Tas conservationists on global display

Two Tasmanian conservationists have become global poster children for the United Nations World Heritage Committee.

A photo showing Geoff Law and Heidi Douglas standing in the Upper Florentine Valley of southern Tasmania, has gone on display alongside images of 10 other advocates from Africa, South America, Europe and Asia.

The photos are part of a Heritage Heroes exhibition on display in Bonn, Germany, where the committee opened its annual meeting on Sunday.

"The destruction of our rivers, forests and cultural heritage has compelled people to make a stand," said Mr Law, representing The Wilderness Society, who has travelled to Bonn to campaign committee members for an expansion of the island state's protected areas.

"Our collective achievements in protecting Tasmania's wilderness have generated international attention and appreciation."

The committee has drafted a decision that rejects a proposal by the Tasmanian and federal governments to open more of the state's wilderness to industry.

Tasmania's Liberal government has also sent a representative to Bonn to counter what Premier Will Hodgman has described as a "one-sided" argument put by The Wilderness Society.

Mr Hodgman said a balance needs to be struck whereby Tasmania's wilderness is protected but still supports tourism and traditional industries including logging and mining.