National Day of Action 10th August 2023 - lutruwita / Tasmania ~ END NATIVE FOREST LOGGING
Thursday, August 10th, 2023 was National Day of Action to call for and send a message to End Native Forest Logging all around Australia. In lutruwita / Tasmania, with the Bob Brown Foundation, a mass mobilisation protest and direct action of 60 people of all ages and professions took place in Wentworth Hills where a giant ancient native forest patch was recently smashed down. Logging on this day was brought to a halt, with a treesitter and over a handful of people locked on to machinery. Thirty people were on site in the forest and thirty more walked on, marching in with banners and joining the on-site protest.
“WHEN NATIVE FOREST IS UNDER ATTACK, WHAT DO WE DO, STAND UP, FIGHT BACK!”
“AIN’T NO POWER LIKE THE POWER OF THE PEOPLE ‘CAUSE THE POWER OF THE PEOPLE DON’T STOP!”
The forest surrounds is still standing, and it was a contrast as well as refreshing to walk off the clearfall and into the forest, to connect with what still requires protecting. From what was lost to what we stand to lose, if native forest logging is allowed to continue. There is a better way with forestry practices, and destroying native forests is not the answer in the industry. Ecocide is paving the way towards a worsening climate emergency.
Again I am so moved. It is heartbreaking to walk into a path of destruction (over and over again) yet the light of hope flickers, by being among the continuing and resurging wave of passionate committed and caring community of activists, who all work so hard and sacrifice so much, sleepless nights, night shifts in the forest, for the ever-so-important cause of protecting critical native old growth forests and habitats.
It is not easy being an activist. It is not “for fun” that activists might decide to participate in nonviolent direct action, putting bodies on the line to risk arrest, risk pushback with aggression when it is not individual workers we are after, but rather the current practices of the industry that need to be halted. It is to urge the government, Local and National, to stop companies’ executives in their tracks who place profit over people, profit over the environment, to do things differently. It is not ‘for fun’ to stand out loudly in the forefront, demanding change, staying up all hours of the night sometimes. It comes from the dire necessity to stop destruction in its tracks, for it is the last resort. When the government fails us, we stand up. It is time to take notice, take action. For the earth, for future generations.
Through all of this, a quote by one of my favourite musicians, Michael Franti, comes to mind: “Power to the Peaceful”. It is so true!! We are not alone.
This is stolen Aboriginal Land, land that was never ceded.
