ACTIVISTS continue to risk their liberty by hampering logging operations near Coffs Harbour.

On Tuesday, two HSC students locked themselves to a cement-filled barrel and a third HSC student locked on to logging machinery to prevent logging operations in Orara East State Forest.

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

A few kilometres away, in Boambee State Forest, two grandmothers have halted logging machinery by locking themselves to the arm of a harvester.

A tree-climber has also erected a tree-sit in Boambee State Forest.

One of the students, April, from the Orara Valley said, “I am making a sacrifice by pausing my HSC studies and risking my future to protest against the logging of native habitat, particularly this forest next to my home”.

She said, “This forest holds a special place in my heart, and I refuse to stand idly by as the cherished memories I associate with it are destroyed”

Another, Jimmy, from Nana Glen, said, “Time is running out and we must fight to protect critical habitat like Orara East State Forest”.

In Boambee State Forest, Chris, 74 years old, from Coffs Harbour, said she is taking action out of sheer desperation.
She said, “I don’t know what else I can do”.

“I’ve written so many letters to politicians, I’ve demonstrated in the streets, I’ve handed out leaflets about the dire situations up here, I’ve joined and donated to conservation organisations, I’ve signed a myriad of petitions and I’ve lobbied local government”.

Chris and her co-activist were arrested and charged with aggravated unlawful entry on enclosed lands.

The three HSC students at Orara East State Forest were arrested and charged under the Young Offenders Act with aggravated unlawful entry on enclosed lands, after being freed by Police Rescue Officers.

A 49-year-old woman was also arrested there and was charged with fail to comply with lawful direction of a police officer, and hinder or resist police officer in the execution of duty.

The three adults will appear before Coffs Harbour Local Court on August 9th .

The Bellingen Activist Network (BAN) is amongst those calling for an immediate end to all industrial logging in NSW native forests and point to commitments by Western Australian and Victoria to end native forest logging.

BAN says it is finding that more and more everyday people are requesting to be upskilled to take direct actions locally to protect the forests.

Tom Howell, from BAN, said, “Today we’ve seen six community members take action to cause mass disruption to logging in the Coffs region”.

“Three are seventeen and two are in their 70s, which shows the widespread community concern”.

By Andrew VIVIAN