2026 marks a critical juncture for Lutruwita / Tasmania’s native forests - our best chance yet to protect what remains. Join us at Hobart Town Hall at 6pm on 12th February to hear about the state of play, learn about our growing campaign, and get involved in this historic opportunity.
For decades the Tasmanian native forest logging industry has been in decline, driven by changing global timber markets, competition from plantations, mounting ecological constraints, and dismal social license. Despite this, public policy continues to support native forest logging through subsidies, legislated supply quotas, compensation payments, and rent-free access to public forests. The native forest logging industry now persists largely through government intervention and handouts, rather than market viability.
The environmental consequences of 50 years of native forest logging are difficult to fully grasp. Since clearfelling commenced in the 1970s, nearly a million hectares of native forest has been lost. This has had a drastic impact on biodiversity and carbon, wiping out vast tracts of old forest and replacing it with young monoculture forests. As a result, our waterways are in crisis and our bush is far more vulnerable to bushfire. Tasmanians know how bad the situation is - a recent poll found that only 12% of the population support native forest logging.
New Federal Environmental Laws are likely to place additional pressure on an already struggling native forest logging industry. While the full implications of the new legislation remain uncertain (and may not be clear for some time), the Tasmanian Government is nonetheless pushing to lock in new long-term contracts with sawmills, which are set to expire in 2027. This reckless approach risks exposing Tasmanian taxpayers to significant future costs, including expensive contract surrender payments that have already occurred in the past.
As we enter 2026, we have our best chance yet to finally protect Lutruwita / Tasmania's remaining native forests. Over the next months, The Wilderness Society Tasmania will be launching a sequence of targeted campaigns, reports, and events in a push to finally end the destruction.
Join us in Launceston (11/2) or Hobart (12/2) to hear about the state of play, learn about our growing campaign, and get involved in this historic opportunity.
SPEAKERS:
Dr Jen Sanger
Dr Jennifer Sanger is a passionate forest ecologist and science outreach coordinator. She has spent over a decade studying forests and the charismatic plant species which inhabit them. Jennifer is the co-founder for The Tree Projects, an environmental outreach organisation which educates people about the world's most notable trees. She is an active member of the Tasmanian Climate Collective.
Hughie Nicklason
Hughie is an intergenerational environmental activist born and raised in Lutruwita, with a background in grassroots activism, research, and policy. He is currently forest campaigner at The Wilderness Society Tasmania, and is involved with various community initiatives, including LAMA (Lutruwita Activist and Mutual Aid) Collective.
Cody Gangell-Smith / Wuratji Truwalata
Cody is is a Palawa activist and representative from Puralia Meenamatta / Uncle Jimmy Everett's Stand With Uncle Jim Campaign and the Palawa All Life Initiative - Cody is fighting for the sovereign rights of Land & Water and sharing pathways back to Right Relationship with Country with the Tasmanian people.
Alice Hardinge
Alice is an environmental campaigner with over ten years of experience in grassroots and professional environmental advocacy. With a background ranging from front-line direct action in threatened forests, to directing strategic litigation, to political and corporate lobbying, Alice is passionate about using a variety of tactics and working with communities to achieve environmental and First Nations justice. As well as working as the Tasmanian Campaigns Manager for the Wilderness Society, Alice volunteers on the executive of Lawyers for Forests and the ACF Council.
Jenny Weber
Jenny is the Campaigns Director at Bob Brown Foundation, where she leads frontline campaigns to protect Australia’s forests, wildlife and wild places. With more than 30 years of experience in grassroots organising and non-violent direct action, she has played a key role in building and leading effective campaigns that challenge destructive industries and government inaction.