Former Greens leader Bob Brown has lost an appeal after copping a $500 protest fine, but flagged taking the matter to a higher court.
The 80-year-old travelled to a logging coupe in Tasmania's Eastern Tiers on November 7, 2022 in "defence of the forest" and to protect claimed critically endangered swift parrot habitat.
He was arrested the next day after refusing to leave the area when asked by a forestry worker.
Brown was subsequently found guilty of trespass and fined after a Magistrates Court hearing spanning five months.
His Supreme Court appeal against the conviction was dismissed on Thursday afternoon.
Among the four appeal grounds, Brown questioned whether the forestry worker had the power to order him to leave.
He also argued he had a "lawful excuse" to stay on the land under freedom of conscience laws based on his long-held environmental beliefs.
Supreme Court Justice Kate Cuthbertson dismissed all four grounds of the appeal.
She said it was open for the magistrate to conclude Brown's permission to be on the land had been validly withdrawn.
Justice Cuthbertson said the guarantee of "freedom of conscience" did not provide an excuse to breach the police offences act, which ensures businesses can operate without interference.
Speaking outside court, Brown said he would seek legal advice on the 41-page judgment and would potentially launch an appeal with the full bench of the Supreme Court.
"Critically engaged swifts parrots were occupying a forest and the law says logging must stop when that happens. But it didn't," he said.
"Personally, I've got other things to do, but I'm not here for me, I'm here for the swift parrots.
"I'm here for nature that is being destroyed at the greatest rate in history."
Brown said he had paid the fine, but wouldn't cop on the chin rulings against the right of people to peacefully protest.
