Protestors continue the battle at Warrup
Activists and foresters are still clashing over the logging of the Warrup 06 coupe 30km east of Manjimup.
Picture: Numbats are one of the endangered species conservationists are trying to save from logging in Warrup.
On Monday the Forest Rescue group halted work again after an activist tied up logging machines and suspended himself from ropes in a jarrah tree.
Last Thursday the group claimed to have photographed an endangered numbat on the logging road in Warrup — the same day activist Glen Pendlebury underwent surgery after his hands were injured during a police extraction procedure.
WA Police insisted Mr Pendlebury was blame as he had refused to remove his hands prior to the extraction and had panicked once the procedure had begun.
So far five activists have been charged with offences relating to the Warrup protest, two of them following the blockade of a logging truck in Bridgetown two weeks ago which brought the town centre to a standstill for several hours.
The Forest Products Commission released a statement last week saying an assessment by the Department of Environment and Conservation had concluded sufficient habitat trees had been marked at Warrup.
One-hundred-and-twenty-nine habitat and potential habitat trees in a 11.27 hectare area have been marked and FPC general manager David Hartley said his staff and contractors were striving to meet and exceed environmental standards.
‘‘I am not surprised to learn how well they have performed at Warrup,’’ Mr Hartley said.
The news has angered conservationists, with WA Forest Alliance spokeswoman Jess Beckerling claiming she had evidence to the contrary.
She said the FPC was not adhering to sustainable forest management guidelines at Warrup.
‘‘The claim that enough trees have been marked for habitat protection is simply untrue,’’ Ms Beckerling said.
‘‘The guideline says if suitable trees aren’t present on every hectare then it’s okay to have less than the minimum number protected.
‘‘Highly valuable habitat trees are available but are being destroyed in the logging operation because they have not been marked for protection.’’
Logging in Warrup is set to continue for the rest of summer and autumn depending on the weather and possible further disruptions by activists.
