save the Blue Tier

s. tagawa, 14 february, 2005

Talk of Bob Brown at the hall of representatives

The talk on Tasmanian deforestation by Australian Senator Bob Brown was held in the second hall of the House of Representatives inviting 2 representatives and seven secretaries of representatives.

Bob brown emphasized that there is no need to cut down Tasmanian ancient trees and that the clear felling has been done in the terrible way including the use of the poison named '1080' or burning without leaving anything on the ground. Then, he used the video that expressed effectively how the ways are inhumanity showing dead animals because of '1080' and the rise of civil activities against the deforestation there.

The Professor of Queensland University, Dr. Kato said that it is significant to reserve the forest from the perspective of education citing the Kodama project. Kiyoshi and Shoko explained and remarked on the project. Mr. Harada (he is a teacher of Azabu University) used some pictures to explain how the fell had been done.

Lastly, there was question time and representatives asked quite political things. For example, the official reasons why the Japanese paper companies where Bob Brown visited rejected meeting with him or what Japan can do even though the cutting there had been allowed legally. In the fact, the representatives concluded that this problem was so difficult for the reason that the local government permitted the local cutting companies to cut the forest that they need to gain a foothold for that. However, Bob thanked them and emphasized the importance to know this issue. Furthermore, he called for their grand tour to observe the forest in Tasmania and their sending DVDs to Japanese paper companies.

Impression

Although it was firstly thought that the realization of the talk to the representatives was a sign of improvement, it appeared to be difficult because the representatives stressed the local character of this issue in the end. However, as Bob said, the visitation of the representatives is one of effective measures and I anticipate it to be realized. Also, it was simply impressive to enter the hall for the first time because it was the special political place and to know it was necessary to apply the meeting permission.

Related to these series of the activities, I was honoured to serve for the reservation of the Tasmanian forest in the way of expressing what we got to know and what we did there. Meeting a lot of people who I met in Tasmania, remembering Tasmanian beautiful natures and recognizing the importance of the conservation of them, Tasmania is still alive powerfully in my heart. There is plenty of what I can do left for the Tasmanian forest all the time.

k. sasaki, 14 february, 2005

[At the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan, Yurakucho Denki North Building, 20F Yurakucho 1-7-1, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo 100-0006 Japan]

Australian Greens Senator Bob Brown and Echo members ( Kiyoshi, Shoko, and Dr Kumi Kato) visited Foreign Media Conference in Tokyo on 14th February 2005.

Firstly we showed the DVD made by the Wilderness Society. Then Senator Brown talked about Tasmanian forestry issue. Main idea was that "There are plenty of plantation for the wood chipping to make paper outside of Tasmania, so there is no need to keep clearfelling at Tasmanian native ancient forest"

"I visited to Japan to meet paper companies and discuss the issues related to the logging of the forests and the destruction of the wildlife in Tasmania but I couldn't meet anybody".

In the middle of Bob`s speech we (Kiyoshi, Shoko and Dr Kumi Kato) have got a chance to share our Kodama project experience in TAS. We told writers what is going on in Tasmania and what have we thought.

The reporter from Forestry Tasmania emphasized the gap of information between them and Bob in the time of question though, most of all writers asked Bob the detail of this issue. It shows that they are interested in this issue.

After the conference, Mr Smith (the writer of The Mercury) interviewed us (Kiyoshi, Shoko and Dr Kumi Kato). We explained him the Kodama forest.

Although it was the first action as members of Echo after coming back to Japan, our mission, to rise awareness of wood chipping issue of Tasmania, is still going on. I was very happy to be a part of this action. It was good to know that there was things to do for Tasmanian Forest even though I am not in Tasmania.

Also, the writers of Japanese magazine called 'Sotokoto' were interviewing Senator Brown. Sotokoto is one of the most famous magazines on the environmental issues so there is a possibility Tassie Forestry issue will come up in the magazine soon in Japan.