has announced this morning that each party will bear their own costs in the Great Forest Case, despite the case going against Bob Brown Foundation. The landmark case was brought by Bob Brown Foundation against the State of Tasmania, Commonwealth and Sustainable Timber Tasmania. The court concluded ‘this is an appropriate case to depart from the usual costs order and order that each part bear its own costs’.

“Today’s judgment has vindicated us bringing this important case to the Federal Court, proving the case is a matter of public importance,” Bob Brown said.

“We were never going to gain anything out of this as an organisation. We were taking this case to challenge the native forest destroying Regional Forest Agreement and for the survival of endangered species that rely on intact forests,” Bob Brown Foundation’s Campaign Manager Jenny Weber said.

The expected costs were likely to exceed $300 000 of taxpayers’ funds spent by the Commonwealth and State Governments on this case defending Tasmania’s wild forests including the critically endangered Swift parrot.

We will be making an announcement in the coming week about appealing the Great Forest Case to the High Court.

A directions hearing concerning Bob Brown Foundation’s takayna Trail ultramarathon event was held this morning in Hobart’s Supreme court.

“Sus Timber Tasmania’s (STT) told the court that Bob Brown Foundation does not need STT’s consent to run the takayna Trail and that a permit is not required. In other words, they cannot and will not prevent the event from proceeding,” Bob Brown Foundation’s CEO Steven Chaffer said.

“Now that STT have confirmed that a permit is not required from them, this removes the final hurdle for National Parks and Wildlife Service issuing their permit for the event to go ahead on 20 March,” Steven Chaffer said

“Our Foundation is leading the campaign to have takayna / Tarkine protected as a World Heritage listed National Park and returned to Aboriginal ownership. takayna Trail is an annual event in one of the last wild places on Earth that brings visitors to the region, boosts the economy and showcase an alternative to destroying the Tarkine with logging and mining. We look forward to a successful 2021 takayna Trail with 130 people running for this wild place,” Bob Brown Foundation’s Campaign Manager Jenny Weber said.

The case has been set for a further hearing on Thursday 4 March at 2:15 pm for BBF’s application for an injunction.

As the original owners of takayna, Tasmanian Aborigines have given their permission and support to the Bob Brown foundation’s ultra-marathon event which will raise awareness of the cultural significance of takayna to Aboriginal people, following the decision by Forestry Tasmania to revoke permission for the event to go ahead.

The Bob Brown Foundation are well known for their efforts to protect Aboriginal land and place value on our cultural heritage, ‘’How dare Forestry Tasmania play political games with our traditional lands and cultural heritage’’ Nala Mansell, Campaign Manager said.

Aborigines have never relinquished our ownership of takayna, we have a moral and ethical right to our stolen lands and will not sit by quietly while forestry Tasmania use our lands for their own political gain.

The Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre are backing legal action by the Bob Brown foundation against Sustainable Timbers Tasmania’s decision to refuse entry into takayna.

Nala Mansell

Campaign Co-ordinator

Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre

198 Elizabeth Street, Nipaluna/Hobart

Bob Brown Foundation has launched a Supreme Court action against ‘Sustainable Timber Tasmania’ after they refused a permit for the annual takayna Trail ultra-marathon, scheduled for 20 March 2021.

Our application to the Supreme court was filed on Friday 19th February. A directions hearing will be heard in Hobart’s Supreme Court this Thursday 25th February at 11.30 am for the judge to give directions to prepare the case for hearing.

The takayna Trail, a highlight of the national trail running calendar, brings over 130 local and interstate runners to Tasmania, and injects hundreds of thousands of dollars into regional Tasmanian communities at a time when tourists, and the income they bring to Tasmania, are desperately needed.

The event has been successfully held for the past 2 years and attracted local, national and international runners with sponsorship from major brands like Patagonia, Paddy Pallin and Australian Ethical.

Sus Timber Tasmania has an obligation under government legislation to ‘allow access to permanent timber production zone land for such purposes as are not incompatible with the management of permanent timber production zone land.’

