THE Nannas for Native Forests are sewing and delivering letters and leaf badges to all state parliamentarians in their annual push to promote environmental protection.

Coinciding with National Threatened Species Day on September 7, the push involved the creation of 97 fabric leaves to provide one for each politician in both houses of parliament to wear in recognition of the day.

Accompanying the leaves was a letter of concern about the condition of the ecosystem in the state and a call to protect it.

Long-time member Wesley Huber said the leaves were a labour of love that symbolised the fragility of the state’s forests.

“Each leaf a few hours work, hand stitching a form of craftism, so a lot has gone into this reminder of just how valuable and fragile our forest is now,” she said.

“In 2021 the Nannas for Native Forests were the primary instigators in the battle against Simcoa that resulted in halting the logging of our forests.

“We are very active in the protection of our environment, campaigning mainly in public places helping to enable a better understanding of the serious and real man-made threats that are currently being faced by our wildlife and flora.”

Ms Huber said the leaves were a tool to open discussion about conservation efforts and environmental impacts on wildlife.

“Quietly sitting stitching leaves is our way to engage with people who stop and ask, ‘what are you doing?’” she said.

“One stitch, one conversation at a time is becoming our motto.

“What a lot of people don’t know is we have a very small population of mainland quokkas – the few that remain are in isolated pockets of the Northern Jarrah Forest.

“With the strip-mining activities destroying their habitat they along with other species struggle for survival.

“As we sit and stitch, we care deeply and spread the word.”

National Threatened Species Day marks the death of the last remaining Tasmanian tiger in 1936.

Under the Biodiversity Conservation Act, native species are listed as threatened when they face a high to very high risk of extinction in the wild, and ecological communities are listed as threatened when they face a high to very high risk of collapse.

According to the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, 255 total species were recognised as of July this year by the state as threatened and being further monitored.