NO NEW RESERVES FOR THE WEST -
Government Falls Short of Community Expectations
National Parks Association of NSW

 

Conservation groups criticised the NSW Government’s failure to create new national parks in western NSW as a result of Stage 1 of the Brigalow Belt regional assessment. The assessment covered an area between Dubbo and Moree.

"New national parks have enormous potential to provide a solid economic base for rural communities. The Government is being short-sighted in denying this opportunity while allowing logging to harm these magnificent woodlands", said Andrew Cox, Executive Officer of the National Parks Association of NSW today.

At a meeting of the Resource and Conservation Assessment Council this week, it was also announced that there would be a joint schedule for harvesting operations developed by NPWS and State Forests, which may include areas set aside subject to a logging moratorium, and that no new wood supply agreements will be entered into during the period of the assessment.

"No interim reserves were announced as a result of the Stage 1 process, yet the western cypress timber industry secured a 37% resource guarantee for its cypress operations," said Mr Cox. "Projects for the second stage of the assessment due commence next year, such as the fauna assessment, are also insufficiently funded".

"Western regional environmental groups will continue to develop and advocate community reserve proposals and pressure the government for improved, water-tight and transparent harvesting protocols", said Kathy Ridge, Executive Officer of the Nature Conservation Council. "There should be no logging of identified high conservation value areas."

"There is a strong commitment in the community to ensure that forestry operations are kept above-board by a community-based monitoring program".

"The decision not to declare new reserves in a region of New South Wales which has only about 2% of land protected seriously undermines the government’s environmental agenda", said Jeff Angel, Director of the Total Environment Centre.

"We are seeking the direct intervention by the Premier, Mr Carr, to re-assess the government’s position in relation to new reserves in the west; adequate funding for key environmental studies; significant moratorium areas, and scientifically derived conservation targets."

"He must intervene to develop more robust regional economies based on the tourism that new national parks would attract".

 

Contact: Andrew Cox (02) 9299 0000 or 0438 588 040

Jeff Angel (02) 9299 5680

Kathy Ridge (02) 9279 2466 or 0438 899 774


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