NSW 'flouts national forest policy'
Approval for logging of old growth forest and wilderness areas in north-east New South Wales flouts the National Forest Policy Statement signed by the prime minister and the premiers of all mainland states in 1992, says the North East Forest Alliance.
NEFA spokesperson Dailan Pugh explained that the minister for planning, Robert Webster, approved logging over the next 10 years in nearly all of the old growth forest in the Kempsey Management Area, including part of the New England wilderness.
In the Wauchope Management Area, he approved logging in most of the old growth forest and parts of the Macleay Gorges and Werrikimbe wildernesses.
Pugh said, "Under pressure from State Forests, Webster allowed areas with identified high values, including those identified as having the highest values, to be scheduled for imminent logging".
When the National Forests Policy Statement was signed, the then premier, Nick Greiner, committed NSW to establishing a "comprehensive, adequate and representative reserve system to protect old growth forest and wilderness values" by the end of 1995.
NSW agreed that "forested wilderness areas will be protected by means of reserves developed in the broader context of protecting the wilderness values of all lands" and pledged to "avoid activities that may significantly affect those areas of old growth forest or wilderness that are likely to have high conservation value" until the reserve system is implemented.
Yet, Pugh points out, "Webster has blatantly flouted the policy by approving the destruction of irreplaceable old growth and wilderness on a 'business as usual' basis for another 10 years".