Locals and conservationists have rallied last week to protect old growth in Monga State Forest between Braidwood and Bateman’s Bay in Southern NSW.
Roading will begin into this forest several months ahead of schedule due to the successful Forest Rescue in Badja State Forest that has held off logging there for almost three months.
Community anger is escalating due to the capitulation of the State government to pressure from the woodchip industry. The promise of post Regional forest agreement forests free of conflict has proven hollow.
Local residents buoyed by the success of Forest Rescue have initiated this action, once again demonstrating community commitment to protect high conservation value forests from the bulldozers of the logging industry.
The three compartments scheduled to be logged in Monga are part of the Community Reserve proposals which made up the minimum area of forest required to maintain biodiversity and to ensure the future of the Mongarlowe River.
“State Forests are cynically targeting the most important forest habitats that were left unprotected by the Regional Forest Agreement. This is nothing short of sabotage of our unique forest biodiversity. It is a transparent attempt to avoid the possibility of future protection for this vital habitat by destroying its conservation values,” said Annie Coleman of The Wilderness Society.
Following this blockade of forest operations in Monga State Forest, the NSW Forest Products Association has called on both the State and Federal governments to put an end to the forest conflicts in NSW.
“Harvesting operations within these areas are approved under the NSW Forestry and National Parks Estate Act,” said Russ Ainley spokesman for NSW Forest Products Association.
Mr Ainley continued, “The Monga area represents a significant proportion of the log mix necessary to be supplied under wood agreements. Alternative supply areas for this type of timber are not available and logging contractors have been unable to work for the past month awaiting access to this area.”
“Bob Carr’s Forestry Minister, Kim Yeadon, is encouraging the logging of this icon forest,” said a spokesman from the Wilderness Society, and has supported State Forest’s efforts to arrest peaceful protesters who were doing nothing more than standing in front of a bulldozer. We hope that after today Premier Carr will see that our concerns are significant, and intervene to protect this precious forest.”
He went on to say that, “if there is no resolution for high conservation value forests like Monga, then there is no doubt that environmentalists will push for another major forest campaign for the South Coast Forests,” concluded Mr Wong. The forest rescue last week aimed to stop pre-logging roading operations in Monga State Forest.
The net logging area in Monga contains old growth forest, rainforest, dense tree fern cover, threatened species habitat, and is important for protecting the water quality and flows in the pristine Mongarlowe River.
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