UPDATE: 22 Dec 2023 – The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has extended the Stop Work Order for Compartment 34A in Flat Rock State Forest near Ulladulla, preventing Forestry Corporation of NSW (FCNSW) from engaging in harvesting activities.
The extension of the Stop Work Order follows the EPA’s assessment that FCNSW’s efforts to search for and identify protected species and their habitats have not been executed competently.
This decision comes in the wake of FCNSW reporting to the EPA that their drone survey yielded no findings of endangered Southern Greater Gliders. However, a subsequent EPA drone survey, conducted after the initial Stop Work Order, discovered four endangered Southern Greater Gliders in the untouched section of Compartment 34A.
The EPA’s drone survey identified a total of 10 endangered Southern Greater Gliders and 55 other smaller Gliders, including feather-tailed gliders and sugar gliders, in and around the compartment undergoing harvesting.
The initial Stop Work Order for Flat Rock was issued on 14th November 2023 following an EPA inspection that identified an endangered Southern Greater Glider den tree within 30 meters of active logging. FCNSW reportedly failed to identify any den trees before commencing logging.
The density of Gliders observed during the EPA survey suggests the potential presence of further den trees. As of now, no additional den trees have been located, but additional EPA surveys are scheduled for January 2024.
UPDATE 14 November, 2023: The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) issued a Stop Work Order to the Forestry Corporation of NSW (FCNSW), directing an immediate halt to harvesting activities in specific sections of the Flat Rock State Forest near Ulladulla on the south coast.
Following a community complaint, EPA officers conducted inspections in several active logging compartments yesterday. They identified an endangered Southern Greater Glider den tree within 30 meters of ongoing logging. The EPA is aware that FCNSW did not identify any den trees before commencing logging.
According to the Coastal Integrated Forestry Operations Approval, FCNSW is obligated to plan, implement, and conduct forestry operations competently. Once den trees are identified, FCNSW is required to safeguard them and establish 50-meter exclusion zones around them.
“There is evidence of Greater Gliders being in other forests on the Central and Mid North Coasts, but the Forestry Corporation has failed to identify that habitat as well. Greater Gliders are on the road to extinction and the indiscriminate logging by the Forestry Corporation of vital habitat is making it worse”
Greens MP and spokesperson for the environment Sue Higginson said
The Stop Work Order mandates FCNSW to cease all harvesting, haulage operations, as well as any road and track construction and maintenance work in the specified areas of concern in Flat Rock State Forest.
Jason Gordon, the Executive Director of Operations at the EPA, emphasized the critical significance of safeguarding the Southern Greater Glider and the vulnerable Yellow-Bellied Glider, particularly after the 2019/20 bushfires.
“These glider species rely heavily on unburnt areas of forest after much of their habitat was impacted by the fires.
“The EPA alleges that FCNSW has not conducted detailed and thorough searches necessary to identify all Greater Glider and Yellow-Bellied Glider den trees within the Flat Rock State Forest compartment.
“FCNSW have advised pre-harvest surveys indicated the presence of 137 glider sap feed trees. The EPA considers that this makes it likely that a family group of yellow-bellied gliders are active in the vicinity and would require a number of den trees, yet no den trees were identified.
“Den trees and their surrounding habitat are critical for the gliders’ feeding and movement and removal of habitat removes shelter and food, making the gliders vulnerable to harm.
“This Stop Work Order is necessary to ensure required measures are in place to protect glider den trees.
EPA Executive Director Operations Jason Gordon said
Tree sitter stops logging
Logging activities in the Flat Rock State Forest near Batemans Bay on the south coast were stopped on 12 November, 2023, by the intervention of forest defenders, preventing the Forestry Corporation from logging the habitat of the endangered Southern Greater Glider.
Dr. Lisa Searle was suspended 25 meters on a platform attached to five logging machines, preventing the destruction of habitat for the endangered, nocturnal Greater Glider after the identification of a den tree. Forestry Corporation NSW (FCNSW) was unsuccessful in locating any den trees during the pre-logging surveys, because they search for them during daylight hours.
The police rescue removed the ropes from Dr Searle’s tree sit around 1pm and she was released without charge. The EPA arrived on the scene around 2pm to investigate the findings of den trees by the citizen scientists.
Despite the Forestry Corporation’s failure to locate any greater glider den trees before commencing logging, citizen scientists discovered at least one den tree at dusk last night. Additionally, they heard calls from an adult and baby Masked Owl.
