Just thought I'd bring an article/issue to attention, since it's something you rarely see in the media outside Tasmania, and even I wasn't aware of the full extent of it until a few days ago when I did a google search on "Recherche Bay French Tasmania" and then dug even deeper.

Tasmanian Fire Sale

GRAHAM DAVIS, REPORTER: Deep in the Tasmanian forests, a new species of green activist has joined the long-running battle to save the state's majestic native trees ... minuscule [in] size in relation to this.

ERIKA FORD, SHAREHOLDER ACTIVIST: Absolutely. The first moment we found this we stood in absolute awe. We've measured it at 16.8m in circumference, and this is probably around 450-500 years old.

GRAHAM DAVIS: Up to 500 years old?

ERIKA FORD: Yep.

GRAHAM DAVIS: Erika Ford's favourite weapon isn't the sit-in, but her stockbroker, using her shares in Australia's biggest logging company to press for better forestry practices.

ERIKA FORD: This was due not even to end up as paper. They were going to fill it with explosives, detonate the whole tree and burn the lot.

full story at:
http://sunday.ninemsn.com.au/sunday/cov ... t_1205.asp

Even reading just a little bit of this long article would give you an idea...

Kate