“Premier Peter Gutwein should put a hand on the shoulder of Sus Timber Tasmania and tell them ‘wrong way, go back’. STT has no legal right to put a chainsaw through public thinking. If they prevail, it will have a chilling effect on all future debate about our forests and wildlife,” Bob Brown said.

“We are fighting for the rights of all Tasmanians to access and enjoy their public lands. We will not have that right taken from us just because Sus Timber Tasmania doesn’t like our campaigns to protect the environment. If we don’t stand up for this right, Sus Timber Tasmania will be emboldened to lock out anyone they don’t agree with from the public lands they are tasked with managing,” Bob Brown Foundation Campaign Manager Jenny Weber said.

“If allowed to stand, this decision sets a disturbing precedent that could affect any sporting or recreational event in public forests. Tour guides, running, orienteering, mountain biking, fishing and 4WD groups should all be concerned by this ban, as it demonstrates that Sus Timber Tasmania are prepared to block any group that speaks out against them from entering public forests,” Bob Brown Foundation’s CEO Steven Chaffer said.

“Sus Timber Tasmania have effectively privatised all Crown land allocated to forestry and stolen public access from the people of Tasmania. This contravenes one of the principles of the legislation, namely that people are entitled to access public forests. Parliament’s decision to allocate large areas of Crown land to forestry should not be turned into a land grab by Sus Timber Tasmania,” Steven Chaffer said.

Today in Wentworth Hills, four forest defenders were arrested for halting the logging of Tasmania’s endangered species habitat and carbon storehouses.

“We shut down logging of the oldest forests today, giving Premier Gutwein the opportunity to protect the old growth forested endangered species habitat. He failed again and chose to send in the police instead of choosing to protect these critical native forests,” Bob Brown Foundation’s Jenny Weber said.

“The tall forests of Wentworth Hills are under an industrial government sanctioned assault, a tragedy that is occurring right under our noses. Behind locked gates and hidden away from public scrutiny, these majestic, wild ecosystems are being decimated,” Bob Brown Foundation’s Campaign Organiser Erik Hayward said.

“The overwhelming majority of the trees logged from these forests are destined to become wood chips for unsustainable paper products. If left standing these forests will continue to provide essential habitat to sustain endangered species. Left standing the ancient eucalypts in the forests will continue capturing carbon in their soils, hold intrinsic and priceless value as undisturbed and fascinating forests,” Erik Hayward said.

"Sustainable timber Tasmania, the Tasmanian Liberal government and Tas Labor have had time to make the right choices to protect these places. They have failed. For the survival of endangered species, benefits to climate and the environment, native forests logging needs to end and we will not stop in the defence of our native forest,” Erik Hayward said.

Forest defenders have this morning reclaimed old growth forests with a shutdown protest.

Four forest defenders, including a retired organic gardener, a midwife, a law student and a nurse, have attached themselves to logging machinery.

“The logging in Wentworth Hills is out of control and needs to halt immediately to preserve old growth forests, critical carbon stores and wildlife habitat for rare and endangered species. Tasmania is losing ancient forests in Wentworth Hills at a rapid pace, some of the logging is happening at an altitude just below Hobart’s iconic Organ Pipes and trees as probably as old as 350 years old are being chainsawed,” Bob Brown Foundation’s Campaign Manager Jenny Weber said.

“Woodchipping the native forests of Tasmania and these Wentworth Hills ancient forests continues to destroy our chances of reducing global warming and preventing the ongoing exacerbating of climate change. Just last week we halted 50 log trucks at Artec Woodchip mill in a few short hours, these trucks are carrying out the remnants of destruction of forests with hollow-bearing trees that are critical for the survival of threatened and endangered species,” Erik Hayward said.

“This morning we are halting the logging of old forests that is very destructive to carbon stores, wildlife and biodiversity.

In one area currently being lost to logging, two nests for the endangered wedge-tailed eagle are within 500m to 1km of the area being smashed.