Dr. Lisa Searle said:
“The Greater Glider is listed as endangered, and the possibility of extinction is real if FCNSW continue their archaic and destructive practices of logging native forest that this endangered Glider, as well as many other species, relies on for habitat“
“Federal environment minister Tanya Plibersek and the NSW government should be ashamed of themselves for allowing this devastation to continue unchecked”
“I am here risking arrest today to stand up for the Greater Glider and to send a strong message to FCNSW and our leaders that this logging has to stop. There is no time left for these precious creatures”
said Dr Searle.
Activists from South East Forest Rescue, Brooman State Forest Conservation Group, Forest Defence NSW, Friends of the Forest Mogo, and the Bob Brown Foundation were involved in this action which halted logging operations in Flat Rock State Forest compartment 34A.
Citizen scientists easily discovered the den within just half an hour at dusk. Additionally, they observed a Masked Owl, and the presence of a juvenile suggests the possible identification of a nest within the compartment.
Yellow-bellied Gliders were also heard, emphasising the necessity of a 50-meter exclusion zone around their den trees. The inadequacy of the surveys underscores the disregard that FCNSW has shown for the survival of our endangered species.
Greens MP and spokesperson for the environment Sue Higginson said:
“Once again, it appears the Forestry Corporation have failed to adequately survey threatened species habitat before starting logging. This is a breach of their operating approval and the logging is unlawful without adequate surveys“
“I have notified the EPA again about this situation. Flat Rock State Forest is home to many nocturnal threatened species but Forestry Corporation do not conduct pre-logging surveys at night and so don’t record vital habitat trees before they send their industrial scale machines in“
“The community that have intervened in Flat Rock today are heroes, they are acting in all of our interests and protecting threatened species from extinction. They are part of the enormous movement across the State calling for an end to logging the public forest estate in NSW, as has happened in WA and VIC.
“The Government must urgently issue a stop work order for Flat Rock and ensure that the Forestry Corporation are meeting their legal obligations to not log threatened species habitat. Anything less is a political failure by the Minns Government”
Greens MP and spokesperson for the environment Sue Higginson
Forestry Corp’s document of Flat Rock State Forest is here (pdf).
This situation mirrors the issues in Tallaganda State Forest, where FCNSW has received three Stop Work Orders. FCNSW has again failed to identify den trees for Greater Gliders, despite observing three Gliders in March of this year before logging commenced. The failure is attributed to FCNSW conducting surveys for a nocturnal animal during daylight hours, as acknowledged by a spokesperson for FCNSW several weeks ago.
In response, the community has taken action to prevent further logging in this compartment, and an activist is currently situated in a tree sit that is secured to the logging machines.
This action comes just days after the NSW EPA was obliged to extend their Stop Work Order on Forestry Corp at Tallaganda State Forest after Forestry failed to adequately count Greater Gliders.
The Stop Work Order issued by the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) affecting specific sections of Tallaganda State Forest has been extended and will now remain in force for an additional 40 days, until December 20, 2023.
This extension is a result of the Forestry Corporation of NSW (FCNSW) failing to address deficiencies outlined in previous Stop Work Orders aimed at locating and protecting den trees for the Southern Greater Glider.
Tony Chappel, the CEO of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), has indicated that the EPA is considering revisions to existing regulations that presently allow Forestry Corp to carry out surveys for nocturnal animals during daylight hours.
Forestry Corp, the publicly-owned logging corporation, is currently facing legal proceedings for multiple incidents and has recently faced criticism for its failure to identify endangered Southern Greater Gliders before initiating logging operations, despite ostensibly conducting a ‘survey’ for these nocturnal animals during the day.
This development comes in the wake of a series of Breach Reports exposing that Forestry Corp is logging in areas with the highest known populations of the endangered Southern Greater Glider.
Forestry Corporation carried out pre-logging surveys for Greater Glider den trees in Tallaganda during daylight hours, when nocturnal greater gliders were inactive. Only one den tree was identified by Forestry Corp.
Greens MP and spokesperson for the environment Sue Higginson said
“Earlier this year, the Environment Protection Authority issued a stop work order in Tallaganda State Forest for exactly the same issue and Forestry Corporation have continued to flout the rules and engage in this extinction logging”
“The Government knows that this is happening, but the Forestry Corporation keeps destroying native forests while the Government hesitates”
“The NSW Government should immediately intervene to permanently stop the logging of native forests and the rules that govern logging should be urgently reviewed to pull the Forestry Corporation into line”
“Until they do so it would appear communities will continue to take non-violent direct action to protect our public forests.”
“There is growing unrest because many thought the Minns Labor Government would do more to protect the environment.”
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