Our native forests continue to be logged, with almost 50% being woodchipped and exported to make toilet paper and cardboard.
NSW forests and its species are like no other. They are one of the most diverse places on the planet, and right in our backyard. With more than five million hectares of our forest estate hit hard by severe bushfires, we must protect what's left.
Native forests provide critical wildlife habitat for many species and are there for the enjoyment of people through various recreational and tourism activities.
Stopping logging of native forests will help dozens of threatened species heading towards extinction. This is one of the single biggest actions we can take to turn around the extinction crisis.
Native forests are also a major carbon sink, with their protection and restoration a crucial part of achieving net-zero. By ceasing logging of of native forests in NSW, we can take meaningful steps towards addressing both the climate and extinction crisis.
The public native forest hardwood division of the Forestry Corporation is also costing the tax payer millions to keep it afloat. It just $400,000 profit in 2019-20, and in 2020-21 it ran at a loss of a whopping $20 million. Forestry Corporation’s is forecast to lose $15 million a year are predicted between 2022 to 2024.
Victoria and Western Australia are ending public native forest logging, and it’s time for NSW to also make the commitment. The NSW Government should use its power to end public native forest logging now.
Our native forests are worth more standing.