Letters and articles archive

Forest Letter Watch blog
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
7/2/98 to 31/12/2000 
9/9/98 to 6/2/99
22/6/98 to 17/8/98
7/9/97 to 16/6/98
22/7/97 to 6/9/97
25/6/97 to 21/7/97
7/11/96 to 24/6/97
Conditions for use (please read)

Information
Forest Facts 
What is the Forest Letter Watch ?
Contacts (fax & phone)
Assessing sabotage claims
How to write a letter to the editor 
Ten Common Forest Myths Dispelled

 Some forests in urgent need of protection
Victorian forests that MUST be protected
Tasmanian forests that MUST be protected
Goolengook forest block
Strzeleckis
Otway Ranges (OREN website)
WA's Karri and Jarrah forests

 Photo library
Rally for the forests May 18 2002
East Gippsland
Tasmania
Forest watch 1992

Contact me
e-mail form

Maps
Victorian forest maps

Welcome

Welcome to the Forest Letter Watch. References to letters and articles on forest issues, predominantly published in The Age newspaper in the State of Victoria (Australia), are available along with tips on letter writing and other information.

Australian forests in urgent need of protection

• East Gippsland, including Goolengook forest block and West Gippland, the Strzeleckis

• The Otways, for more details visit Otway Ranges Environment Network and Victorian Forest Photos (Riley's Ridge, Coldwater Creek and Sabine Falls)

• Central Highlands - cleafelling and woodchipping is still rampant, including in Melbourne's water catchments (e.g Armstrongs Creek).   Actively Conserving Marysville Environs  is a local group working on this issues.

• The Wombat State forest, what little of it is left.

• Tasmanian forests, including the The Styx valley, the North Western Tiers, The Tarkine  and the Huon Valley.   In 2002 an estimated 6.5 million tonnes of woodchips was produced, with 88% coming from the destruction of native forest. This is more than 80% of Australia's total woodchip exports and about 95% of the hardwood chips. 

• Now protected: West Australias Karri and Jarrah forests -  The Axeman Cometh

What can you do?

• Write a letter, send a fax or e-mail, here are some tips and some contacts (addresses, fax & phone). Make yourself heard.

• Fly over Goolengook and other East Gippsland forests with Last Chance Tours to view at first hand how bad the situation really is, and why our politicians have got it so wrong.

• Join and vote for the Greens, and help shift the political agenda towards genuine protection of forests and the environment.

• Visit the Boycott Woodchipping Campaign site for information on how to participate in the Amcor boycott - information on which paper brands to use (and which to avoid)

• Buy good timber; consult the "Forest-Friendly Building Timbers" by Alan Gray, available from newsagents, Environment Victoria and Friends of the Earth

• Buy Canon 100 or Natilus copy paper - archival quality, price competitive and 51% post consumer waste

• Buy Steinbeis paper - a post-consumer waste paper available at Friends of the Earth (03) 9419 8700

• Buy toilet and facial tissues manufactured by Cosco Holdings - avoid products made from Otways old-growth forests by Kimerberly Clark (e.g. Kleenex)

• Take friends out into the forests and show them what is really going on

• Join an environmental group campaigning to save our forests and get active - e.g. Environment Victoria, The Wilderness Society, or Friends of the Earth

• Visit the Otways forest on a "Last Chance Tour"; Bookings (03) 52 377 413 (Otways)

• Buy Paper Converting Company products labelled SAFE

Have a look at or join the Forest Letter Watch Yahoo Group e-mail list for occasional e-mail bulletins & updates on forest issues (plain text).

I am standing the seat of Kooyong for the Greens in the upcoming 2007 Australian federal election.  Visit my Kooyong campaign blog for details.

If you have information, ideas or feedback on this site contact me using this e-mail form.  Thanks for visiting.

Photo Gallery

East Gippsland  - undisturbed forest like this is still being logged   © Ern Mainka
More Photos

Tasmania -  doomed Myrtle Beech. This tree may already have been destroyed.
More Photos

Forest Watch 1992  -  Why was this forest giant felled ?
More Photos

Forest Rally 18/2/02
More Photos