The foundation will use the state's Regional Forest Agreement to argue its case against the state government, the federal government, and Sustainable Timber Tasmania.

It lodged a case with the Federal Court on Thursday and has requested an urgent hearing, which requires agreement from the other parties.

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The foundation's lawyer Roland Browne said they would argue forestry operations in Tasmania were in breach of federal environmental laws as endangered species were not adequately protected.

He said the foundation would seek injuction to stop logging in native forests, but not plantation forests.

"The Commonwealth legislation specifies criteria that the RFA has to accord with," Mr Browne said.

"Our case is that the Tasmanian RFA does not comply with Commonwealth requirements.

"It doesn't protect in an enforceable way the endangered species in the reserve system that has been set up underneath it."

Former Greens leader Bob Brown said enforcable ecologically sustainable forest management was a requirement under the Regional Forest Agreement Act.

"What we've got instead is broadscale ecological destruction," he said.

A state government spokesperson said while it was inappropriate to comment on legal proceedings, the government had confidence in the Regional Forest Agreement, its management and environmental protections.

A Sustainable Timber Tasmania spokesman said the organisation was unable to comment on the legal action.

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