MEDIA RELEASE 19/1/2015 The North East Forest Alliance has welcomed today’s commitment from NSW’s opposition leader, Luke Foley, to protect Koala habitat on public lands from ongoing degradation in logging operations by creating the Great Koala park around Coffs Harbour, as well as protecting the proposed Sandy Creek National Park near Casino. NEFA spokesperson, Dailan Pugh, said that the Forestry Corporation have refused time and again to implement requirements to thoroughly search for Koala scats and protect their core breeding habitat from logging, while the supposed regulators the Environment Protection Authority have turned a blind eye. “Our appeals to both the State and Federal Governments to intervene to protect Koalas have been ignored. “While there are rules to limit impacts of logging on Koalas by protecting feed trees and core habitat these are inadequate and are simply not being implemented. Koalas preferentially feed on mature trees of certain species over 30cm in diameter, and these are the very trees the Forestry Corporation are targeting in logging. “At Royal Camp State Forest we caught the Forestry Corporation logging core Koala habitat, and even when we stopped them in one area they simply moved to another part of the forest and began logging another area of core Koala habitat. “If we want to give our Koalas a future then we have to protect their habitat from clearing and logging, which necessitates protecting it from the Forestry Corporation. “NEFA warmly welcomes the ALP’s commitments for the establishment of the Great Koala Park near Coffs Harbour. This proposal encompasses 315,000 hectares of hinterland forest between Macksville and Woolgoolga, combining 176,000 hectares of state forest with 140,000 hectares of existing protected areas. “We also welcome the commitment by Mr. Foley to protect the proposed 2,100ha Sandy Creek National Park near Casino. This encompasses proven core Koala habitat in the Royal Camp and Carwong State Forests. On 19/01/2015 8:09 AM, Warrick Jordan wrote: thanks Susie, brilliant work from everyone who has done the legwork over the years to make this possible. See TWS release below. Have done one straight up news grab with 2GB, will pass on any any other media that comes up from our end. Cheers Warrick THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY INC. MEDIA RELEASE January 19, 2015 Foley gives Koalas lifeline with great national park plan New South Wales Opposition Leader Luke Foley has thrown the state’s threatened koalas a lifeline with his visionary plan to create the Great Koala National Park on the state’s Mid North Coast. “Labor’s plan for the Great Koala National Park plan is a big step forward for nature conservation in New South Wales,” said Wilderness Society National Forest Campaign Manager Warrick Jordan. “The people of NSW love the natural beauty of our great state, and expect positive, visionary actions like this one from our major political parties. “Labor has a clear plan for protecting our Koalas. The challenge for Premier Mike Baird is to match this vision and show the Coalition has a genuine commitment to protecting nature, and the Koala, in New South Wales.” The Great Koala National Park proposal would take in 315,000 hectares of hinterland forest between Macksville and Woolgoolga, north of Coffs Harbour, combining 176,000 hectares of state forest with 140,000 hectares of existing protected areas. “The Great Koala National Park proposal dwarfs the expansion of the national park estate during the entire term of the O’Farrell-Baird government, which stands at just over 43,000 hectares,” Mr Jordan said. “The Great Koala National Park will provide a lifeline to our iconic Koalas and fill a big gap in the conservation of NSW’s world-class forests, protecting the home of around 4500 Koalas. “Local conservationists and scientists have been drawing attention to the plight of the Koala in the North Coast hinterland for years. An expert report commissioned by the North Coast Environment Council in 2013 found these forests contain ‘Koala populations of national importance’[i]. “Despite being one of Australia’s most loved icons, Koala populations have been hit so hard by forest loss that they were listed as a nationally threatened species in 2012. Keeping 175,000 hectares of publicly owned forests free from logging means the people of NSW can be confident they are making a contribution to keeping our Koalas safe.” The Wilderness Society supports the delivery of a substantial package for any workers negatively affected by this proposal and strongly supports the aspirations of traditional owners to manage further protected areas and derive economic opportunities from the management and protection of these forests. For more information, contact Wilderness Society media adviser Alex Tibbitts on 0416 420 168
Posted on: Mon, 19 Jan 2015 05:00:16 +0000
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