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Blockade at Wandella State Forest

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I wandered down the south coast for a week to help out some friends around Tilba. There's been a bit of protest against the logging operations there so I took a week off work. These photos are all in Wandella State Forest. More to come when I've had some sleep and a shower.

(please don't link directly to these images as this page will be revised later in the week when I've had some sleep)

Around Paddys Creek Logging as seen from afar - all you get is dust and noise. oops, forgot to fill in which radio channel they're using Trees felled for the road are supposedly taken to the chipmill rather than just left Or left standing... This is a "road". Looking down a trail they've used to drag logs up. It's very steep and hard to walk down which doesn't come across in the photo. A happy logger throwing stones at the locals... The boundary between logged rainforest and untouched is jarring The boundary between logged rainforest and untouched is jarring Another log dump. No tree too small... The H spraypainted on this tree stands for "habitat". It's a big old tree that's left standing to provide habitat. Unfortunately in this case it's a scarred, burnt old tree right on the edge of a cleared log dump, so it's unlikely to survive the post-logging burnoff or the next decent storm. NSW State Forests seem to like having habitat trees right next to log dumps. Not sure why,m they're big clearings where the soil gets packed hard down by vehicle traffic, hardly the best place for a single large tree. Or perhaps next to the road, like these two? They're also not supposed to pile debris around the bottom of them, because when this lot burns it will almost certainly kill the tree. They're also not supposed to pile debris around the bottom of them, because when this lot burns it will almost certainly kill the tree. Reckon there's any good hollows up this tree? The other letter you see on surviving trees is R, for recruitment. These are trees that will hopefully grow into habitat trees given time. Waste wood. When State Forests talk about heads and butts, this is what they mean. Logs that are too long get chopped, and the left-over bits are, well, left. Despite having spent a bit of time watching logging trucks, I've never seen a lod of these going to the sawmill or chipper. According to our friendly forest guardians, this is non-dispersable soil. The sort that doesn't wash away in the rain, or blow away in the wind... According to our friendly forest guardians, this is non-dispersable soil. The sort that doesn't wash away in the rain, or blow away in the wind... note the layer of dust (soil) on the sign to the right. Non-dispersable soil... tread softly! A group of about 40 locals walked into the forest to have a look around the logging operation. State Forests decided to let them. After making a number of threats the PTB apparently decided that arresting everyone was not worth while. Senior SFA official on the left, Timber Communities Australia representative with camera. Strangely, she, like the loggers, was not a local (she's from Canberra), while the SFA guy is apparently based in Bateman's Bay. So much for the "local jobs for local people" mantra. Friendly logging contractor who alternated between swearing into his phone and threatening us. In the log dump back up the hill... note the inadequate drainage ditch the image was taken from and the lack of any other water barrier on the road. A ute load of loggers sped down the hill through the group, throwing up huge amounts of dust. I mean, "non-dispersable soil" (jn logger lingo). A few fireworks from the loggers to enliven our evening. (the rego plates are NSW ones, PIT677 or PTT 677, and USA647 if you can't read them here)
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