ACTION IS NEEDED!

We are calling on the Premier and the state government to halt Forestry Tasmania operations in our catchment until an independent evaluation of the environmental impacts has been conducted and the quality of our drinking water can be guaranteed.

Ms Chaplin, Coordinator of the Canaways Creek Community Group (CCCG), said, “The hasty approval of the Forest Practices Plan for TN026C is a real surprise and demonstrates to us not only that Forestry Tasmania has no intention of addressing our core concerns, but also that they have a complete lack of respect for our members."

Early indications are that our concerns are justified. The initial road works have minimal control measures in place. Only one week into the construction there are already signs of erosion. Click on the image below to see early photos.

Canaways Creek is located in the Derwent Valley in Tasmania, Australia (Click on this button to see a map).

WHY IS LOGGING oF our catchment A CONCERN?

Our motivation is to protect the drinking water and habitat of the Canaways Catchment.

Logging operations in this catchment presents us with many concerns. The catchment:

		Provides the only source of drinking water to residents
		Is steep unstable land that is prone to slippage and erosion
		Has a rich cultural heritage for families who have lived in the catchment for over 140 years
		Is home to threatened Tasmanian Wedge Tailed Eagle (Click on the eagle below to find out more!)
		Includes a creek ecosystem that has been undisturbed for over 80 years and has been assessed as being in excellent condition
		Maintains habitat for a huge range of plants and animals including healthy Tasmanian Devil's, Platypus, and the fiesty Common Wombat

Logging of the neighbouring catchment has resulted in severe erosion and the disappearance of local species in the creek including platypus and trout. (Click on the "Of Concern" button on the Photos page to see the erosion).

This catchment was selectively logged by landowners using horse and dray at the beginning of the 20th century. There is no agriculture in the catchment and so the water is free from pollutants from farming or human activities.