Posted: Thu, 5 Jun 2003 1:52 AEST

Forestry Tasmania defends logging decision
Forestry Tasmania is defending its controversial decision to begin logging
in the Tarkine rainforest.

Tasmania's Greens leader, Peg Putt, says there is a lot of anger over the
State Government's plan to harvest 2,000 tonnes a year of deep red myrtle in
the Tarkine in Tasmania's north-west.

"The rest of Australia has stopped logging rainforest, this is the largest
intact tract of rainforest in Australia," she said.

But Forestry Tasmania's Hans Drielsma says this area is approved for logging
under the Regional Forests Agreement.

"What we're talking about is relatively small areas that are going to be
available on a selective basis for the supply of specialty timbers," he
said.

Greens leader Bob Brown weighed into the argument, accusing Federal Minister
David Kemp of environmental vandalism on the eve of World Environment Day.




!!!!!!!!!The clean green state that will look like a big golf-course any day
soon!!!!!!!!!!!!

--
Robert B* II