A fern inside the Tarkine, the largest tract of temperate...

TARKINE FORESTS, TASMANIA, AUSTRALIA - 2003/03/01: A fern inside the Tarkine, the largest tract of temperate rainforest in the world. Containing a rare red myrtle, many of the trees thousands of years old, the Tarkine is heralded for its biodiversity and beauty. It is currently tagged for clearfelling; its resources sold to Korea and Japan as woodchips. Home to some of the world's most exotic hardwoods and the largest tract of temperate rainforest in the world, Tasmania is also home to the fastest rate of clearfelling. In protest against the current government's controversial stance on environmental policy and voracious woodchipping industry, tour company Tiger Trails has set up guided walks through the forest. Government policy states that preservation policy will be implemented if the area can be seen to have an economic future. Many of Tasmania's forests date back to Gondwana period, 10,000 years ago, when Tasmania was separated from mainland Australia by an ice-age. (Photo by Leisa Tyler/LightRocket via Getty Images)