FORESTRY Corporation of NSW (FCNSW) has announced that it will commence harvesting and replanting of timber plantations this month in Orara East State Forest, near Karangi.

FCNSW Harvesting Manager Tom Halliday said the mature timber plantations would be harvested over the coming months and replanted with 1,100 seedlings per hectare to regrow the plantations for future generations.

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“Like many State forests in the region, Orara East State Forest contains areas of native forest as well as areas of timber plantations that were planted for timber production around 40 years ago,” Mr Halliday said.

“This month, we’ll be starting work to harvest the mature timber plantations in the western part of the forest near the community of Karangi and then preparing to replant the plantation area for the future.

“The plantations will be a worksite during these operations, so areas may be closed for the community’s safety and there may also be access restrictions in place on some internal forest roads.

“We ask the community to pay attention to safety signage and not enter closed areas and thank them for their patience during this work.”

Planning Supervisor Matt Howat said plantation operations were planned in line with strict environmental conditions.

“We have a team of planners who have worked over several months to identify and map the historically cleared area which was planted with trees forty years ago and to carry out environmental assessments and engage with neighbours and community members about the operations,” Mr Howat said.

“Because the plantation was established four decades ago, Forestry Corporation have applied a thorough process that is then independently authorised to confirm the plantation has been correctly mapped and identified.

“While growing native trees, timber plantations are not native forests, but we do put measures in place to protect mature trees that were there prior to plantation establishment, and map areas to be retained along waterways and other important environmental features.”

Mr Howat said FCNSW has been planning operations in the adjoining native forest, which will take place later in the year, and as part of this planning process, FCNSW ecologists and Aboriginal partnership liaisons have been carrying out detailed surveys to search for and protect wildlife habitat, hollow-bearing trees, culturally significant sites and a range of other forest features.

“We’ve published detailed operational plans on our website and we remain happy to discuss these operations with the community,” Mr Howat said.

Neigbouring residents and local conservationists disagree with the FCNSW perspective, with small demonstrations held last week to protest a perceived lack of genuine consultation between FCNSW and the community.

Residents say they have only recently been issued an invitation to meet and concerns have been raised about the existence of original forest inside the plantations of Orara East Forest, and the threat posed to koala habitat from logging in such areas.

Orara East State Forest compartments 10 and 11 are within the proposed Great Koala National Park and have been subjected to a detailed analysis by Dr Tim Cadman, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at Griffith University and Bellingen resident.

“Of the two hundred-plus hectares that FCNSW intends to clear, at least ten hectares is original forest, including old growth, rainforest, and Koala feed trees,” Dr Cadman said.

“NSW is the only state that allows such areas to be cleared, converted, and re-classified as plantation.

“All the community is asking for is that these forest remnants are set aside.

“Instead, FCNSW has increased the area that can be cut since I provided it with the relevant data.”

Community spokesperson Paul Healy said, “We are really unhappy about forestry’s last-minute and tokenistic efforts to meet with us, when we have been complaining about the threats posed to our wildlife for months.

“We want meaningful consultation, as required under forestry’s own standards, not lip-service,” Mr Healy said.

“Forestry’s own PR says it welcomes the opportunity to consult with the community and we want to be consulted, before logging starts, not once the bulldozers arrive.

“That will be too late for our beloved koalas.”

More information about Forestry Corporation of NSW, including the plantation harvest plan, can be found by visiting www.forestrycorporation.com.au or contacting info@fcnsw.com.au.

By Andrew VIVIAN