The picnic-walk into the proposed logging coupe 19D on July 19 was a great success, and it’s hoped that those of you who came along enjoyed the day. With the Mercury reporting an attendance of around 250, and TV news coverage on all channels, it certainly got the word out that people are taking an active interest in the area, and are concerned about the threatened species that are known to be there. Let’s not forget the scandalous disregard for carbon storage that logging would represent, too.

The question remains now: What else can we do?

At this stage Forestry Tas tells us that they are still intent on logging this coupe “sometime during this financial year”. We cannot sit and do nothing and let this happen. As you know, it is not just any patch of forest, but rather an extremely high-value old-growth habitat supporting several threatened species, and is also highly symbolic because of the recent court proceedings with Bob Brown.

Some exciting news!!!

On the picnic walk, Andy North, a well respected ecologist was able to identify in the coupe not one, but TWO species of orchid, that are on the threatened species list!! The Threatened Species Unit in the Department of Primary Industries and Water and Forestry Tasmania have been notified. There is the potential for an Interim Protection Order to be invoked. Select to view more details and photos.

It is hoped that a small representative group can arrange to have a personal meeting with Premier Bartlett. Steve Whitely of Forestry Tas may also be willing to do some ‘COMMUNITY CONSULTATION’ with our campaign.

There is a mainland “Save the Swift Parrot” group that is being contacted in the hope that some pressure from NSW can be brought to bear on saving the breeding habitat here of the swifties (they only breed in Tasmania).

We have web presence!

Everyone (all ages) is encouraged to share his/her expertise and educate our community of readers/viewers, by becoming a subscriber and publishing on this blog.

We welcome the sharing of any media related to Wielangta forest and our threatened species: writing, poems, songs, links to sites we need, art work, sound files (podcasts), slideshows.

Please subscribe, sign up to an edublogs account and publish. Young people are especially encouraged to show what they know.

There is also a Facebook network/group and cause for Wild Wielangta.

Go to www.facebook.com, search for wildwielangta, sign up and invite your friends to join the group and cause.

If anyone has Premier Bartlett as his/her facebook friend, please invite him to join the wildwielangta group.

We can ALL do something, and we can only hope that it will be enough. Take a look at the number of online and offline initiatives that are being considered.

Just choose what interests you and phone Mark Agnew (62571434) or email Mel Hills (mel.hills at activ8 dot net dot au)

This is, of course, 100% volunteer effort – so it really needs people to do whatever they want to. Hopefully there is enough variety for everyone to find SOMETHING to be part of. If you have other ideas please suggest them.

Use our new email address to make contact: wildwielangta at gmail dot com

Your support and participation is much appreciated. A big thank you to all those who helped out in so many ways on the picnic day.

PS – Forestry repeatedly emphasise the importance of models and modelling to both their rationale and modus operandi. Are there any models out there who can think of something that might excite Forestry staff other than habitat destruction?