Police, NSW Forestry and National Parks have all informed local forest protection activists that they are not welcome on public land, at a range of sites, to set up a ‘watch camp’ on logging activities of NSW Forestry at Doubleduke State Forest.
The Save Banyabba Koalas forest protection camp has now been moved on four times after originally setting up legally in Tabbimobile and then Doubleduke State Forests.
Originally they set up in Tabbimobile State Forest before they were told to move and they relocated to Doubleduke State Forest (which is next door to Tabbimobile). It was here that ‘six police vehicles were sent to shut down the Save Banyabba Koalas forest protection camp,’ said Susie Russell, North East Forest Alliance (NEFA) spokesperson, told The Echo.
The camp moved to another, open area, of Doubleduke State Forest. On Sunday they had up to 30 people visit the camp as part of an open day before NSW Forestry arrived on the Sunday afternoon to inform them that they had to move as both Tabbimobile and Doubleduke State Forests were being closed to the public.
Sunday afternoon the watch camp moved to the nearby state conservation area of Jackywalbin. They were then approached by National Parks to be informed that they could not have the camp at this site as it was closed and are required to once again move on.
‘Forestry claim that closing forests is about safety, but really it’s about avoiding scrutiny,’ said Ms Russell.
‘Increasingly they close large areas of surrounding forest to their logging operations. When the public are finally allowed back in, the place looks like a war zone. It’s no longer a place for picnics or camping or all the other activities Forestry promote as being allowed in the public’s forests. It’s purely designed as a mechanism to criminalise free speech, civil disobedience and community scrutiny of our public assets.
‘Those of us who want to draw attention to the destruction of a public asset are singled out for arrest as happened to me in Bulga State Forest,’ Ms Russell said.
‘It’s outrageous that the NSW Government is using the police force to protect what is effectively a criminal activity.’
Logging illegal
Ms Russell said that the area they are currently logging at Doubbleduke is where some of the last, largest and oldest trees are located in the Doubleduke State Forest.
‘It is these trees that supply the hollow log habitat for the 170 species that rely on this habitat. It is truly shocking that these remaining trees are being cut down by NSW Forestry.
‘We maintain that the renewal of the Regional Forest Agreements in 2018 with no assessment of the impacts of climate change or the impacts of logging on threatened species and old growth was illegal. The matter is still before the courts. We mounted a legal challenge which was heard in the federal court last March. If we win our case, how will all the trees be replaced and the damage undone?
‘We are hoping for a judgment in the next month or so,’ Ms Russell said.
Can you host the watch camp?
Currently, the Save Banyabba Koalas forest protection camp is looking for a new site that they can relocate to so that they can keep an eye on the logging. They are asking neighbours and other locals to come forward to let them know if they are willing to have the camp on their property.
Contact the Save Banyabba Koalas forest protection camp Facebook page or contact NEFA at: https://www.nefa.org.au if you have any questions.
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