Paul Bibby
Activists have this morning blockaded an industrial logging operation taking place in a vital wildlife corridor west of Tabulam.
The blockade is taking place in the Girard State Forest, one of the last significant wildlife corridors between the Border Ranges National Park and the Bundjalung National Park.
‘I’m taking this action because I believe it is necessary,’ said one of the activists, who is currently undertaking a tree sit attached to logging machinery.
‘I love and understand the importance of these forests. Logging in the face of climate collapse is criminal.’
A Budget Estimates hearing last month heard that native forests were at risk of ‘serious and irreversible harm … from the cumulative impacts of fire and harvesting’.
Questions were also raised about the viability of the industry in light of the 2019/20 bushfires and the recent floods.
Speaking about this morning’s action, incoming Greens MLC and Forestry Spokesperson, Sue Higginson, said the Girard State Forest was also home to protected native species such as Yellow Bellied Gliders, Greater Gliders, the powerful owl and Koalas.
‘Koalas were recently listed as Nationally Endangered, yet here is the NSW Government logging their Habitat,’ Ms Higginson said.
‘The current logging of this Public Forest is against the recommendations of the Natural Resources Commission which last year said, after the horrendous fires of 2019/2020 we need to retain more habitat if we are to protect threatened species. The Forestry Corporation is not following this advice.’
Our Northern Rivers communities have been devastated by the catastrophic climate induced weather events yet in the hinterland our government is logging like there is no tomorrow. We need to protect our forests in our defence against climate change.’
Logging a bushfire risk
Meanwhile, new research by the Australian National University has found logging native forests increases the risk of catastrophic bushfires.
The study’s authors warn that logging is not just increasing the risk of severe fires, but also the risk to human lives and safety.
‘Logging increases the probability of canopy damage by five to 20 per cent and leads to long-term elevated risk of higher severity fire,’ Lead author Professor David Lindenmayer said.
‘On the other hand, if disturbance due to logging is minimised, canopy damage can be reduced, in turn reducing the risk of uncontrollable fires.’
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