Logging has been halted in Shallow Crossing State Forest.
Twelve community members have walked into the compartment demanding an end to public native forest logging on the south coast.
Soaring temperatures, low rainfall and an extreme fire rating only a few weeks into spring have residents concerned about the elevated risk of fire as a result of the devastating logging.
Environment groups involved are Bob Brown Foundation, Forest Defence NSW and Brooman State Forest Conservation Group.
Shallow Crossing State Forest is situated on the South Coast of New South Wales (NSW). In the 2019/20 Black Summer bushfires, over 80% of the state forest was burnt having devastating impacts on the community, environment and wildlife.
Molly Coburn, local community member and national campaign organiser for Bob Brown Foundation has stated, “native forest logging in NSW is clearly archaic, outdated and in a time of climate and biodiversity crisis, needs to end. There is no excuse for the widespread loss of forest and the consequential fire risk that the dry soil and piles of woody debris left behind pose.’
Following the devastating Black Summer bushfires of 2019/20, a group of Australian researchers from The Australian National University (ANU), including Professor David Lindenmayer and Dr Chris Taylor, conducted an analysis of the fire footprint. Their findings revealed that logging activities significantly increased the likelihood of more intense fires.
“Forestry Corp has lost all social license. We have seen it time and time again on the south coast, where they are allowed to run rampant in our forests and only pay the consequences after the damage is done and it is too late. Well, this morning community members have walked in to say ‘enough is enough’,” Ms Coburn said.
