MEDIA RELEASE 7 Feb 2016

‘Tasmanian Government Minister Paul Harris has today revealed a nightmare scenario to generate electricity from the destruction of Tasmania’s unique native forests and wildlife habitats by pushing for a forest furnace in the southern forests. Tasmania’s unique forests are not fuel for furnaces. We call on Minister Harris to rule out public funding and subsidies for forest furnaces in Tasmania,’ Bob Brown Foundation’s Campaign Manager Jenny Weber said.

‘A forest furnace on the banks of Tasmania’s Huon river is a last century proposal, biomass generated by burning native forests is not clean and green, it is dirty and destructive,

Biomass electricity generated by burning native forests in forest furnaces is not renewable energy, it would be dangerous to human health and Australians don’t want it,’ Jenny Weber said.

‘For the public it’s a choice between ending industrialised logging in Tasmania’s native forests and wildlife habitats or forest furnaces for decades to come,’ Jenny Weber said.

‘Tasmania’s native forests are globally unique, as intact forests across the planet are vanishing at a rapid rate. Intact forests gather and store carbon. Protecting native forests is a solution to Tasmania’s reduced rainfall and increased climate change impacts not the Tasmanian government proposal for forest furnaces from logged endangered species habitat,’ Jenny Weber said.

‘Minister Harris’ absurd proposal to entrench logging of native forests for forest furnaces across Tasmania would deplete valuable forest carbon stores and have devastating impacts on biodiversity, climate, communities and local economies,’ Jenny Weber said.

Contact
Jenny Weber 0427 366 929