Deforestation Detour
Collaborators
Created with artist collective Heavy Duty
Commissioned by WA Forest Alliance
Outcome
Feature story on RTRFM
WA Premier Mark McGowan made the landmark decision to ban deforestation in WA permanently
Since European colonisation 90% of WA’s South West forests have been decimated. In fact, every day 10 football fields of native forest get logged and cleared in the South West and no one knows it’s happening. It’s concealed behind a thin veil of trees lining the South West highway leaving drivers oblivious and the issue off the Premier’s agenda.
So over the Easter period when the South West highway is at its busiest, we installed the ‘Deforestation Detour’—a detour designed to reveal WA’s hidden deforestation.
We began by installing signage that directed travellers to see the deforestation for themselves. The signs then drove witnesses to contact the Western Australian Premier to stop the chop.
West Australians took notice.
So did the Premier.
A historic decision like this doesn’t just come from one action. Thanks to decades of efforts from locals and conservationists we were able to help protect our native forests for good.
Huge shoutout to the Heavy Duty team for making this idea happen.
