Residents bring logging to a stand still Monday Dec 13, 1999. Otways residents and environmentalists shut down all eight logging operations in the Otways forests this morning. A range of actions were undertaken to prevent logging taking place, from picnics in logging areas to the erection of tree platforms high in the forest canopy. In its present form the West Victorian Regional Forests Agreement (RFA) is totally discredited and unwanted by the majority of towns and communities in the Otway and Surfcoast region. These communities want to see an end to the clearfell logging and woodchipping of their forests. The Otway forests provide domestic drinking water to over 250,000 people in Western Victoria, yet half of the logging in the Otways occurs in the catchments supplying this drinking water. The economic future of the Otway/Surfcoast region is dependent on a growing tourist industry worth over $300 million to the region annually. This industry depends on the maintenance of the natural values of the region including the forests now under threat from logging and woodchipping. The future of the Otway forests is due to be decided by the RFA to be signed by the State and Commonwealth in March 2000. (A B2K event). call 03 5237 7439 for more information -- O t w a y s R a n g e s E n v i r o n m e n t N e t w o r k An affilliation of Otway's residents, regional and Victorian conservation groups, Community groups and campus conservation networks [EMAIL PROTECTED] (OREN Propaganda) WEB SITE http://www.oren.org.au DO NOT assume that any act of damage to logging equipment or logging infrastructure is done by conservationists or members of anti - logging groups. - Victorian Police (internal memo) -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.alexia.net.au/~www/mhutton/index.html Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
