Conservation activists have contradicted the state government’s claims that precious Huon Pines had avoided major damage from bushfires in Tasmania’s west.
Landscape Photographer Robert Blakers says he photographed the destruction in the Lower Harman River area.
“Some had just been burnt a little bit, but others had just been burnt right through and had actually fallen over because the soil had burnt underneath them and they fell across the river, those pines are more than burnt and they certainly won’t be rising again unfortunately.”
The Department of Natural Resources and Environment says the damage occurred outside the main Huon Pine stand, and that there’s a reasonable chance that the trees will survive.
Environmental crusader Bob Brown is scathing of the state government.
“We can’t get depressed about this, we’ve got to change governments, we’ve got to get in politicians who are going to take action to protect Tasmania’s natural and human heritage.”
Photo courtesy of Robert Blakers
