Some readers will recall we wrote to support of Miranda Gibson, who’s been fighting to save areas of Tasmanian forest that were to be destroyed by commercial logging. She spent a year up in a tree in the forest, the Observertree.

It’s done. The forests have been declared a World Heritage Site and preserved in perpetuity.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Those who signed the petition to save the forests received this letter from Tony Burke, (the Australian  Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities).

Excerpts:  “I am very pleased to be able to tell you that the World Heritage Committee has today accepted our nomination for an extension to the boundary of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area…

“The boundary will include the iconic Upper Florentine and areas within the Styx, Huon, Picton and Counsel River Valleys…
“They’re protected forever now. Your work and advocacy has helped make this real.”

Importantly, it adds: “For the first time it’s been done, not through a political process, but through a genuine community process where industry and environment groups came up together with a package that they thought would deliver what each of them wanted most.”

Source: Wikimedia Commons

This is marvelous. We’re thrilled – and heartened.

Perhaps decision-makers here, too, will recognize the value of our forests, and reverse the plans to gut or destroy forests on Mount Sutro, on Mount Davidson, and in the East Bay hills.