Allana Beltran facts for kids

Allana Beltran is an Australian artist and environmental activist. She uses her art to raise awareness about protecting nature. She is known as the "Weld Angel" because of her protests to protect old forests in the Weld Valley.

About Allana Beltran

Allana grew up on the Central Coast in New South Wales, Australia. She studied Contemporary Fine Art at Sydney College of the Arts. There, she learned about making sculptures, performance art, and art installations.

Art for Nature

Allana uses her artistic skills to help the environment. She has worked with different community groups. Together, they create art projects that teach people about nature. For example, she helped coordinate the Chain Valley Bay Eco-Arts garden. This was a community artwork project.

Allana has also made two documentary films. These films are called Whatever you love you are and Since the Weld was Flooded. They are about activists who work to protect forests in Tasmania's Southern Forests.

The Weld Angel Protest

In November 2006, Allana joined a protest against logging in the Weld Valley. Logging means cutting down trees for timber. Activists believed that some logging in these World Heritage-valued forests was against the rules.

A Peaceful Stand

By March 2007, many of the other protesters had been arrested. But Allana continued her protest. On March 29, she dressed as an angel. She was suspended high off the ground on a tripod. This action blocked the entrance to the forest. Her protest was very peaceful.

Police told her to come down. However, Allana stayed there for over nine hours. She stopped the loggers from moving forward. Eventually, she was arrested. Her image as the "Weld Angel" became very famous. It was shown widely in the news. Many people saw her as the face of forest protests in 2008.

Art and Activism

Allana's protest was also a piece of performance art. It showed how people could use social media to share their actions. She has continued to use the angel image. She hopes it will encourage politicians in the Parliament to care more about environmental issues.

In 2007, there was a legal case against Allana. Police and a state timber agency tried to get money from her. They said her protest caused them to lose money. However, the police and foresters did not win their case. Allana did not have to pay any money.

Some politicians who support environmental causes stood by Allana. They said that protests are a fair way for people to express their views in a free country. They believed the legal action was trying to stop this important process.

See Also

• Environmentalism in Australia
• Forestry in Australia