Logging starts in endangered Koala forest – Ancient trees to be exported for woodchips
By JENNIE CURTIN
March 30, 2010 LOGGING has started in a forest containing the only known colony of koalas on the far south coast, despite warnings the work could threaten the marsupials. Forests NSW began harvesting timber for woodchipping and high-quality logs in the Mumbulla State Forest near Bega. Work is expected to continue for six months. Conservationists, with the Nature Conservation Council of NSW, the Wilderness Society and the Australian Koala Foundation, are setting up a vigil at the site this morning in an effort to stop the logging. Locals said just last week they had found koala tracks on roads close to the work area. But Forests NSW said koalas had been found in the east of the forest, not in the logging area, which is further west. The fashion designer Prue Acton, who has battled to protect the koalas and who recently discovered a bugging device, which she believes is linked to her campaigning, on her telephone at her home near Bega, said the work could destroy the patch of habitat left in the area. ”This decision by Premier Keneally to log these critical regional koala habitats comes down to a few jobs in a dying industry and faulty regional forests agreements which fail wildlife, climate and water,” Ms Acton said. ”What about the extinction of these regional koalas, the sustainability of forests and, ultimately, the planet – our children’s future?” …
I think something should be done to protect the koala's habitat! If the koala were to become extinct because people were to ignorant to protect its habitat the whole world would loose. Wake up before its too late! Please stop destroying this precious animals habitat, which in turn is destroying the animal!
When is the war on animals going to stop? Governments simply do not care about animals, whether they be wild life or any other animal. This situation with the Koalas is disgraceful, all for a handful of jobs that are not sustainable to begin with. The Government should be promoting respectable jobs, not jobs that kill animals and cut down ancient trees. Very sad for the koalas and the trees.
Thank you for this important post. People interested in saving koalas can keep in touch with the Australian Koala Foundation (AKF) at http://www.savethekoala.com
In 10 years, the foundation says koala numbers have diminished from 25,000 to about 2,000.
One would think saving a cute, fluffy creature adored the world over would not be a tough job.
But Tabart, who earned a Medal of the Order of Australia for her work, says it is muddied by the interests of developers.
"We've been saying population growth has to be looked at forever and ever, but development on the whole east coast of Australia is being driven by Labor governments over the last 10 to 15 years and their absolute desire to keep political power. The more you carve land up into quarter-acre blocks, the more likely you are to stay in power."