The hypocrisy is staggering. Three decades ago the anti-timber, anti-farming movement started to evolve in the Bellingen Shire. Not a thought nor any appreciation was given to the generation that created Bellingen. Native forests must be locked up and switch to plantations. Bellingen already had large areas of degrading farmland planted down to plantations.
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Once harvesting commenced in these areas planted in the sixties, all hell breaks loose, suddenly they have evolved into native forests, no-go zones, prime koala habitat, with predictions of ecological disaster. The recent hot spot being the Tarkeeth, east of Bellingen, with blockades, demonstrations, and all sorts of outrageous claims via a biased misinformed media campaign.
Some months ago I drove in to assess the operation in progress at the above, with an open mind and both eyes engaged.
Recently, with the operation completed and following 600 to 800 mm of heavy rain, I had to view the end result. After all the propaganda, would I make it in my 4WD, would I pass koalas begging for gum leaves, and as claimed would all that top soil be clogging the gullies and washing into the Bellinger and Kalang? I was impressed, so well drained was that four kilometre dirt road, not a bucket of soil lost, on those steep, clear-felled sections no obvious erosion, even sown to grass for added protection until the next generation of trees are established.
Under constant surveillance, logging practices have come a long way but they're always an untidy operation. What a shame the same doesn't apply to our green-dominated council. Much of their rural road network that was once drained is now just eroding into our waterways for lack of maintenance. As they say, tend to your own backyard before throwing rubbish into your neighbours.
Darcey Browning
Thora
