WA forest blockade debated
By Mark Lockett and Anne Pavy
PERTH — Western Australian Conservation Council president Beth Schultz has accused the department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM) of running a disinformation campaign on the south-west forest blockade.
Schultz told a meeting at the University of Western Australia on July 28 that CALM had produced a map with large areas of land designated as old-growth forest even though the designated area is mainly sand dunes. The map was used to "prove" to Dutch investors that WA's forest management policies were sustainable.
According to Shultz, CALM says that between 40-50% of WA's forests are in reserves. This is not accurate as CALM is only accounting for forests on CALM-controlled land, 75% of WA's forests.
Schultz said that all other avenues — letter writing, petitions, lobbying, and rallies — had been exhausted and a blockade was the only option. "People are doing what they believe in to stop this because nobody else will do it for them."
State environment minister, Kevin Minson told a meeting of 40 at UWA's environment week that he does not agree with the philosophy of "environmental protection" as it means foregoing the use of natural resources which, he says, could lead to serious economic problems. Instead, he prefers the idea of "environmental management" which, he defined as the ability to use the resources and keep its ecological integrity intact.
Despite growing public opposition to logging in WA's old growth forests, Minson said that the state government would continue to log these areas in accordance with its conservation plans.