Logging is continuing in NSW forest north-west of Coffs Harbour in bushland that is proposed for the Great Koala national park.
Photograph: International Fund For Animal Welfare
The New South Wales
Forestry Corporation has continued to log unburnt forest that is
habitat for some of the most imperilled species in the aftermath of the
state’s bushfire crisis.
Logging operations have continued in the Styx River state forest on
the north coast that is now remnant habitat for endangered species
including the greater glider and the Hastings River mouse.
Both the federal and state
governments have identified the mouse, which had 82% of its habitat
burnt, as one of the species most at risk of extinction as a result of
the bushfire disaster.
Trucks have also moved into an area of the Lower Bucca state forest
north-west of Coffs Harbour in bushland that is part of the proposed
Great Koala national park.
Twenty-four per cent of koala habitat in eastern NSW was burnt in the
fire crisis and the environment minister, Sussan Ley, has said up to 30% of the koala population on the mid north coast may have been killed.
Environment groups and the independent state MLC Justin Field have
expressed dismay that NSW Forestry Corporation has been able to continue
with harvest plans in unburnt forest that is now important remnant
habitat for wildlife.
Our wildfires are taking lives, destroying homes and infrastructure and stressing our rural communities.
Our firefighters in Australia, both paid and volunteer, are out there risking injury and putting their lives on the line, or at the very least sacrificing their work. Employers, often small business employers, are supporting them. Are our firefighters sufficient in number?
"There are
still 50 fires burning across New South Wales, with 21 fires
uncontained. A total of 630 firefighters have been deployed across the
state. A fire in Bees Nest, north-west of Dorrigo in the Armidale area,
is currently over 66,500 hectares and out of control." September 10
• Of course we are losing homes and infrastructure. Communities are being traumatised. We are now wondering whether drought stricken communities will have the required water to fight the inevitable fires that climate change is increasing.
• We now have a new fire category, 'extreme'. • We are also losing precious forests and biodiversity. This week the Gondwana World Heritage Area has been severely damaged. "The Gondwana Rainforests of Australia, World Heritage Area, contains the
most extensive areas of subtropical rainforest in the world, large
areas of warm temperate rainforest, and the majority of the world's
Antarctic beech cool temperature rainforest. These extraordinary areas
still contain ancient and primitive plants and animals from which life
on Earth evolved." NSW National Parks The same fire began in the Guy Fawkes River National Park and by September10, had burned 66,500 hectares and was 'out of control'. "The park is a significant conservation site with amazing biodiversity.
There are 24 threatened animal species you might encounter here,
including the brush-tailed rock-wallabies that can often be seen in the
park’s rocky areas." National Parks There has been a world wide reaction to careless burning of the Amazon forests. Other countries are busily planting trees to protect soils and store carbon, yet Australia is busy clearing trees and fighting forest fires with limited resources.
It is time to review our fire fighting resources.
We know some extra resources have been ordered or already purchased. "New South Wales has signed a contract with United States-based Coulson
Aviation to purchase three aircraft for firebombing duties, including a
modified Boeing 737 large air tanker.
NSW buys Boeing 737 large air tanker for firefighting ...
