An Australian plan to chop down thousands of hectares of protected Tasmanian forest for timber will be discussed at a meeting of UNESCO's World Heritage Committee which begins overnight in Qatar.
The forest is part of a World Heritage Site and the Australian Government wants the status to be revoked so logging can begin.
The government claims the area it wants delisted is already 'degraded', having been logged before.
About 5000 Tasmanians at a rally in Hobart opposing the delisting of Tasmania's World Heritage forests in Hobart. Photo: AFP / Rob Blakers / The Wilderness Society
The ABC reports that opponents say only 8.6 percent of it has been disturbed with the rest pristine old-growth rainforest.
Thousands of people in Tasmania protested against the move on Saturday and further demonstrations are expected.
The area slated for delisting is part of 120,000 hectares added last year to the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area under the previous Labor government.