Quokka
rescuers take to the trees
 |
Arcadia
forest was a hive of activity over the weekend with members of
the Arcadia Action Alliance, building and placing a huge tree-tripod
(cut from a nearby blue-gum plantation) at the entrance to the
forest.
The manned tripod was erected to deter Forest Products Commission
logging contractors (expected any hour) from killing or maiming
rare mainland quokka and destroying their habitat. The tripod
is expected to hold-up logging operations for several hours.
Quokka are protected under several Australian Wildlife Conservation
Acts, and the AAA are expecting police and Department of Environment
and Conservation officers, to arrest logging contractors who breach
the Acts by entering Arcadia with the intent to kill, maim or
destroy quokka habitat.
The AAA also wants the Minister for the Environment Bill Marmion
to release the long over-due Quokka Recovery Plan, still sitting
idle on the DEC’s CEO Kieran McNamara’s desk. The public
have a right to know what the Minister is hiding by not releasing
the recovery plan.
Another small colony of mainland quokka living in Nairn forest
near Northcliffe, are also under threat from FPC logging operations.
If only Bill Marmion would do his job, and protect these rare
beautiful West Australian icons and their habitat from the FPC
bulldozers.
