More than 60 shire residents were left shocked and angered at what they learnt from the North East Forest Alliance (NEFA) forest information evening in Nambucca Heads last Thursday night.
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Hosted by the Nambucca Valley Conservation Association (NVCA), residents watched a short documentary and then heard from three speakers (ecologist Mark Graham and forest conservationists Lyn Orrego and Paula Flack), who fleshed out the NSW Government plans.
Bowraville resident Marion Syratt said if the facts presented were correct, then the course being planned by State Forests was indeed misguided.
“It sounds like their situation is already compromised with the contract issues, so cutting these old growth trees to meet a contract shortfall is foolhardy,” Marion said.
“They should be farming trees not cutting them.”
She said she believed the Great Koala National Park was a valid alternative that offered long term employment opportunities, as opposed to the diminishing job prospects for timber workers under the government’s plan.
NVCA president Paula Flack said the community’s response to the news that the State Government intention to drastically increase already unsustainable timber volume commitments and significantly reduce environmental protections in public native forests, was one of disbelief and disgust.
“There is a growing awareness amongst the wider population of the unsustainable and destructive logging practices going on in our State Forests right now,” Paula said.
“So, the government’s plan to legalise clear felling across 140,000ha of coastal native forest, double the intensity of “selective” logging in the rest, start logging previous protected old growth and rainforest, do away with most threatened species protections and stop looking for and truly protecting our precious koala, is seen to be irresponsible and short-sighted, she said.
“A quick look on Google Earth at coastal state forests over time shows just how hard they are being hammered with extensive clearfelling already evident despite it not being allowed yet, and folks are also seeing the trashing of our precious resource from the ground too.”
The meeting called on the NSW Government to:
* Recognise that Regional Forest Agreements (RFA's) have failed to deliver environmental protection or industry security;
* Recognise the benefits of non-timber forest values are vital for the future of regional economies and ecosystems;
* Establish the Great Koala National Park as an immediate priority
* Commit to a just transition out of native forest logging on public land and the transfer of public forests to protected areas when the RFA's expire.
If you want to make a submission regarding the proposed changes go to: http://engage.environment.nsw.gov.au/forests. Closing date is Friday, July 13.
