The rejection of the recommendation to NSW government to ‘declassify forest biomass as a form of renewable energy and ensure it's not eligible for renewable energy credits’ has left the door open for forests in north-east NSW to be used as biomass for renewable energy say conservation groups.

A free workshop to discuss new laws that are accelerating deforestation across NSW and how communities can restore environmental protections will be held on Thursday, July 26, at Marvell Hall, Byron Bay.

A meeting tonight at Lismore Workers Club will give locals a final chance to express their concerns about the state and federal governments’ plans for logging of public lands over the next 20 years, which have been widely criticised by environment groups.

Proposed changes to the NSW logging rules will remove protections for most threatened species, open up protected old-growth forest for logging, allow intensified logging, establish a clear-felling zone, and reduce buffers on headwater streams.

Two local environment groups have set up their own public meetings to inform NorthCoast residents of impending dramatic changes to logging agreements in state forests they say would 'cut environmental protections to the bone'.

So-called ‘forest reserves’ recently declared by the state government are no more than window-dressing, according to a local conservation group, and could potentially pave the way for more serious and intensive logging in other areas.

North coast conservationists are supporting a call for an inquiry into Wood Supply Agreements for public lands in North East NSW following revelations a key contract has been secretly extended.

Around 100 north-coast environment activists converged on the Coffs Harbour office of the NSW Forestry Corporation (NSWFC) this morning, using International Forests Day to highlight the proposed intensification of logging in NSW public native forests.

North coast environment groups have praised the state opposition for ruling a line through the government’s plan to use woodchips from local forests to fuel furnaces in the pursuit of so-called renewable energy.

A freedom of information request by a north coast environment group has revealed that an ‘independent’ panel of the EPA advising on threatened species is dominated by serving and former NSW Forestry staff.