Mehreen Faruqi, Greens MP, visited the Coffs Coast
on November 25 to speak at a White Ribbon Event. Mehreen Faruqi's
responsibilities as a Greens NSW spokesperson include The Environment
and Status of Women. She also took the opportunity to discuss various
local issues with residents at a meeting in Bellingen.
Dr Faruqi said:
‘The controversial harvesting practices of the NSW
Forestry Corporation are certainly a local issue. Nearby forest
neighbours are exposed to smoke pollution from the practice of burning
off forest remnants after clear-felling practices.
The toxic effects of smoke pollution are well known. The affected
residences were present long before the so called ‘plantations’ were
established.
‘The Bellingen Valley is surrounded by state
forests, vital carbon sink reserves and a wonderful if underutilised
recreation resource for the community. Current moves to harvest timber
for the creation of wood pellets designed for export
are a huge concern. Few jobs will result, the soils will suffer and
other climate emergency carbon reduction measures will be negated.
Constantly logged forests are drier forests and as average temperatures
increase the last thing we need surrounding towns
like Woolgoolga, Bowraville, Macksville and Bellingen are forests with
reduced water storage capacity and ready to ignite.
‘I note that Bellingen Shire Council has carried a
motion to require development consent for the establishment of blueberry
farms in some zones unless the farms comply with certain criteria
designed to protect water courses, and therefore
residents, from chemical pollution. I applaud the council’s decision
and regret that other Coffs Coast Councils haven’t implemented similar
sensible precautions, especially after we have seen some recent evidence
of poor chemical management practice on local
blueberry farms.
“We need a Great Koala National Park in the region
to protect local forests from logging and help ensure the survival of
one of NSW's most important koala populations” she concluded.
30 November 2017
