THE Bob Brown Foundation’s march to save forests on Sunday 23 March in Bellingen, was one of many around the nation calling for an end to native forest logging.
Expert speakers told the crowd of around 700 that it’s not just trees and wildlife that are at risk when native forests are logged, there are also water security, fire and economic risks.
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“The march was a call to the Albanese government to stop logging of native forests now,” organiser Doro Babeck said.
Indigenous Elder Micklo Jarrett said that logging forests sacred to Gumbaynggirr culture is a danger to their totems.
Aunty Alison Buchanan, matriarchal lore and medicine woman and well-known artist, shared inspiring stories of deep connection to Country.
Jimmy Halfcut, who cuts half his beard because half the world’s forests are gone, said, “We’ve got to be cutting our emissions, not our forests.”
He said that with 50 percent of global gross domestic product (GDP) coming from nature, this is also an economic issue.
Ecologist Mark Graham said that our entire economy and society needs the reliable, clean water coming from the Great Koala National Park (GKNP) area.
He cited recent logging in the Nymboida River catchment, which he said resulted in the need for a filtration system to remove contamination from the Coffs-Clarence catchment, is set to cost upwards of $65 million.
Dr Phil Zylstra, a fire researcher, explained that older forests tend to slow fires down, and that the more they are logged, the more likely there will be severe and uncontrollable fires.
Greens MP Sue Higginson said that while recent polling showed that over 70 percent of communities local to the GKNP were in support of it, the Labor government was breaking its election promise by allowing the logging of koala habitat to continue.
Wendy Firefly, the Greens candidate for Cowper, spoke of her heartbreak at the devastation of her neighbouring forests and how this inspired her entry to politics.
Despite the sobering message from presenters, music from Gunganbu, Tijuana Cartel, and the Pine Creek Choir raised the mood.
The march through town was to the rhythms and chants of drumming group Carnaval Republic and was described by organisers as powerful yet peaceful.
By Andrew VIVIAN