Here in Wentworth Hills is the shameful outright conversion of emerging rainforest to eucalyptus woodland, this clearfell and burn destruction is eliminating the rainforests,” Bob Brown Foundation Campaign Organiser Erik Hayward said.

“Wentworth Hills is a dolerite plateau in Tasmania’s central highlands, where the gum-topped stringybark with a sub-canopy of rainforest trees are rich with native wildlife, including nine threatened fauna species. With high-quality habitat for the rare and vulnerable Spotted-tail quoll and significant habitat for the Endangered Grey goshawk, Masked owl and Tasmanian Devil. These forests are worth more standing,” Erik Hayward said.

“Premier Gutwein dangerously chooses extinction, economic damage and climate crimes as he fails to protect native forests. We will continue to take action in these forests to urgently protect native forests and mitigate the climate emergency, prevent the ongoing supply of conflict source timber to controversial Borneo logging giants, and halt the export of vast amounts of Tasmania’s endangered species habitat as woodchips to China,” Jenny Weber said.

Bob Brown Foundation has called on the Forest Practices Authority to revoke forest practices plans in 31 areas of forests on Tasmania’s Eastern Tiers. This is due to:

• A newly identified food source for Swift Parrot, the Eucalyptus brookeriana, ignored in current logging plans;
• A critically endangered woodland community, which is meant to be protected from logging, has not been correctly identified by 8 year old logging plans;
• Mapping system the logging authority relies on is inaccurate, out-dated and fails to recognise important habitat for critically endangered species;
• Forest Practices Authority has failed to comply with its own policy of adaptive management;

“Dr Webb has recently identified Eucalyptus brookeriana as an important food source for the critically endangered species. This is new science. None of the Forest Practices Plans for 31 coupes in the Eastern Tiers recognise this new finding and therefore there is a monumental failure to protect important habitat of a species that is on the brink of extinction,” Jenny Weber said.

“Furthermore, the critically endangered woodland community of Eucalyptus brookeriana /Eucalyptus ovata which is present in the Eastern Tiers, are still targeted by logging in forest practices plans that are eight years old. This is due to failure by the logging agency and authority to adapt their management,” Jenny Weber said.

“Tasmania has a critical role to play in securely protecting Swift Parrot habitat.  All nesting trees need to be left standing, not like the destruction of Eastern Tiers forests when at the height of the Swift Parrots breeding season logging was carried out at 2020.  While our Foundation was carrying out protests and surveys in these forests, Swift Parrots were present and trees with hollows were chain-sawed,” Jenny Weber said.

“To our knowledge this is the first time the Forest Practices Authority has been asked to revoke a series of forest practices plan.  Logging cannot go ahead without these plans.

We fully expect FPA, as the Regulator, will act responsibly to curb STT’s logging plans for the Eastern Tiers, in an effort to protect the Swift parrot.” Jenny Weber said.

“This negligent destruction is happening on Premier Gutwein’s watch as he oversees the path to extinction for the fastest parrot on Earth,” Jenny Weber said.

Affidavits by Dr Matt Webb for the Great Forest Case

Bob Brown Foundation Forest Defenders are currently engaged in a protest halting logging in the Styx Valley, Tasmania.

“We are in forests that are just two kilometres from the Styx river regional reserve, along the major tourism route to iconic Styx Big Tree walk. I am surrounded by logging in forests that have hollow bearing trees, habitat for the Tasmanian Masked Owl, Grey goshawks and potentially the critically endangered Swift Parrot,” said Colette Harmsen, Forest Defender.

“The tallest flowering plant of all plants is still being lost in Tasmania’s logging tragedy. Logging has been halted in these significant tall old growth forests, as we highlight that the loss of ancient native forests continues in Tasmania every day while Premier Gutwein fails to take climate action. Forests are irreplaceable carbon banks, but, when logged and burnt, emit megatonnes of greenhouse gases,” Bob Brown Foundation’s Campaign Manager Jenny Weber said.

