National Parks Association of NSW says “it’s time to transition our dying native timber industry into sustainable plantation timber”. NPA is aware of the risks to the endangered koala, the need to create more National Parks, and to transition the unsustainable loss-making native timber industry. Here are a few of the recent media statements from the National Parks Association of NSW:
It’s time for NSW to get moving on protecting nature
20 December, 2022 – The National Parks Association of NSW (NPA) welcomes today’s announced adoption of the UN’s Global Biodiversity Framework and urges the NSW Government to get moving on creating new national parks.
NPA President Dr Grahame Douglas stated
‘Last year the Commonwealth announced that Australia would protect a minimum of 30% of our land and seas for biodiversity conservation by 2030. Today’s release of the UN’s Global Biodiversity Framework puts ‘30 by 30’ front and center on the international stage.
It’s time for aspiration to turn into action in NSW, a state where less than 10% of our land and 7.5% of state waters are currently protected in National Parks, Nature Reserves, marine sanctuaries and other forms of Protected Area.’
‘The international consensus is inescapable- fast action to protect and restore natural habitats and landscapes is the key to a healthy, biodiverse planet. The gold standard for such protection is by dedication as legislated Protected Areas’.
NPA President Dr Grahame Douglas
NPA calls on the NSW Government to take urgent steps to implement 30 by 30.
‘NSW needs a Reserve Establishment Plan to guide the creation of next generation of Protected Areas. While that plan is being developed there are ‘low hanging fruit’ ripe for immediate implementation, foremost of which are protecting all public native forests from logging and declaring two new National Parks in core Koala habitat, the Great Koala National Park near Coffs Harbour and the upper Georges River National Park in Sydney’s southwest.’
National Parks Association
Private Forestry Bill to propel koalas to extinction
14 November 2022 -Barely a week after conservationists, business and community came together in Coffs Harbour to plan for the return of healthy koala populations across NSW1, the NSW Government has chosen to undermine all recovery efforts by stripping away restrictions on Private Native Forestry.
National Parks Association CEO Gary Dunnett said the Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Private Native Forestry) Bill 2022 effectively removes local government’s ability regulate logging in private native forests.
“This amendment signals another chapter in the NSW Government’s Koala Wars, a brazen late-term push by the Nationals to open another 700,000 hectares of native forest to logging.
“Councils, such as Coffs Harbour, have worked incredibly hard to identify and protect high quality koala habitat in their regions. These amendments would replace local knowledge with open slather on the clearance of koala habitat.
“The community, scientists, non-government organisations and even politicians are crying out for immediate action to end native forest logging and save the koala.
“Only last week, 180 delegates gathered in Coffs Harbour for the Koala Conference talking about a vision forward to protect more habitat, including with the creation of the Great Koala National Park. A vision it now seems is held in contempt by the NSW government”
National Parks Association CEO Gary Dunnett
Community comes together to show visiting state politicians they want a Great Koala National Park
27 October, 2022 – Local Coffs Harbour families and businesses came to demonstrate their support for the Great Koala National Park, as the region hosts a koala conference (The Vanishing).
Local business owner Louis Riley said our community wants to ensure politicians take adequate steps to protect the much-loved koala, which is iconic to our region.
“My business is dependent on a thriving and healthy natural landscape. I see the benefits that protected areas bring first-hand. I own a local café situated in a regional park — tourists from around the world stop by and buy food and coffee, while also asking the question ‘where can I find koalas and kangaroos?”
Mr Riley, who co-owns the Emerald Beach General Store, personally delivered an Open Letter to visiting parliamentarians on behalf of local businesses supporting The Great Koala National Park.
Parliamentarians who attended the Meet and Greet included:
- Catherine Cussack, former Member of the Legislative Council;
- Sally Townley, Coffs Harbour Deputy Mayor;
- The Hon Sue Higginson, Member of the Legislative Council
President of National Parks Association Coffs Coast Branch Dr Grahame Douglas said 65 local businesses have signed onto the letter asking for the establishment the Great Koala National Park.
“This demonstrates the depth of local support for the concept. Securing a future for koalas and their habitats is not just about conservation, it is also about supporting all of the businesses and jobs that rely upon the amazing natural landscapes of this region.
“Research by Newcastle University predicts the Great Koala National Park will inject an extra $1.2 billion into the region and create 9,800 extra jobs over 15 years. The majority of businesses that NPA has liaised with understand the tourism benefits that the park would create, as well as the moral importance of protecting koala habitat for the next generation.”
NSW parliamentary debate on ending native forest logging shows government is out of touch with community expectations
27 October, 2022 – A 21,000 strong parliamentary petition to end native forest logging triggered yesterday’s NSW parliamentary debate — a sign that it is time to transition our dying native timber industry into sustainable plantation timber.
NPA NSW Acting CEO Samantha Newton said NPA NSW was one of 14 conservation groups who rallied in front NSW Parliament to show their support for ending public native forestry logging.
“The NSW Government’s refusal to end native forestry logging is out of touch with community expectations,” said Ms Newton.
“We are shocked that government MPs used the debate to spruik the benefits of biomass fuel — the burning of native forest timber for renewable energy.
“This is a con. The public is waking up to the fact that our precious native forest timber is being wasted, unnecessarily incinerated for electricity, and wrongly being classified as a renewable resource.
“It is unconscionable to promote such misinformation, especially when the whole world watched in horror as NSW’s wildlife suffered from the devastating Black Summer Bushfires 2019/20.
“The science now shows that logging intensifies the risk of fire and thus harms our unique wildlife and us as humans.
“The government has no excuse but to end native forestry. The government must listen to the community and the science. It’s time to put an end to a wasteful industry, which is a drain on the public purse and is sending our iconic species towards extinction.”
NPA NSW Acting CEO Samantha Newton
The parliamentary petition calls on the NSW parliament to:
- Transition NSW’s native forestry industry towards sustainable plantations by 2024.
- Immediately place a moratorium on public native forest logging until the regulatory framework is introduced.
- Urgently protect high-conservation value forests through gazettal in the National Parks estate.
- And ban biomass fuel, made from native forest timber.
More of the National Parks Association of NSW media releases can be found here
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WE need the forests to survive! The forests do not need US!