Mayor Dominic King introduced the list of speakers, which included Uncle Bernard Kelly Evans, who gave a Welcome to Country and Uncle Roger Jarrett who invited all of us to work as one family to protect sacred, cultural sites in Gumbaynggirr forests and to care for Country.

Mayor Dominic King said, "It's the strong representation from the Gumbaynggirr and their presence here tonight that has set the tone of this meeting". He went on to say, "I am tired of seeing our people having to go into the forest and put their bodies on the line because our democracy is in tatters!"

Nambucca Valley Councillor Susan Jenvey spoke about the goodwill and hard work that is bringing a growing number of environment groups and people who are understanding the connection between Industrial logging and climate change. Susan commented, "Our two shires are now working together to stop chopping down habitat at Newry forest which is in part in the Bellingen Shire and into Nambucca Heads as well."

Ecologist, educator and film-maker Mark Graham filled the audience with wonder as he described the treasures of nature contained in the Upper Reaches of the Kalang Headwaters on a recent exploration trip. Mark also spoke about the critical need for our waterways to be protected from industrial logging.

Caitlin Hockey from the Great Koala National Park Steering Committee spoke about the growth in support for the Great National Koala Park and an economic study on the park just completed by Newcastle University that proves without a doubt that nature tourism and preservation of these forests is the way of the future, economic prosperity and healthy biodiversity.

Jonas Bellchambers spoke about his work as a citizen scientist spending long and sometime lonely times in the bush to painstakingly measure and record species of fauna and flora. The Biodiversity Embassy was formed during the Kalang Headwaters campaign and continues to record hard evidence about koalas and their welfare in our forests.

The meeting unanimously agreed to call on the NSW Government to instruct Forestry Corporation NSW to stop logging prime Koala habitat and that furthermore to ask Forestry Corp to instruct their contractor to stop aerial spraying residents of Bellingen whilst killing weeds in State Forests.

Mayor Dominic King told the meeting that since the huge loss of animals in the Black Summer bushfires that logging had intensified and that we are now threatened by our forests being cut down burnt with a fake "Renewable Energy Tag" through the biofuel process currently happening at Tarkeeth.

There was a strong feeling expressed by many participants that it is now up to the grassroots to convince the Government and three non-violent direct action (NVDA) workshops are available to residents. Local government elections in September will give voters a chance to show their concern for our forests and waterways.

Caroline Joseph

Bellingen Environment Centre