MASSIVE FORESTRY TAS UPPER FLORENTINE EXCLUTION ZONE BUNGLE!

 Hi Everyone! Astounding News! The 'exclusion zone' that Forestry Tasmania has had in place since April 2006 in the Upper Florentine is so far off mark that Camp Flozza has never ever even been in an exclusion zone! We estimate that there are over 90 people who have been charged with trespass from being on the nasty scar of a forestry road (Bartlett's Way!), in the beautiful bush either side of that road and along Gordon River Rd to Timbs Track may in fact be able to appeal that charge even if they've been found guilty. The first of 35 trespass charges against community members from recent protests will be dropped in Hobart Magistrates Court tomorrow according to the Police Prosecution. Community members moved into the forest of the Upper Florentine in October 2007 to work together to save this precious ecysystem. Over the last 2.5 years many, many dedicated people have been arrested for trespass in this area and we are urging you to seek legal advice and to contact the Hobart Magistrates Court to have this charge removed from your record and fines reimbursed. Please get in touch with us via email, stillwildstillthreatened at gmail.com 

Here's today's media release! Please lend a hand how ever you can to our cause...now's a great time to send a letter to Tassie politicians and to the editor of major newspapers.

If you know someone that has been arrested in the Upper Floz for trespass then please tell them to get in touch with us!

Love

Natalie Keene, on behalf of Still Wild Still threatened, working to save Tasmania's forests.

apologies for cross postings, we've gotta spread this far and wide

Conservationists convicted of trespass in the Upper Florentine valley will be contacted and urged to appeal against their convictions, according to Still Wild Still Threatened.

The organisation that spearheaded protests in the old growth forests of the Upper Florentine said that more than 90 charges of trespass have been laid and gone before the courts since February, 2007. Still Wild Still Threatened will put a call out via the internet sites Facebook and Myspace, as well as email contact lists, to the 90 plus people arrested in the Upper Florentine for trespass, including many international visitors, urging them to get legal advice to appeal against their convictions.

This follows the revelation that Forestry Tasmania bungled the exclusion zone boundary and gave wrong information to the police, resulting in the trespass charge against Derwent Valley grandmother Lynda Blyth being dropped. The police have also communicated that trespass charges against others accused of trespass would also be dropped if they fall into the same category as that of Ms Blyth, who was arrested over 200 metres from the exclusion zone.

“Dozens of people have stood up to the Government, Forestry Tasmania and the logging industry to defend the ancient forests of the Upper Florentine and they have been wrongly accused of breaking the law,” said Natalie Keene, Still Wild Still Threatened spokesperson. “Many have been wrongfully convicted because the police blindly accepted the word of Forestry Tasmania.”

"Those wrongly convicted should have legal and other costs incurred through their arrests and trials reimbursed by Forestry Tasmania," Ms Keene said.

The Upper Florentine exclusion zone has been in place off and on according to the bungled boundaries since April 2006. Since then, there have been a constant community presence and numerous protests resulting in over 90 charges of trespass.

"Forestry Tasmania should apologise to all the members of our community they have wrongly accused of breaking the law," said Ms Keene. "We demand that the Tasmanian Government put in place a more effective watchdog for Forestry Tas, whose incompetence continues to be exposed." Ms Keene said.

"Premier Bartlett has egg on his face because he blindly accepted Forestry Tasmania's claims that people were breaking the law. We hope this development will encourage him to be less gullible - and more clever - in his approach to the forest issue." said Ms Keene.