19 November 2013
Government rules out national park logging in common-sense response to public lands inquiry
The Nature Conservation Council of NSW has welcomed the state government’s long-awaited response [1] to the Upper House inquiry into the management of public lands. [2]
The inquiry, chaired by the Shooters and Fishers Party, recommended placing a moratorium on the creation of new national parks, opening up existing national parks to logging and carrying out large scale thinning operations in the River Red Gums national parks.
“The government has provided a measured, common-sense response to a highly politicised inquiry into public land management,” NCC Chief Executive Officer Pepe Clarke said.
“It is clear that the recommendations of the inquiry were badly out of step with public opinion.
“Government has responded sensibly by ruling out logging in national parks and reaffirming its commitment to the establishment of national parks.
“We remain concerned that the government has left the door open to future expansion of thinning operations in the River Red Gum forests, logging of cypress forests in the Pilliga region, and large-scale conversion of western land leases to freehold title.
“We urge the state government to demonstrate its commitment to nature conservation by maintaining protections for existing national parks and expanding the national park estate to meet national reserve system targets.”
[1] NSW Legislative Council General Purpose Standing Committee No.5’s Inquiry into Management of Public Land in New South Wales, URL: www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/committee.nsf/0/18B4C6B001E0D367CA2579E9000215C2
[2] NSW Government response: Inquiry into the management of public land in NSW, URL: www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/committee.nsf/0/74da1cd968beb279ca257b6c00012c86/$FILE/Government%20Response.pdf
Tags
NSW Parliament
Let others know about this issue