In response to questions from the Courier Sun, Forestry Corporation of NSW sent the following:
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In undertaking our planning for these areas of forest we have identified and mapped 600 hectares that will be set aside as biodiversity and landscape protections.
This leaves just under 20 per cent of the total area available for selective timber harvesting in which some trees will be harvested now, while others are left to grow on to be harvested later, or kept permanently for their habitat value.
Throughout each area that is to be harvested our staff will carefully search the area for threatened species and habitat.
When we get closure to starting the operation they will mark out exactly which areas can and can't be harvested and which trees must be retained as a seed source or for their habitat value.
This marking is done both physically in the forest and electronically, with each tree electronically tagged using high resolution landscape mapping, mobile computing and GPS technology.
On the north coast there are around four million hectares of publicly-owned national park and state forest providing a robust conservation network at a regional scale of which about 10 per cent is available for selective timber harvesting and regrowth under the Regional Forest Agreements.
The planned operation will take place within this 10 per cent and will be conducted in line with the strict regulations for native forestry in NSW before it is regrown.
Forestry Corporation has published information on the planned operation on its website and will continue to liaise with stakeholders in relation to the planned harvest.
All areas harvested for timber in NSW state forests are regrowth forests which have been harvested for timber and regrown many times before.
The NSW forest industry employs people right through the timber production chain not just the Forestry Corporation staff and contractors who work in the forest.
Sustainably sourced timber is a renewable product used throughout the community for products like housing, furniture and power poles.