NATIONAL PARKS ASSOCIATION OF NSW INC
PO Box A96 Sydney South 1235
Ph: (02) 9233 4660 Fax: (02) 9233 4880
29 October 1998
Eden Forests Disappointment
Bob Carr Bows To Union Pressure
The National Parks Association today expressed serious disappointment at the Carr Government's decision on the Eden forests.
NPA Executive Officer Noel Plumb said " This is a disappointing and unnecessary compromise forced on the Premier by the giant Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union, the timber workers union, rather than an historic decision which resolves the conflict over the South East Forests."
"The NPA welcomes the additional reserve area of 37,000 hectares but this contrasts poorly with the government's own scientific assessment which demonstrates that some 82,000 ha should have been reserved and the conservation movement's own reserve proposal of 57,000 ha, a substantial compromise in itself."
"The Government has spurned the compromise peace proposal put forward with much anguish by the conservation movement in November last year and which was supported by 16,000 public submissions."
"Although our proposal met the Government's stated minimum timber supply of 20,000 m3 of sawlogs, the industry has been given another 25% at the expense of old growth, wilderness and endangered species."
The decision
- leaves significant areas of giant old growth to the woodchippers, including parts of the disputed Coolangubra Wilderness and key link areas on the escarpment of the Great Dividing Range
- leaves 20% of old growth forests in the region, already decimated by woodchipping, open to further clearfelling
- leaves out any commitment to a defined low impact logging zone , as proposed by conservationists, to protect critical habitat for the endangered koala population and other wildlife.
- leaves out any commitment to bring an end to clearfelling in the South East Forests or to cease the export of woodchips which is driving the forest destruction.
- leaves more than half the identified Brogo Wilderness Extension (within Wadbilliga National Park) outside the announced Brogo Wilderness and continues to deny wilderness status to any part of the identified Coolangubra Wilderness
"True, environmentally responsible economic growth and jobs for timber industry workers lies with the region's extensive softwood plantations which can supply the industry with ten times the sawlog resource promised by this disappointing decision. Timber workers have been cheated of their best prospects by their own union."
For comment : Noel Plumb 9233 4660 or 018 975 075