The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has issued Forestry Corporation NSW (FCNSW) with an Official Caution following an investigation into its harvesting operation in the Cherry Tree State Forest near Casino in 2015, however a key environmental group claims this is not enough.
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“Investigations identified a number of concerns including inadequate drainage along haulage tracks and failure to retain an appropriate number of habitat trees in harvested areas,” EPA director forestry branch, Michael Hood said.
“We have made it explicitly clear to NSWFC that, given the thoroughness of the investigations, any failure to improve performance will result in the EPA escalating its response through additional, stronger enforcement actions.
“We have undertaken significant field work, issued detailed legal notices and reviewed Forestry Corporation’s operational plans and activities as part of this investigation.
“We are committed to ensuring that native forestry operations in NSW are undertaken in accordance with the rules so that they are ecologically sustainable.”
The investigation into NSWFC’s operations at Casino began after receiving a report from a local environment group, NEFA, alleging a number of offences against FCNSW.
NEFA co-ordinator and audit-author Dailan Pugh, said that though the EPA have identified 66 instances of ‘non-compliance’ with logging laws, it belies the fact that a single ‘non-compliance’ can represent 100s of actual breaches.
“From the EPA's figures, some 325 ancient hollow-bearing trees were illegally logged, though the EPA only count this as one act of non-compliance,” Mr Pugh said.
“While this is the most comprehensive investigation of our complaints that the EPA have yet undertaken, they still failed to investigate numerous complaints.
“For example we identified that 26 vulnerable onion cedars had an illegal road constructed within their buffers, but it appears the EPA only checked eight of them.
“There were also numerous offences relating to koalas, yellow-bellied gliders and black-striped wallabies that the EPA confirmed but claim they couldn’t legally prove.
“We have been finding similar breaches in all the audits we have been undertaking year after year after year. Yet the EPA’s only response is to issue 47 more ‘official cautions’ and require yet more ‘action plans’. “These pathetic responses have been proven to be useless. The NSWFC continue to deny they do anything wrong and continue to go on illegally logging.
“We can only hope that next time the (EPA) punishment will match the crime.”
Mr Hood said the NSW Government has recognised that the current forestry regulations are out of date given there is a review of the Integrated Forestry Operations Approvals (IFOA) for coastal areas.
“The Government is in the process of undertaking a review of the Integrated Forestry Operations Approvals (IFOA) for coastal areas and a draft IFOA is expected to go on public exhibition next year, where members of the community will be encouraged to provide their input and feedback,” he said.
“The community plays an important role in helping the EPA to monitor forestry activities.”
If you have a concern about illegal logging or knowledge of a particular incident, report it to the Environment Line on 131 555.
The Bellingen Shire Courier-Sun contacted NSWFC for comment, but has not yet received a response.
- The EPA issued FCNSW with two penalty notices following the first-stage of investigations.
- Official Cautions are one of a number of tools the EPA can use to achieve environmental compliance. The EPA takes a range of factors into account before delivering a proportionate regulatory response, including the degree of environmental harm, potential health impacts, compliance history, public interest and best environmental outcomes.
- The highest fine issued to Forestry Corporation by the Environment Protection Authority was $15,000 last month for a major erosion incident in Tuckers Nob Forest.
- For more information see the EPA’s Compliance Policy
- A draft IFOA will go on public exhibition this year. Members of the community will be encouraged to provide their input and feedback.
