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Title
Collaborative wilderness preservation and the Franklin River campaign
Series
Routledge Studies in Conservation and the Environment
Fields of Research (FoR) 2008:
Author(s)
Publication Date
2021
Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2008
Abstract
This chapter examines a case study in wilderness preservation and nonviolent direct action with international ramifications. It describes a campaign – which included a large-scale nonviolent blockade – to preserve a wild river and 769,355 hectares of 'wilderness' in the remote south-west of the island state of Tasmania, Australia. The campaign introduced two new elements to environmental nonviolent direct action. The first was collaboration between environmentalists and Aboriginal people. Despite significant friction, including over the name and concept of 'wilderness', there were positive aspects to the collaboration, including increased visibility of Tasmanian Aboriginals in mainstream society, while Aboriginal heritage issues were a pivotal factor in the legal determination for the preservation of the river. The second element involved deliberate, purposive engagement in the campaign by numerous creative people, most notably artists, photographers, film-makers and musicians. The arts created liminal atmospheres conducive to conversion, and provided relatively cheap but effective publicity tools which utilised the outstanding natural beauty to attract media attention, engage the public, and inspire activism. For the activists, the arts helped build group cohesion and solidarity, as well as enabling empowerment, emotional expression and the prevention of violence and burnout.
Publication Type
Book Chapter
Source of Publication
Rethinking Wilderness and the Wild: Conflict, Conservation and Co-existence, p. 50-67
Publisher
Routledge
Place of Publication
London, United Kingdom
Fields of Research (FoR) 2020
Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2020
Peer Reviewed
Yes
HERDC Category Description
ISBN
9780429299025
9780367279851
Peer Reviewed
Yes
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