Conservation groups today urged Australians to vote for the forests at this election.

"A vote for the forests is a vote for the future of the planet, our children and all the other species that share the world with us," said spokespersons for the groups.

"Whatever your voting choice, we ask you to do one thing on election day – mark both your ballot papers with the words “Save the Forests”.  This will be a valid vote (http://www.aec.gov.au/Voting/Informal_Voting/ ) provided you otherwise correctly complete the ballot paper. If enough people do this, we send a clear signal to all the parties."

"During the past year alone tens of thousands of Australians have written, emailed or telephoned the Prime Minister, the Premiers and many other politicians asking them to take real action to protect forests and fight climate change. We have been ignored and many of us have not even received a reply."

"Our job is to stop woodchipping and protect forests, not to tell people how to vote on 21 August but the future of our forests is at stake despite the astounding political and media silence on the issue in this election campaign."

"The Labor and Liberal Parties have refused to even talk about the issue, let alone make commitments to genuinely protect forests or take any real steps to fight climate change. Both parties are also supporting woodchip-fired power stations and ‘green electricity bonuses’ (Renewable Energy Certificates) for the woodchippers."

"They and their candidates try to justify this on the grounds that it is only "waste". This of course is the great lie that the logging and woodchipping industry has used for 40 years of merciless destruction of our forests."

"The truth is that more than 80% on average of all trees felled in our native forests in NSW, Victoria, Tasmania and Western Australia go straight to woodchip mills or equivalents such as smelters for silicon or charcoal production. This is waste alright, a waste of our forests and wildlife."

"A stop to native forest logging and woodchipping, with a transfer of the industry to plantations, is supported by almost 80% of Australians."

"This action could reduce Australia’s greenhouse emissions by nearly 10% and is a step that we must take in the global battle against climate change, for the future of the planet."

" The potential conservation and economic benefits are enormous – save old growth forests, store carbon, protect wildlife and water catchments as well as sustaining rural industries like tourism, grazing, fishing, and oyster growing that are all damaged by the present forest destruction."

"Please ask your family, friends, neighbours, fellow students and colleagues to also mark their ballot papers with the marvellous words “Save the Forests”. "