The Tasmanian government has made a decision to open Tasmanian forests for logging. With this move, 400,000 hectares of previously protected forests will open up to the timber industry. According to environmentalists, Tasmanian government's decision will affect climate and tourism sector of the country.

In a peace deal in 2013, Australian Labour government had put in 170, 000 hectares of Tasmania's rainforest into the protected heritage area. After the deal, logging in the area was banned. The Opposition had criticized the deal by saying it is harmful to economy.

Later in 2013, Tony Abbot's Liberal government had decided to open some of the area of forests for logging. Abbot had also tried to revoke special protection status given to 74,000 hectares of forest. His decision was rejected by UNESCO in June.

However, both the Tasmanian and national governments have approved the forestry bill and have opened up 400,000 hectares of forest for logging.

Tasmania's premier, Will Hodgman, said, "For more than 30 years, environmentalists, with the help of Labor and the Greens, have progressively locked up hectare after hectare of productive forests, destroying businesses and jobs, regional communities and livelihoods".

On the other side, conservationists have claimed that the logging will affect the climate and tourism sector. According to them, the forest would do much more good if left as it stands.

About 15% of the people of the state are linked to tourism sector, while forestry sector employs just 1% of the people in the state.

Campaign manager of conservation group Bob Brown, Jenny Weber, said the government has decided to open forests for logging in a time when logging should be banned for ecosystem benefits.

Jenny Weber also said that the anti-conservation government is destroying the future of Tasmania's unique forests.