Environmental groups are incensed logging in NSW native forests has increased while endangered iconic species such as koalas are disappearing.
Create a free account to read this article
or signup to continue reading
Nature Conservation Council CEO Jacqui Mumford says a new report from the Forestry Corporation shows that native forest logging is tearing through trees.
The 2021-22 Sustainability Report shows that total wood harvested jumped from 272,499 cubic metres in 2020-21 to 477,460 cubic metres in 2021-22, an increase of 175 per cent.
However, Agriculture Minister Dugald Saunders says Ms Mumford has misrepresented the data, which shows operations bouncing back after a slowdown caused by the 2019-2020 Black Summer bushfires.
There had been no significant ongoing trend of increasing native forestry harvesting in NSW, and operations were still below lower levels set during Black Summer, he added.
"Harvesting operations declined in the financial year 2020-21 due to the Black Summer bushfires," Mr Saunders said.
"The reported year-on-year increase after 2020-21 reflects a return to operations after the fires and is not a spike in new harvesting operations."
Mr Saunders said the Forestry Corporation operated under strict environmental conditions, and is under obligation to manage the environmental, social and economic implications of its operations.
"Forest Corporation is still harvesting below the 2020-21 financial year figures due to the impact of the Black Summer fires," he added.
"Native forest harvesting in NSW is carefully managed under a tight ruleset to ensure the right balance is struck between environmental protection, regeneration of forests and production of timber products like house framing, flooring, furniture and packaging needed by Australians."
Ms Mumford said the data showed a complete disregard for native wildlife, dependent on local forests.
"In a year where some of our most iconic forest species like the southern greater glider, koala and gang-gang cockatoo were listed as endangered, rates of native forest logging almost doubled," she said.
"Under the current government, nature is sadly in sharp decline."
NSW parliament debated a motion in October to end native forest logging brought about by a petition which gathered over 20,000 signatures.
Responding to the petition, Mr Saunders said "we're talking about one per cent of the state forests that's being harvested... it's a tiny amount, it's a managed amount and it's not done in way with disregard for the environment".
"To suggest timber, forests and state forests don't work hand in hand and don't support communities is just incorrect".
A 2020 parliamentary inquiry found koalas in the state could be extinct by 2050 unless the government makes drastic changes to knocking down trees.
An estimated 64,000 koalas were killed when 5.5 million hectares was destroyed during the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires in NSW.
"If these species are any hope of surviving, we need to urgently scale back logging and commit to ending the industry," Ms Mumford said.
She noted aside from the ecological damage, logging is also costing NSW taxpayers $19 per cubic metre.
Ms Mumford explained no tangible economic benefit was felt for the state with pulpwood being turned into cardboard boxes and toilet paper for overseas markets.
Australia has the highest rate of species extinction in the world, with climate change expected to raise the risk of further annihilation.
Australian Associated Press
