The state government has said it is 'prepared to fight' the Bob Brown Foundation in court.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
On Friday night, resources minister Guy Barnett confirmed forestry operations at several sites in Tasmania had been halted due to high court action over the Regional Forestry Agreement.
Earlier in the day, Sustainable Timber Tasmania announced it had agreed to not conduct forestry activity in 19 coupes in Tasmania, effective immediately.
"This will allow the case against the legality of the RFA by the Bob Brown Foundation to be brought forward and resolved sooner."
Mr Barnett said the move will provide certainty for forestry employees.
The Bob Brown Foundation launched legal action two weeks ago against STT, claiming its logging of native forests in Tasmania did not accord with the Regional Forest Agreements Act 2002.
The BBF also lodged an injunction application on September 30 to the Federal Court, seeking to prevent forestry activity in the 19 coupes to stop the logging of trees "essential to Tasmania's critically endangered swift parrot".
On Thursday, Greens leader Cassy O'Connor said the party applauded the injunction.
"Thousands of hectares of forests that include old growth are being logged each year. This is critical habitat for rare, threatened and endangered species and it can't be justified," Ms O'Connor said.
"Protection is the only way, in a climate and biodiversity emergency, to manage Tasmania's biodiverse, carbon-rich forests."
An STT spokesperson said on Friday they had "proactively and voluntarily" agreed to undertake the injunction in order to "assist the Federal Court in dealing with the case quickly".
"The undertaking is given entirely without admission and solely for the purpose of avoiding a costly and time consuming dispute regarding an injunction so that the Federal Court can focus on the case itself," they said.
The Tasmanian Forest Products Association (TFPA) and the Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) said the injuction was "outrageous", and backed STT's compliance with it.
They said STT had "every confidence" in the Regional Forest Agreement and Tasmania's forestry system in providing potection for threatened species.
TFPA Chief Executive Officer Nick Steel said the Tasmanian forest industry was concerned about the BBF's "extreme tactics" to end native forestry.
"Unfortunately, the BBF continues to play games, even during a pandemic, with hard working Tasmanians' livelihoods at a time when we need our industry the most," Mr Steel said.
"The forest industry is sick and tired of the green law fare being conducted by the BBF, which includes challenging the Tasmanian Regional Forest Agreement that is an existential threat to any natural forest harvesting - State and privately owned."
A further directions hearing has been scheduled for Monday 19 October to progress the matter towards a hearing before the full court of the Federal Court.