DEAR News Of The Area,

Two recent articles caught my attention.

One was ‘Logging duo speaks out’, which was supposed to ‘reassure those concerned about the environment’ that ‘people like them are doing their best to preserve the forest every day’.

The trouble is these people do not know the importance of the large trees to our very vulnerable biodiversity, and it is exactly these trees which they are targeting with their logging.

It is not just the hollow bearing trees and the dead trees we need kept.

Its large trees that will grow into hollow bearing trees.

Endangered Greater Gliders need up to twenty hollow bearing trees on their range.

Then in another article the headline reads ‘Industry shoots down calls to axe native forest logging’.

Former Treasury Secretary, now chair of Australian Climate and Biodiversity Commission, Ken Henry, is right to recommend a transition out of native forest logging to plantations, which will generate more jobs.

We know the history of Forestry Corporation.

They have committed many crimes against nature and have shown no remorse and have had no significant reprimands.

The SMH reported last Friday massive new discrepancies that have come to light, between the quantities and the size of the logs harvested and Forestry NSW‘s data.

Their timber yields were 52 percent lower across the state than forestry quoted in 2022-23 years and they ran at a loss of $29 million in 2023-24.

Last December Forestry admitted to accidentally clearfelling 1.5 ha of Bindarri National Park near Coffs Harbour.

Logging continues in the proposed GKNP and 7185ha or more than eight percent of the park’s loggable area has now been logged.

These are areas of great biodiversity and important habitat for our many endangered species.

They were planned as part of vital corridors for viable breeding colonies to survive.

Australia still holds the dubious distinction of the fastest rate of mammal extinction in the world and no wonder!

The claims that logging decreases fire risk is untenable, as there is much evidence to support the contrary, with logged areas becoming hot spots, weed infested and providing access for feral animals.

Eco-tourism provides greater opportunities than colonial extraction thinking (Native forest logging).

Sawmills are noisy, dirty, dangerous places, pay minimum wages and offer little chance of advancement.

I know where I would rather my kids be working.

Regards,
Louise CRANNY,
President,
Kalang River Forest Alliance.