Patagonia, the outdoor apparel company has joined trail runners calling on Tasmania’s Premier to allow takayna Trail 2021 to go ahead.

In an alarming and outrageous move last week, Forestry Tasmania refused to allow the iconic sporting event, takayna Trail, to go ahead in Tasmania’s takayna / Tarkine.

“Patagonia has been a long-time supporter of Bob Brown Foundation and their campaign for World Heritage protection of takayna / Tarkine. We’ve been working alongside the Foundation since the takayna ultramarathon’s beginning and are alarmed that a ban on access by state forestry body Sustainable Timbers Tasmania could jeopardise the 2021 event. We echo calls for site access to be upheld. This low impact, environmentally friendly event is a highlight of the nation’s running calendar and asset to Tasmania’s north-west. Patagonia stands behind the Australian public’s right to access its public lands,” said Dane O’Shanassy, country director Patagonia Australia & New Zealand.

High profile Australian trail runners have rallied behind the takayna Trail, with many of the trail runners writing to Premier Gutwein. Trail runners, Majell Backhausen, Johnny Abegg and Pacha Light, will join Bob Brown Foundation in takayna / Tarkine for the 2021 takayna Trail.

"This is a watershed moment for the trail running community. We are faced with an opportunity to use our love for running, love for wild places and our individual voices as part of a passionate collective to change the way we can move forward in this climate emergency. Trail runners are part of the wider world of sports activists and we are now standing up for our sport, its people and the places we retreat to feel alive and to live in full, " said Patagonia Ambassador and takayna Trail Race lead, Majell Backhausen.

“The takayna Trail is my way of reconnecting with my childhood, having spent my early years growing up in Tasmania, intertwined with nature. I feel no government agency should have the capacity to “own” public land. The land is where we come from and is where we all draw connectivity and sense of self. I’ve frequented the forests of Tasmania since I was a young fella at the age of 10, navigating my family around the island, being drawn to the magical forests like those of the Tarkine. Now 41, I travel down to Tasmania to run the takayna Trail as a way of reliving those childhood memories and to make sure these wild places remain intact and flourishing. To have an agency like Forestry Tasmania attempt to “own” a forest, then to block our right to interact with nature, is heartbreaking, ” said Johnny Abegg, fellow co-founder of Surfers for Climate.

"Let us run. Let us fill our lungs with the air of ancient forests. Immersed in the magic and wisdom of the Tarkine wilderness with the heartbreaking thought that it could be our last chance to see it. Let us pass through this sacred land to protect it," said professional surfer, Pacha Light.

“Premier Gutwein will be responsible for robbing the north-west community of hundreds of thousands of dollars if takayna Trail is not permitted to go ahead in takayna / Tarkine. Tasmania’s government and their logging agency is locking the public out of public lands. Our drawcard event brings runners from around the world to Tasmania and the north-west needs the economic boost our ultra-marathon brings, particularly during the current tourism downturn. We demand that Premier Gutwein, as Minister for Tourism, provide access to public land for our legitimate sporting event that the public are entitled, by law, to attend,” Bob Brown Foundation’s Campaign Manager Jenny Weber said.

"Two forest defenders have been arrested after a protest at Artec woodchip mill shut down the site for most of the day,” Bob Brown Foundation’s Campaign Manager Jenny Weber said.

"Activists faced vandalism of cars, assaults from loggers and complacent police. Yet in the face of all that they stood strong for Tasmania's native forests, they stood proudly in the long tradition of non-violent protests, they stood strong for all the people who want action on climate change and an end to native forest logging," Jenny Weber said.

“Twenty protestors shut down the Artec woodchip mill in Tasmania’s north to protest the company’s ongoing woodchipping of Tasmania’s old growth and native forests. Export woodchipping continues to drive the loss of vast areas of native forests in Tasmania, including the old growth forests in Wentworth Hills and Swift Parrot habitat in the Eastern Tiers,” Jenny Weber said.