GO! Girls Outdoors

What do you believe in?  Many of us have strong beliefs and values about the world’s major issues, and most people who like spending time in the outdoors are particularly concerned about our impact on the natural environment. Most people who hold these beliefs take actions to reduce their own environmental impact, whether that is riding a bike, creating an energy efficient home or donating to environmental causes.  Before you read this article, ask yourself honestly whether the actions that you take match the strength of your beliefs.  If the answer is yes, well done; if the answer is no, perhaps this is a good time for a rethink.  Either way, Emma Capp can show you how the actions of dedicated and committed people can make an impact in the fight to save our natural environment - this is her story.

Emma is a graphic design artist and photographer originally from New South Wales but now making her home in Tasmania.   Emma is also a grass roots environmental activist with the organisation Still Wild Still Threatened, who are involved in the campaign to save Tasmania’s old growth forests from destruction by unsustainable logging practices.  

Still Wild Still Threatened grew from a community presence in one of Tasmania’s threatened forests, the Upper Florentine in the state’s south west.  Forestry has been one of Tasmania’s biggest industries for many years but many of the harvested trees are from old growth forests and can be up to 100m high and over 500 years old.  “Camp Florentine” was established by activists in November 2006 to create a full time presence in the Upper Florentine. Over the years it has evolved into a complex system of blockade structures including up to five tree sits where Emma and many other dedicated protesters live to highlight the continuing destruction of the Florentine. 

Camp Florentine has seen its share of battles over the years.  In February 2007 the camp was raided by police and forestry, leading to 16 people being arrested over a three day period.  In May 2007 the activists managed to establish a moratorium on logging and road building and moved their tree sits and camps out of the Florentine.  However, the moratorium was lifted after the federal election in November 2007 and when it was apparent that the new Labor government had no intention of protecting Tasmania’s old growth forests, Camp Florentine was re-established.  

A very contentious coupe was logged not far from Camp Florentine in October 2008 and Still Wild Still Threatened gained national media attention for their stop work action, in particular for the physical violence they experienced from forestry workers logging this coupe.  In January 2009 the blockade was raided again, with 16 more arrests, but despite the continued efforts of the activists and peaceful community rallies and walk-ins attended by more than 500 people in the forest and Hobart, half of the 50 hectares of old growth forest was taken in May 2009.  This occurred following months of continuous harassment by police and forestry and a third raid on the camp.  Logging the 25 hectares took about 3-4 weeks (machinery and log trucks were guarded and escorted in a 24hr police presence while this occurred) and the other 25ha could be logged anytime. There are nine more coupes (equaling 1,000's of hectares) marked for logging in the Upper Florentine, and Still Wild Still Threatened continues to work to save the area - including maintaining their presence in the forests by taking it in turns to live in tree sits and other structures.  Emma has been involved in the organisation for the past two years.
 
Emma spent the last twelve years pursuing a career as a freelance Graphic Designer and Photographer, working for printers, design studios and newspapers.  She has shown her photographs in six solo exhibitions, several group exhibitions and has worked professionally as a Newspaper Photographer.  She has travelled all over the world with her photography and graphic design work, but has now moved to Tasmania and uses her many skills and talents to help Still Wild Still Threatened and support a cause she is truly passionate about.  Emma designs information and awareness brochures for Still Wild Still Threatened, uses her skills as a photographer to document the forests and their destruction and helps to organise events that raise awareness and funding for the organisation. She also spends time living in the tree sits - which aren't always comfortable in the cool Tasmanian climate - and participates in protests and other promotional events.  She says that climbing an 85m tree compares to an extreme sport and is a huge buzz - you have to overcome the fear, physically exert yourself and only then do you experience the view and succumb to the awe of climbing a giant tree that could be over 500 years old. 

Emma says that her love for the environment stems from growing up surrounded by nature on 30 acres of bush in Northern New South Wales.  Emma spent a lot of her time drawing and painting nature or playing the in bush with her younger brother, which she says instilled in her a respect and an appreciation of the environment and how much we can affect it.  In high school Emma joined the Army Cadets and started abseiling, camping and trekking on the weekends, which she says taught her about survival and developed her love of roughing it.  Three years ago Emma visited Tasmania and spent three weeks off the beaten track, discovering the “real” Tasmania - the ancient and unique wilderness - and was horrified that this wilderness was being plundered carelessly for instant cash.  She has now moved permanently to Tasmania, saying that her sole purpose for being here is for the protection of the Tasmanian forests.

Emma says that since she became totally involved in the fight to save the forests, she has learnt much more about ecology, politics, corruption and the law as well as the specific skills of tree climbing, knot tying, rope work and tree sit construction.  All these experiences have inspired her to simplify her life even more - despite the fact that she’s completed further study, had a career, earned a good salary and travelled the world, Emma says that all this becomes inconsequential when you are living in a forest with basic food and shelter, fighting for what you believe in.  She says that getting back to basics makes her feel alive and a realisation of how little we need to survive, despite the fact that we are constantly convinced otherwise.  Even though Emma has been successful by all our society’s measures, she says that her greatest accomplishments have been learning to climb trees, organising events for the campaign and getting arrested wearing an oversized papier-mâché Kevin Rudd head!  She also says that the people she has met through the Tasmanian forest campaign have shown more strength, passion, dedication and solidarity than anyone she’s ever met before.

Emma says that we only have one chance at changing what we can - everyone has the power to decide what’s right and wrong, who they want to be and whether they want their lives to be measured solely by money or by personal achievements.  She says the song “Get up, stand up” by Bob Marley - stand up for your rights, is a timeless and powerful message to anyone not satisfied with the society we are living in. Good luck to Emma and to all the people who are standing up for the rights of the Tasmanian old growth forests and wildlife - and threatened natural environments all over the world. 

Please visit the Still Wild Still Threatened website for more information on the ongoing campaign, come and visit these threatened ancient places for your self, join the campaign (anyone is welcome) or consider donating to the cause.

You can find information about the Upper Florentine and other threatened Tasmanian old growth forests through these websites: The Wilderness Society, Tasmanian Greens Party, Huon Valley Environment Centre, Coolforests.org and Save the Blue Tier - these organisations are not officially aligned with Still Wild Still Threatened but are all involved in campaigns to save these forests.