STOP KOALA FOREST LOGGING

Forests NSW should drop plans to log Mumbulla forest in the light of the Interim Report on Koala surveys in the coastal forests of the Bermagui–Mumbulla area: 2007–09 –released today.

The report shows that probably fewer than 50 koalas remain, mostly in Mumbulla forest right in the middle of an area planned for logging, possibly just weeks away.

Chipstop campaign convener, Ms Harriett Swift says that it is just totally unacceptable to risk the future of this species for the subsidised and unnecessary native forest logging industry.

“The reasons for low koala numbers are complex, but common sense should tell us that koalas need trees and logging can’t be good for them.

“Koalas nationally are on the decline, but if this logging goes ahead our region could be leading the species into extinction,” Ms Swift said.

“This will be to our everlasting shame as the koala is far more valuable to Australia’s future than the destructive woodchipping industry,” she said.

The report is available at:

http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/threatenedspecies/10116koalabermmum.pdf 

23 February 2010