DEAR News Of The Area,

I WRITE to correct the (highly predictable) latest batch of blatant lies and absolute fabrications that were published in NOTA by the Forestry Corporation (FCNSW) about me and my property and the many aggravated crimes committed against me, my property and the threatened species on my property that were committed by FCNSW between January 8 and February 21 2024.

I will correct the public record chapter and verse below.

In so doing I loudly decry the use of our taxes to develop and promulgate such blatant lies and disinformation by this crown company.

The public servants writing these lies (and in so doing taking home our taxes) need to be brought under control by their CEO Anshul Chaudhury, their Minister Tara Moriarty and the Chair of their board, Stefanie Loader, and these “bosses” must act immediately to stop the lies and to ensure that the ongoing targeted brutal criminal abuse of me by FCNSW stops.

Forestry Corporation lies:

“In relation to the entry into private property, this occurred after a crew identified a hazardous tree that had been blown onto State forest from the adjoining property, with the root ball partially exposed.”

The facts:

The New England Blackbutt tree that was illegally killed by FCNSW was entirely on my property and was in no way “hazardous” to the nearby State Forest.

This tree was absolutely not “blown onto State Forest” and the root ball, which was approximately 15 metres on my property, was not “exposed”.

Four nights before FCNSW trespassed on my property and maliciously killed this tree I had spotlighted an Endangered Greater Glider feeding in this very tree.

This means that actual and known habitat of a Nationally Endangered (and rapidly declining) species that I seek to conserve and rebuild the population of following the fires of Black Spring has been maliciously destroyed by FCNSW in a litany of aggravated crimes against me.

Forestry Corporation lies:

“There was no question the tree could be saved as it had fallen and was only held up by other trees, with the tree leaning across the road and the head hung up within trees that were on State forest.”

The facts:

The New England Blackbutt tree was entirely on my property.

This tree absolutely had not “fallen”.

I had been observing this tree daily for some time leading up to the trespass and aggravated malicious killing of it by FCNSW.

The tree was alive and healthy and at no risk of structural failure.

FCNSW has absolutely no legal rights to trespass and maliciously destroy and kill my Endangered Greater Glider habitat tree.

This is absolutely a case of a neighbour trespassing onto an adjoining property without any communication about or permission to do so and committing aggravated acts of malicious damage.

Forestry Corporation lies:

“The base of the hazardous tree was approximately five metres inside private property and the crew entered the property to remove the hazard without first consulting with the adjoining property owner, for which Forestry Corporation has apologised to the property owner.”

The facts:

Just prior to Christmas 2023 FCNSW spent our taxes on private contractors surveying parts of the boundary between my private conservation area (freehold land belonging to me) and the adjoining Clouds Creek State Forest.

Boundary pegs were installed and stakes with highly visible pink marking tape were installed to make the boundary obvious.

The bulldozer used by FCNSW to kill my Endangered Greater Glider habitat drove immediately past (within 20cm of) a one metre high stake with a 40cm length of bright pink flagging tape on the top.

This bulldozer drove 13.5m onto my property and gouged my Endangered Greater Glider habitat from the ground.

A person cut my tree with a chainsaw (all on my property) and they dumped the remains of this tree entirely on my property.

The suggestion by FCNSW that my tree was “approximately 5m inside private property” is a blatant lie and a gross and damning attempt to seek to avoid or downplay the severity of the serious criminal conduct of this crown company that I am a victim of (as are the Greater Gliders resident on my private conservation area).

Forestry Corporation lies:

“Staff and contractors have been reminded of the importance of engaging with neighbours when managing issues on land bordering State forests.”

The facts:

If by “engaging with neighbours” FCNSW means targeted acts of trespass, aggravated malicious damage, illegal surveillance, lengthy deprivation of access to residences, abuse, fraud and assault then they are correct.

Anything else is just lies, disinformation and propaganda; which FCNSW systematically engages in, is consistently caught out doing and is renowned for across our community and the state.

Regards,

Mark GRAHAM,

Coffs Harbour.