VOICES FROM THE FOREST: TAKESA FRANK

In the quiet, ancient forests of Yuin Country on the New South Wales South Coast stands Takesa Frank, a proud Aboriginal woman whose voice is shaping the future of native forest protection in Australia.

Her story is one of deep connection to Country, courageous activism, and a vision for a world where forests are valued not just for their resources, but for their cultural, ecological, and spiritual significance.

Growing Up on Country: A Foundation for Advocacy

“I literally live among the trees here on Yuin Country,” Takesa Frank shares. “Surrounded by state forests as well as a bit of national park. We also have the Clyde River that runs through our property, which is one of the cleanest rivers in New South Wales. I learned to swim in the river and just ran wild through the forest as a kid with my siblings”.

This early immersion in nature was more than a backdrop to her childhood—it was the foundation for a lifelong commitment to protecting Country. “From a really young age, we learnt the value of nature. It wasn’t just something we appreciated—it was how we lived”. 

This connection, passed down through generations, is at the heart of her advocacy.

The Devastation of Fire and Chainsaws

The 2019–2020 bushfires were a turning point. “We saw some of the worst bushfires here on the South Coast that we’ve ever experienced,” she recalls. “We saw 85% of our forest burn, and it was estimated that 3 billion native animals were either killed, injured, or displaced during those fires. It really pushed people and community members to realise the importance of our forest”.

Yet, the trauma did not end with the fires across eastern Australia. “During the bushfires, I was sitting on my front balcony with my dad, watching as a hill lit up on fire”, Takesa shares. 

“Less than six months later, we sat in the exact same spot, but instead of watching the forest get lit up by fire, we were actually watching tree by tree falling down because New South Wales Forestry entered our state forest directly after the bushfires to continue logging them”.

Why Native Forests Matter

For Takesa Frank, native forests are not just collections of trees. “Some people say a tree is just a tree, but our native forests are much more than that. Our forests hold not only the soil, the trees, the plants, the animals, the waterways and the skies. They hold so much biodiversity”.

She draws a clear distinction between native forests and plantations: “Plantations, we grow the trees to then harvest for use. Whereas native forests have literally been here since the first sunrise. They have ancient trees and also, you know, other plants and hold the habitat of so many of our threatened and endangered species”.

Community Science and Collective Action

Takesa Frank’s activism is rooted in community. She has been campaigning against native logging for about five years, leading community science efforts to survey and protect threatened species like the greater glider. “Community science and community support is a really important aspect of this campaign because it means that whilst we’re not getting to an end result of New South Wales Government putting an end to public native logging, through community survey, we can save a little bit”.

Her leadership has inspired thousands. In 2023, she started a petition that gathered over 20,000 signatures, forcing the New South Wales Parliament to debate ending native forest logging. “Ending public native forest logging is so important. It’s time NSW follows in the steps of Western Australia and Victoria, who exited logging on 1 January 2024”.

The Cultural Imperative

As a First Nations woman, Takesa Frank’s advocacy is inseparable from her cultural identity. “Country is our entire culture. It is our identity. We have been caring for this country since the first sunrise. We know the seasons and how it operates. We know how to use fire to manage the land really effectively. But since colonisation, we’ve seen a destruction of that forest. 54% of Australia's native forest has been lost since colonisation”.

She urges others to recognise that “everywhere we look, everywhere we touch is sacred land. Our elders are in the soil and in the skies. Everywhere is sacred and everywhere is country and must be protected also, so that our future generations can experience culture the way that we did growing up”.

Courage and Hope

Advocacy is not without risk. “There’s a really big fear in stepping up and being the person that’s going to stand up against logging. I face that fear every day”. Yet, she believes in the power of community: “If we stand together as a group, they can’t push us aside or ignore the thoughts and feelings of the community. It’s the time that we need to come together to stand for country, to stand for our forests”.

We all need trees – to breathe, to belong, to survive. But Australia is still logging native forests. 

We’re calling on our leaders to end this destruction. Add your name to thousands of voices calling to end native forest logging in Australia before it’s too late.

It’s time to end native forest logging in NSW.