Hundreds Of Australian Farmers Plan To Cut Down Protected Trees In Land-Use Protest - Reuters

CANBERRA - Hundreds of Australian farmers are planning to chop down protected trees on their properties in a day of protest against strict land-clearing laws, prompting public condemnation on Wednesday from environment groups.

Fed up with government restrictions on the use of their land, the farmers in New South Wales state are organising a day of civil disobedience on July 1, with proposals to cut down a tree on each property.

"It's been a long campaign by farmers who have been sidelined by the government. This day of clearing a tree, taking a tree out, has been bandied about for a long time," local farmer Alistair McRoberts told Australian radio on Wednesday.

The move comes as the Australian and New South Wales governments continue their investigation into whether one farmer in the Gwydir Valley bulldozed part of an internationally protected wetland and cleared it of vegetation.

EDIT

http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/42261/story.htm

oh yeah, cutting down trees will really help out that drought down there as well.

brilliant, just mind numbingly brillant.

... and no compensation when your farm fails due to drought either.

Way to get sympathy for your cause guys!