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April 14, 2011
As we know the old growth forests, such as the Florentine and Styx Valleys in Tasmania's south-west, have been the key battleground in a war between environmentalists and loggers for 30 years or more. Both the state-owned Forestry Tasmania and Gunns have been in the forefront of the war to log Tasmania's old growth forests.
However, I was under the impression that there was a kind of ceasefire and a deal in the making in the forestry wars in Tasmania to end large scale native forest logging in Tasmania. The deal was quite recent.
Gary Sauer-Thompson blockade, Still Wild Still Threatened, 2011
That was my impression until I saw the direct action Still Wild Still Threatened camp on the road from Maydena to the Gordon Dam in the Southwest National Park via Strathgordon. Forestry Tasmania was still logging.
 Gary Sauer-Thompson blockade, Still Wild Still Threatened, 2011
The tree sit/blockade was being undertaken by the “ratbags” within Still Wild Still Threatened (SWST) group. Instead of coming across as the mass media's stereotypes of either stinky hippies, or anarchist dilettantes, they spoke and acted as intelligent, committed and dedicated activists willing to put their bodies on the line in a campaign to save the forests.
The blockade was situated on a proposed logging road, and the group had dug huge holes on both sides of the road to protect the camp from any vehicles approaching, allowing access only by foot. Rope and pole structures also obstructed the road and were attached to tree sits high in the canopy. A central feature of the camp was the house built in the middle of the road out of recycled materials from nearby towns and the immediate area.
The activists are there to stay.
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Even if the loggers are still logging the old growth native forests, they have lost the public battle for the right to log the native forests.