NSW Greens MP and spokesperson for the environment Sue Higginson has drawn attention to NSW Forestry Corporation’s Annual Report, tabled in the NSW Parliament last week, which shows a $9 million dollar loss for the hardwood division.

Ms Higginson said the hardwood division conducts logging operations in public native forests and is directly driving the climate and extinction crises.

Advertise with News of The Area today.
It’s worth it for your business.
Message us.
Phone us – (02) 4981 8882.
Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au

“The people of NSW have lost another $9 million dollars to the unprofitable and irresponsible destruction of our public native forests.

“These native forests are home to endangered koalas and greater gliders and must be preserved if we hope to save these species from extinction,” she said.

Ms Higginson highlighted that the softwood division earned $47 million from plantations that can be managed sustainably and go to building homes and other high value uses.

“The Frontier Economics report ‘Comparing the value of alternative uses of native forests in Southern NSW’ shows that ending logging in public native forests could save NSW $62 million over the next 30 years,” she said.

“Frontier Economics has also shown us that the transition to 100 percent plantations could cost as little as $30 million per year over ten years.

“The time is now to plan the transition from public native forest logging while it is costing NSW millions of dollars every year,” Ms Higginson said.

“Communities and workers need a managed transition out of native forest logging and into 100 percent sustainable plantations so they can have long term security.”

A Forestry Corporation spokesperson said their organisation had been appointed to manage tourism and recreation, roads, pests and weeds, conservation and fire across approximately two million hectares of public land on behalf of the NSW Government.

She said the cost is largely offset by revenue from timber production, which only takes place in around one percent of the forest, yet the management cost is incurred for 100 percent of the land.

She pointed out a range of factors that adversely affected the financial year.

The spokesperson said Forestry Corporation continues to balance the economic return from native forest harvesting with conservation of flora and fauna, access to forests for tourism and primary industries and jobs in regional communities.

Ms Higginson said, “Forestry Corporation can justify it however they like, but where else is a public asset able to be sold off and still cost the public $9 million?

“We can surmise that the companies that carry out the logging are not carrying a loss.

“It is not just a loss on paper, but it is a significant cost to the people of NSW.

“It’s also a cost to future generations because these forests cannot be replaced.

“It doesn’t make sense.”

By Andrew VIVIAN