Over 100 people crowded into the Moruya golf club last night for a meeting on the future of native forest logging while the parliamentary inquiry into the future of the timber industry holds private hearings in Moruya today.
"There was a huge turn out last night and a lot of energy in the room to protect the Australian bush and finally end native forest logging in NSW,” said Wilson Harris, South Coast Community Organiser for the Nature Conservation Council.
“Western Australia and Victoria have both made a commitment to end native forest logging, it’s time NSW gave our beautiful forests the same protection.
“This Parliamentary Inquiry is a real opportunity to understand that native forests are in fact worth more standing than logged, largely for woodchip, and to recommend an end date to native forest logging.
“It’s a shame the inquiry is being held behind closed doors because the community mood is clearly for protecting the South Coast forests as a massive asset for the region.
“New research presented by Professor David Lindenmayer of ANU last night clearly demonstrates that logging exacerbates bush fires.
“People on the South Coast know how devasting the bushfires can be for the whole economy and community, whereas native forest logging employs only a few people and runs at a loss.
“Protecting native forests is good for the environment, good for regional economies, and we now know it is good for reducing the risks from bushfires.
“The Nature Conservation Council is distributing materials for the community to show they want a commitment to transition out of native forest logging to 100% plantation as we approach the state election in 2023.
“It was great to see newly elected MP Dr Michael Holland attend this event and see the strong community support to protect native forests,” he said.
