Otway Forests Update Summer 98/99
Otway Ranges Environment Network
O.R.E.N.
Next direct action
Saturday, January 9th, meet at 10 am Lorne foreshore.
Kleenex Leaves the Otways
Kimberly-Clark executives recently confirmed that they will no
longer take
woodchip from Otway State Forests. This has occurred after a hard
fought 3
year campaign by OREN activists. However this is still no reason
to buy
Kleenex. Kleenex, like Amcor’s Reflex paper will source hardwood
from other
native forests such as the Central Highlands (including
Melbourne’s water
catchments) for sometime. Instead buy more friendly alternatives
such as
SAFE or Cosco (tissue paper products) and Cannon 100 (office
paper) all
made from 100% recycled post consumer waste paper.
Otway Protesters Cleared
Otway residents and conservationists charged with hindering lawful
logging
operations in the Otway State forest, were found not guilty in the
Geelong
Magistrates Court on the 2/12/98. The court found that logging
authorised
by the Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DNRE) was
unlawful.
The eleven arrests occurred on the third of February 1997 during a
native
forest protest on the Wild Dog Ridge Track. $25,000 costs were
awarded to
cover legal costs.
Picnic without a Permit
Over 200 hundred people illegally entered the Seaview Ridge Forest
Operations Zone in the Otway State Forest last October. This
action was in
defiance of recent amendments to the Forests Act making it
illegal to
enter designated Forest Operations Zone without permits from the
DNRE.
Picnickers faced potential $2000 fines.
Long history of peaceful protests shattered....
In three separate incidents environmentalists were allegedly
attacked by a
member of the timber industry in early December 98. One
environmentalist
was admitted to Lorne hospital for six hours after being knocked
unconscious by a blow of an axe handle to the head. Help us stop
the violence.
Otway Forests....What Now?
Water
Around fifty percent of the area available for timber production
in the
Otways lies in areas used for water production. Numerous studies
have shown
that logging in water catchments reduces both the volume and
quality of the
water produced in logged areas. OREN is seeking to have all
logging ceased
within water catchments.
Tourism
This region’s major employer is tourism. Continued clearfelling of
the
beautiful Otway forests has and will damage current and future
tourism
opportunities. OREN is seeking to have logging stopped in areas of
importance to the tourism industry.
Native Forest Protection
The process of clearfelling significantly disturbs and damages the
natural
environment. Remnant rainforest and rare species are under threat
from
continued logging. OREN seeks to remove logging from sensitive
areas and
adequately protect Otway rainforests.
What You Can Do!
· Join OREN or donate to support our work. See details below.
. Become actively involve in OREN activities.
· Put your body on the front line at a forest blockade. Meet
Saturday,
January 9th, at 10 am Lorne foreshore.
· Come on a Last Chance Tour and see the issues facing our forests
first
hand, ring (03) 52 377 413.
· Support political candidates that oppose the clearfelling of
Native
Forests. Talk to your local MPs. Consider voting Green at the next
election.
· Ring the Kleenex customer line on 1800 028 334, thank them for
leaving,
tell them not to come back, and ask them to cease all native
forest logging.
Membership / Donations
To become a member please send us the following information.
Name; Address (postal); Phone; and Email if you have one.
Cost: $25 family, $15 single $10 concession.
Mail to: OREN, c/o The Apollo Bay Post Office, Apollo Bay, 3233.
Phone:
(03) 52 377 516. Web Page: www.oren.org.au
Cheques made out to: The Otway Ranges Environment Network
OREN would like to gives its thanks to the Conservation Alliance
for
providing the funding for this flier. Including Adventure One,
Bogong
Retailers, Fairydown, INOV8 Design and Marketing Consultants,
Patagonia,
REI, Snowgum, Swanndri, Swazi Apparel, Wild Horizons Design and
Marketing
Consultants, Wild Publications, Wilderness Photo, Wilderness Wear,
W.L.Gore
and Associates (Aust) Pty Ltd, Outdoor Australia Magazine and
Paddy Pallin.
O t w a y s R a n g e s E n v i r o n m e n t N e t w o r k
An affilliation of Otway's residents, regional and Victorian
conservation groups, Community groups and campus conservation
networks
[EMAIL PROTECTED] (OREN Propaganda)
WEB SITE http://www.oren.org.au
DO NOT assume that any act of damage to logging equipment or
logging
infrastructure is done by conservationists or members of anti -
logging
groups. - Victorian Police (internal memo)
LL.VA
end
==============
Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List
http://www.alexia.net.au/~www/mhutton/index.html
The Year 2000 Bug - An Urgent Sustainability Issue
http://www.peg.apc.org/~psutton/grin-y2k.htm
