Updated march 2008

Logging

Threnody noun (song of) lamentation esp. on person's death [f. GK threnoida threnos wailing, oide ode] (OED)

I settled in Quinninup in the Australian south west karri forest intending to work with black & white photography in a contemplative manner. However, I quickly realised the truth of the destruction to the local environment. The result of this is that much of my black and white photographic output for the following ten years was documentation of the destruction and defense of the tattered remnants of the once magnificent south west forests

I have ceased black and white photography of forest devastation. To be constantly faced with the destruction of my local environment is too much to suffer. Especially in the face of crap from some money grubbing, self annointed "peak environmental bodies" based in Perth who exist only to gain funding, with total disinterest in what is happening in the forest

Logging of Western Australian Ancient Forest continues despite WA Government pre-election promises

Boorara State Forest, March 2000

Boorara Forest was clearfelled (clearcut) in 2000 by the Western Australian Government and timber industry against determined protest by local environment groups. During the Boorara logging a log truck driver pointed to his loaded truck on the edge of Borrara Forest on 15th March 2000 and said "Photograph these, you will never see their like again" - he was right

Roading Contractor's Log Loader Penetrating Boorara State Forest to Insert Road Blocks, 22 February 2000

"Fall" Gardner Forest. February 1999

Felling Pre-Scarfed Trees, Gardner State Forest March 2000

Boorara State Forest During Operations Mqy 2000

Tree Feller, Kinkin State Forest April 2003

Log Landing Nairn 06 State Forest April 2003

Felled Tree Falling, Kinkin State Forest April 2003

Flooded Log Landing Gardner State Forest November 1998

Tree Feller, Kinkin State Forest April 2003

Mud, Swarbrick State Forest July 1999

Log landing, Swarbrick State Forest, 10 June 1999, the day the Northcliffe Environment Centre initiated the Swarbrick Campaign

Debris Following "Re-gen Burn" Sutton State Forest September 1994

Log Loader on Landing, Kinkin State Forest April 2003

Debris Following "ReGen Burn" Sutton State Forest September 1994

Timber Industry Funded "Timber Communities Australia" Presence During "Easter at Boorara",.22 April 2000

Burnt Windrows Following Fire in Regenerated Forest Sutton State Forest December 1998

Boorara State Forest from Air during Logging Operations, May 2000

Burnt Windrows Following Fire in 15 year Old Regenerated Forest, Sutton State Forest December 1998

Log truck approaching turning for Diamond Woodchip Mill, April 1994

THE WESTERN AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT
IS CONTINUING THE DESTRUCTION

Clearfelling is continuing in our forests, despite the promises made prior to the 2001 Western Australian election. The WA government's claim that logging has ceased in old growth forest is based on the WA Department of Environment and Conservation DEC/CALM reclassification of much of the remaining ancient forest as "two tier", making it available to the WA Forest Products Commission FPC for clearfelling.

The new national parks largely consist of "non-production", poor quality, forest and clearfell areas. The non-production forest often contains greater biodiversity than tall canopy forest, but tall canopy forest is needed for a balanced conservation system. Re-generated forest is an even aged monoculture plantation. Regen has the visual excitement of Regency wallpaper.