The Federal Liberal party is targeting environmental groups it claims may be using tax deductible donations to fund illegal activism.

The Federal member for Bass, Andrew Nikolic, introduced a motion yesterday at the party's federal council meeting to strip eco-charities of the same rights permitted to other charities, including tax-deductable donations.

The motion was unanimously endorsed.

Mr Nikolic said taxpayers should not be subsidising the actions of 13 environmental groups who are allowed to recieve tax-deductable donations.

He believed some of the groups practice political activism.

"There are organisations like the Wilderness Society, the Australian Conservation Foundation, the Bob Brown Foundation and all the Environmental Defenders Offices which are also currently recognised as charities as well and what you see many of these groups doing is engaging in the sort of activism that is at odds with Tasmania’s future prosperity," he said.

"There are some of those groups that unfortunately abuse that privilege, they engage in untruthful, destructive attacks on legitimate business and undertake political activism, which shouldn't attract those very generous concessions from the taxpayer.

"I moved the motion because I think the activities of these groups has been enormously damaging on our state of Tasmania, I think we’ve seen for far too long these groups undertaking activities like boot camps and engaging in political activism, illegal activism.

"We are a free society, where people can protest and have their say, but too often these groups attract concessions and donations, then engage in illegal activities. It’s just not right.

"There are some 583 environmental groups who are approved by the Department of Environment, and 13 listed in the tax act who receive deductable donations, often those donations are not used for the sort of activities that the donors intended but for illegal activities and I don't think that's right."

'Draconian' response: Wilderness Society

The Wilderness Society's campaign manager Vica Bayley said the push is evidence the Liberals know their State and Federal forest policies will lead to more conflict.

"Their only response to that conflict is to increase draconian measures to try and shut down people speaking out," he said.

Mr Bayley said for decades environment groups have delivered incredibly valuable outcomes for Australia.

"Tax deductibility is put to good use in representing the environment, in speaking out for the environment against destructive activities and that's entirely appropriate," he said.

"Places like the Great Barrier Reef, Tasmania's wilderness and other spectacular areas...that are the engine rooms of regional economies..wouldn't be protected if it wasn't for groups like the Wilderness Society."

Any policy is a long way off, with the changes affecting many pieces of state and federal legislation.