Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Greens call for urgent suspension of logging operations in prime koala habitat in Buckra Bendinni State Forest



Greens Forests spokesperson, Dawn Walker, has called for an urgent suspension of logging operations in Buckra Bendinni State Forest, near Nambucca Heads, due to concerns about impacts on the koala population.

“Buckra Bendinni State Forest in the Nambucca River headwaters is core koala habitat and Forestry Corporation’s logging operations in the area need to be immediately suspended until a proper assessment of the local koala population can be conducted,” Greens MP Dawn Walker said.


“Locals report that this area is home to a well-documented koala population and contains mature tallowwood and grey gums, which are preferred koala food trees and also tree species harvested by Forestry Corps’ logging operations.

“NSW Forestry Corporation should not consider industrial scale logging in the Buckra Bendinni State Forest without first conducting a proper assessment of the impacts that previous and new logging operations will have on the local koala population.

“Logging should immediately cease in the Buckra Bendinni State Forest and it should become part of a new Great Koala National Park, as the community and the Greens have been calling for over many years.

“Koala populations across NSW have declined by over 30 per cent during the past 15-20 years, and by 50 per cent on the North Coast, primarily because of habitat loss and fragmentation.

"Unless urgent action is taken and short-sighted logging operations like this stop, this government risks presiding over the extinction of koalas in NSW" said Dawn Walker.

Read more "Greens seek to beef-up forestry laws"

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