Logging operations at Clouds Creek State Forest blocked as communities prepare for High Court decision
8 January 2024 - Greens MP Sue Higginson has joined members of the community who have blocked access to logging roads at Clouds Creek State Forest this morning to prevent logging roading operations and protect endangered species in the forest, including Koalas and Southern Greater Gliders. The Federal Court is expected to deliver a judgement this Wednesday on the lawfulness of native forest logging under Federal environment laws.
Greens MP and spokesperson for the Environment Sue Higginson said “This year must be the year that the NSW Government ends the industrial and destructive logging of native forests, we cannot afford another year of inaction and neither can the endangered plants and animals that rely on healthy forests,”
“Clouds Creek State Forest has already been targeted by the Government for more logging despite being within the boundaries of the Great Koala National Park that the Minns Government has promised. This forest is one of many that has been subjected to industrial logging despite known presence of endangered species including Koalas and Southern Greater Gliders.”
“The Federal Court of Australia is on the verge of deciding whether public native forest logging that is ongoing in NSW is compliant with Federal laws that are supposed to protect the environment and biodiversity. The logging operations that have been blocked by the community today could well be permanently halted if the court agrees that the Government has failed to obey the law.”
“The community and the Forestry Corporation both know that logging is being undertaken in areas with reported sightings of endangered Greater Gliders without the lawfully required protections for their habitat trees being in place. This situation has been repeated in other forests with the Environment Protection Authority issuing multiple stop work orders for the same issue in Tallaganda and Flat Rock State Forests last year.”
“2024 must be the year that we finally end the logging of native forest in NSW, like Victoria and WA. Forest dependent species, the climate and the wellbeing of all people rely on healthy and biodiverse native forests that are currently being systematically wrecked by industrial and profitless logging operations. This must end,” Ms Higginson said.