DEAR News Of The Area,

THE Friends of Pine Creek state forest are appalled over the proposed logging, in Pine Creek state forest in May.

Koalas have been sighted in these areas recently.

The areas in question to be clear felled, added up are over 100ha (1km by 1km) adding to localised extinction of not only koalas, but many other ground fossicking mammals.

All of the five compartments border on Bongil Bongil National Park. Bongil Bongil and Bindarri National Park are now classified as “Assets of Intergenerational Significance”, that requires a conservation action plan (CAP), if there is any threat to the koala population.

Clear felling of this area is a threat to the koala population in Bongil Bongil and Bindarri National Park.

This area was logged in 2012 and areas were protected (mixed species regrowth).

The single biggest threat to the koala is recognised as loss of habitat or modification of habitat, logging does both.

Our area is one of the last strongholds for koalas in NSW.

Koalas are a forest dependent animal.

If we are serious about koala conservation, large areas of forest are critical for their survival.

For this reason, we support the Environmental Defenders office call for the cessation of Forestry Corporation NSW exemption from prosecution of take/kill/or injure koalas, and their exemption from prosecution for logging koala habitat.

All koala habitat and those areas where koalas are clinging on, must be protected from logging, within our public forests.

These are our forests not the timber industries, let them grow their own trees.

Regards,
Friends of Pine Creek.