15 March, 2015
Cable logging trial threatens vital wildlife habitat on the North Coast
The Nature Conservation Council has renewed calls for the NSW Government to abandon plans to trial cable logging on steep slopes on the North Coast because of the devastating impact it would have on the region’s native species and water quality in streams and rivers.
“Logging on slopes over 30 degrees was abandoned years ago and must not be allowed to return to our forests - the environmental costs are simply too high,” NCC CEO Kate Smolski said.
“In the Upper Bellinger Valley, 80,000 tonnes of soil washed into the river during as single logging operation on steep slopes in the early 1990s.
“As a result of the community outcry and a damning Land and Environment Court judgment, State Forests were subsequently required to prepare environmental impacts statements before logging, and steep lands were effectively removed from forestry operations.
“Now, quite incredibly, the Forestry Corporation is preparing to pillage steeply sloping forests in this region once again, this time a controversial and costly technique called cable logging.” [1]
Ms Smolski welcomed the NSW Labor Leader Luke Foley’s announcement today that a government led by him would ban the practice.
“We call on the major parties to rule out this highly destructive practice,” she said. “This issue cuts across political boundaries – this is about the long-term survival of koalas, gliders and many of our other iconic forest species.
“These areas are currently in very good condition, with lots of mature trees that contain hollows that are essential as nesting sites for many species. These precious areas must not be destroyed for short-term financial gain.”
Ms Smolski said the North Coast region’s struggling koala population, which is under intense pressure from habitat fragmentation, disease, and inbreeding, would be further threatened by this proposal.
“We are utterly opposed to the practice and take no comfort from Environment Minister Rob Stoke’s assurances that the trail will be closely monitored by the Environment Protection Authority.
“A recent finding of an Upper House inquiry into the authority’s performance revealed the EPA was either unwilling or unable to effectively monitor and enforce forestry regulations, so we have no confidence they could effectively oversee a trial of cable logging.”
[1] www.epa.nsw.gov.au/forestagreements/coastIFOAsHarvestingTrial.htm
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Forests and wildlife
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