Wild Wielangta

Our ‘Save the Swift Parrot’ postcard campaign has been a fabulous success. Nearly 3,000 colour postcards were distributed within about 10 days of us asking for help to get them signed and in the Premier’s office by the end of the month.

Volunteers from across Tasmania, from Southport to Grindelwald, from Bruny Island to Triabunna offered their help and many cards were also requested from supporters in Victoria, New South Wales and the ACT.

We even had a request for cards from Darwin!

Right select ‘Save target As…’ to download the print version and send it off yourself.

Wild Wielangta members met with the Tasmanian Premier’s office yesterday, hearing that the Premier’s getting the message, loud and clear, that the community wants immediate action to save this beautiful bird. The Premier’s forestry advisor admitted that they’d been swamped by cards and emails about Swift Parrots.

Questions have now been asked in State and Federal Parliaments and there’s been intense media interest, with The Australian, Canberra Times, Age, Sydney Morning Herald, ABC Radio National, local ABC radio and TV stations all covering the unfolding story.

The National Swift Parrot Recovery Team are visiting Hobart next week and we are hoping to have the opportunity to take them out to Wielangta, to see the birds we’ve observed nesting there and to talk with them about the Government’s response to this conservation emergency.

Right select ‘Save target As…’ to download this fabulous new report ‘The Swift Parrot in Tasmania: its Conservation Status and the Impact of Logging on its Breeding Habitat’ by Marg Blakers and Isobel Crawford, for lots of detail on what’s happening to Swift Parrots and their habitat.

Cassy O’Connor, Green Parliamentarian in Tasmania has also been challenging Premier Bartlett and Minister Llewellyn on their lack of action to protect the Swift Parrot. Right select ‘Save target As…’ to download the Hansard notes of her recent speech.

So, many thanks to all of you who’ve helped with postcards, written to politicians and kept the Letters to the Editor rolling in to your local papers.

Other areas where these endangered birds are breeding are, most likely, being logged right now, with the loss of eggs, chicks and the adult birds at the nest. For ideas for a letter see the recent post on blog: Swift Parrot ‘Reprieve’ Not Enough to Halt Extinction Threat

Please help keep the pressure up by writing to the Tasmanian Premier, David Bartlett, GPO Box 123, Hobart 7001. Tell Premier Bartlett that it’s not enough to temporarily halt logging in one coupe in Wielangta Forest.

You can also write to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, C/o Parliament House, Canberra 2601. Ask him to intervene to save the Swift Parrot’s breeding habitat in Tasmania using his powers under the Regional Forest Agreement.

See the recent post Swift Parrot Critically Endangered – Faulkner undertakes to tell Rudd about his Swift Parrot responsibilities for ideas for your letter.

Oh! If you live in Australia, check out your local cafes for another Swift Parrot postcard that’s been produced by Greens Senator, Bob Brown’s office and is being distributed around the country by AvantCard (the free postcard people). Grab one and send it off to the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd asap!

Sharon East
For Wild Wielangta
wildwielangta at gmail dot com