PORT Stephens and the MidCoast LGA’s have areas of state forest which are available for logging.

Bulahdelah is home to a saw milling industry.

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However, the Nature Conservation Council of NSW claims that logging native forests is not only driving species to extinction, the NSW Forestry Corporation’s annual report shows it is also costing taxpayers millions of dollars.

In 2020-21, the native forestry arm of the NSW Government’s logging company lost $20 million and prospects of it turning a profit any time soon are dim.

“This result should be good news for our native forests because there is now no rational economic argument for propping up that part of the industry,” Nature Conservation Council Chief Executive Chris Gambian said.

“The latest annual report shows NSW taxpayers unwittingly paying to cut down forests the people want protected.

“It’s not just ecologically and economically unsustainable, it is morally indefensible.

“If you’ve got the public, the scientists and even the bean-counters telling you to stop cutting down native forests, the government must listen and act.

“Taxpayer dollars should be used to protect forests, not destroy them.

“Victoria and Western Australia have announced end dates for native forest logging — NSW must do the same.

“Ending native forest logging will save species, store carbon, fight climate change and open up huge opportunities for tourism and jobs.

“Ending native forest logging must be done in ways that are fair to the workers and companies involved. We stand ready to work with all stakeholders – workers, industry and government – to turn the page on native forest logging and look forward to a brighter future.”

Mr Gambian said the government should not renew the 30 wood supply agreements with timber mills that will expire in 2023 but rather start talks with workers and the industry about transitioning out of native forest logging.

“The government will have to make a choice in the coming year,” Mr Gambian said.

“Will it lock in destructive native forest logging for years to come or will it develop a plan to transition to a sustainable, plantation-based timber industry?

“We strongly urge the government to end native forest logging and close this sad chapter in the state’s environmental history.”

Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Taylor Martin told News Of The Area, “Native forests deliver a vast range of benefits for our communities, including regional tourism drawcards, clean waterways, habitat for protected wildlife, biodiversity, carbon storage and responsible wood products.

“Only approximately one percent of native forests are harvested every year.

“The 2020-21 financial result reflects the lower level of timber harvesting operations which took place after the 2019-20 bushfires, which affected approximately 50 percent of native forests and a quarter of softwood plantations.

“This has resulted in a significant recovery program which will continue to see additional costs in road building and replanting.

“State forests generate renewable timber products like house framing, flooring, furniture and packaging in a way that is carefully managed, so that forest values are preserved and forests continue to grow and produce renewable timber in perpetuity.

“Our forests also provide employment to tens of thousands of people in the regions,” he said.

By Marian SAMPSON