As the year draws to a close, we are looking back on all the progress we have made as a community. Reflecting on the wins is an important way we can ensure we don’t get burnt out, maintain our passion, and keep working towards full protection for WA’s Southwest forests.
Big Jarrah Rally-ers out in the rain (Image: Sampson McCrackan)
Alcoa
- 59,000 submissions were received by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) on Alcoa’s mining, with around 5,300 unique submissions and over 53,000 signatures to WAFA and Wilderness Society (TWS) submissions. The public comment period ran for 12 weeks– a longer period than usual due to the public interest
- The Big Jarrah Rally in June attracted a 2,000 people strong crowd in the rain– one of the biggest environmental rallies in Perth since 2019 and the biggest forest rally in Perth since 2013. The rally was connected to the Big Jarrah Walk, which saw Ricky England and a handful of others walk 250km from Dwellingup to Perth and fundraise over $27,000 for WAFA.
- 1,000 people attended 7 town halls organised by the End Forest Mining (EFM) alliance during the public comment period. The alliance also ran advertisements in major and local newspapers as well as online, funded by the Big Jarrah Walk.
- WAFA, Jarrahdale Forest Protectors and Dwellingup Discovery Forest Defenders had the opportunity to take the EPA on a tour of the Northern Jarrah Forests (NJF) to show them first hand the current and proposed impacts of Alcoa’s mining.
- In May 2025 Public Source, a news site based in Pittsburgh– home to Alcoa’s headquarters– published a series of investigative articles on Alcoa’s WA operations. This was organised by EFM alliance member Peel Environmental Protection Alliance (PEPA).
- In September Ad Standards Australia upheld a complaint by WAFA, Conservation Council of WA (CCWA), TWS and the Environmental Defenders Office (EDO) on Alcoa’s rehabilitation claims in adverts.
- In November Alcoa announced it will be withdrawing exploration plans from parts of the Perth hills around Mundaring, Kalamunda and Armadale. Whilst this is not a permanent withdrawal, and does not reduce current or proposed mining, it is a win for the community and demonstrates our collective power. Thank you to all the local governments that took a stand against mining and exploration in their areas. We encourage people to engage with their local governments to see how they can help protect your local area.
Protestors outside the South32 AGM
Mining
- Whilst frustrating is an understatement that South32’s expansion received final approval in early 2025, the community campaign still had an impact.
- A number of strict conditions were imposed, including increased exclusion areas for threatened flora and fauna, half of the amount of Black Cockatoo nesting trees allowed to be cleared, the requirement for additional environmental management plans to be submitted before clearing can commence, and much greater monitoring and compliance.
- New conditions were also retrospectively imposed on South32’s previously approved expansion, where mining has not yet commenced known as ‘Extended Mining Areas’.
- It is also important to note that during the multi-year Environmental Review of the expansion, the scale of clearing has been reduced by over 3,000 ha, a nearly 50% reduction.
- Leonardo DiCaprio brought a wave of attention to South32’s destruction of the NJF by making a social media post in March 2025. This attracted responses from the Prime Minister and coverage from global media outlets.
- Mining exploration applications in the NJF by two companies Iron Bull and Access Mining were withdrawn after community and conservation groups objected.
- WAFA and other groups’ objections continue to delay Telupac’s exploration applications to mine the NJF in the Mining Warden’s Court
- WA Environment Minister Swinbourn publicly stated that “it is not a climate solution to mine for critical minerals if it degrades intact forests or habitat for threatened species” in his rejection of a mining company’s appeal against a refused clearing permit in the Cocanarup Timber Reserve.
Locals gather at Mt Clare to protest prescribed burning in Tingle forests (Image: Simone van Hattem)
Prescribed Burning
- An official parliamentary petition on prescribed burning led by WAFA from mid 2024 – mid 2025 received nearly 5,000 signatures calling for changes to the prescribed burning program.
- The devastating Giants East Tingle forest burn at the end of 2024, and associated rally in January 2025 received a large amount of media coverage, including ABC Stateline.
- Community opposition has delayed the burning of another Tingle block called Nornalup. The Shire of Denmark’s Bushfire Risk Management Plan 2025-2027 lists “Management strategies employed by DBCA… in old-growth areas, including aerial incendiary, are an ongoing source of tension between some members of the community, conservationists and DBCA… Community concern for mitigation has resulted in delayed prescribed burning”.
Forest management and protected areas
- DBCA held a briefing on thinning for WAFA member group representatives in March, presenting a case study on one Forest Enhancement Area (FEA) and how each stage is undertaken. We eagerly await a case study to be published by DBCA.
- Thinning is formally limited to 8,000ha per year, but since the start of the 2024-2033 Forest Management Plan, only just over 2,000ha has been thinned.
- WAFA have joined the WA Better by Nature campaign along with CCWA, 30 by 30, The Wildflower Society of Western Australia and others to advocate for increased protected areas across WA.
- The Conservation and Land Management Amendment Bill 2025 passed through Parliament in June 2025, officially enshrining the ban on commercial native forest logging in law. Any attempts by future governments to bring it back would need to go through both houses of Parliament.
Echidna (Image: Jess Boyce)
We’re already looking forward to next year and seeing what we can achieve when we all work together for forests.
From the team at WA Forest Alliance, we wish you a happy, safe and restful holiday season. We’ll see you again in the New Year, ready to keep campaigning.