WWF-Australia - for a living planet

Tarkine conservation timeline

1982

Arthur-Pieman Conservation Area (100,135 hectares along the Tarkine coast) created.

First of various moratoria on logging in the Savage River rainforest corridor (moratorium established by the former Forestry Commission in 1982, extended as National Estate Forest by Graham Richardson in 1987, declared a Deferred Forest by Paul Keating/Michael Field in 1992 and put under a Regional Forest Agreement moratorium by John Howard/Tony Rundle in 1997)

1991/1992

Wilderness Society proposal for the Tarkine to be nominated as a world heritage area.

1995

Construction starts on 53-kilometre white gravel road running north-south through the interior of the Tarkine ("Western Explorer" to proponents; "Road to Nowhere" to opponents); completed 1996. (As at 2004, the road carries 4-7 cars per day).

Tarkine Wilderness Area included on the Australian Heritage Commission's interim list.

1997

Tasmania's Regional Forest Agreement - an agreement between the Federal and State governments on forestry - comes into operation (20 year period).

1998

Savage River rainforest corridor State Forest created under the Regional Forest Agreement.

1999

Savage River National Park (17,980 hectares) and associated Regional Reserve (17,680 hectare) created.

2002

Tarkine Wilderness Area included on the Australian Heritage Commission's Register of the National Estate.

2003

Tasmanian government announced plans to lift the logging moratorium in the Tarkine's Savage River rainforest corridor, which will also allow the logging of deep red myrtle.

2005

Australian Government announces 80% protection of the Tarkine Rainforest.