“The NSW election will likely seal the fate of our forests and the animals that inhabit them,” said NEFA spokesperson Susie Russell.
“If re-elected the COALition has made it clear that 1 million tonnes of trees from north-east NSW are available to be burned in power stations. 1. Whether burned locally or overseas, it won't matter to the atmosphere, and the drastic impact on our forests will be the same.
“Forestry Corporation of NSW and Boral Timber have been on a delegation to Japan 2. and told the Japanese that they can supply the wood for Japan's biomass burning industry. Unfortunately the Japanese are building wood-fired power stations to replace their nuclear reactors. They will take all the wood Australia sends.
“If these deals go ahead our publicly owned State Forests will be stripped to bare earth in many places and the forest will be reduced to seedlings.
“Koalas will see their strongholds demolished by big machines. Claims by National MPs that logging doesn't go ahead where there are koalas is a lie. And Government claims that koalas aren't bothered by logging is another of their 'alternative facts',” she said. 3.
“Our unique and wonderful wildlife, the quolls, microbats, gliders, owls and so many others that depend on those forests will be further pushed towards extinction.
“The amount of water flowing to our rivers will decrease and it will be of a lesser quality. The carbon stored in the forest will be greatly diminished.
“We welcome Labor's commitment to reinstate the prohibition on burning native forests for electricity that was removed by this Government, We have asked that they also rule out the export of native forests to overseas incinerators.
“The Greens have pledged full protection for our public native forests.
“For these forests and the myriad of animals who call them home are concerned, the NSW election result is life or death.
“We urge people to think about the dire consequences of burning native forests for electricity when they mark their ballot papers,” Ms Russell said.
1. https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/forestry/north-coast-residues-project
2. Page 5 of https://issuu.com/timberandforestryenews/docs/issue_541
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