Twenty seven environmental activists have been arrested for blockading a planned forestry road after a police raid on January 12.
Activists based at Camp Florentine, popularly known as "Camp Flozza", have been campaigning to protect the pristine forests of the Upper Florentine in Tasmania's south for more than two years.
Police made the arrests at the behest of the state government-run timber harvesting company, Forestry Tasmania.
The arrests are intended to clear the way for Forestry Tasmania's planned 4km road that will open up a 50 hectare area of old growth forest for clearing. Most of the wood harvested is destined to be turned into woodchips.
Three activists were arrested on January 12. Two more were arrested on the following day. By January 14, a swiftly organised community walk-in of 200 people blockaded the road. Another 18 arrests took place as protesters crossed the police lines.The walk-in was organised by environmental group Still Wild Still Threatened.
Four activists still remain, perched in tree-sits high above the ground, with enough food and water to last two weeks. Police have destroyed the camp, but those in the treetops continue to defy the authorities. Still Wild Still Threatened is calling on all concerned citizens to take action against such blatant destruction and speak out against the logging of Tasmania's old growth forests.The wanton destruction of such pristine wilderness is further proof that the administration of ALP Premier David Barlett has not moved forward from the anti-environment regime of former premier Paul Lennon.
The Tasmanian government remains gripped in a paroxysm of destruction, grubbing up as much land as possible, heedless of the value of Tasmania's carbon-dense temperate forest ecosystems, which are regarded as some of the most unique on Earth.
For updates on the campaign to save the forests of the Upper Florentine, visit http://www.stillwildstillthreatened.org.