[Greens-Media] Macdonald must halt Brooman logging for sake of endangered flying fox

[Susie Gemmell]

MEDIA RELEASE
10 August 2009

Macdonald must halt Brooman logging for sake of endangered flying fox

Visiting the South Coast today, Greens MP Lee Rhiannon called on
Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald to act immediately to halt
logging in South Brooman State Forest until more information is known
about the existing flying fox colony.

“Minister Macdonald is standing idly by while logging begins in haste
at the South Brooman State Forest in a compartment where a colony of
endangered grey-headed flying foxes lives,” said Ms Rhiannon.

“Minister Macdonald must step up to the plate and immediately halt
logging until more information is known about the endangered colony. It
is a condition of the license that logging does not harm an endangered
population such as this. 

“I understand that Forests NSW gave a commitment to locals only 5
weeks ago that logging would not proceed into the area adjacent to the
grey-headed flying fox colony until the flying foxes had moved on.

“Far from moving on, the colony has increased in size and the logging
operation has moved closer to the colony.

“Forests NSW needs to do more than wait until the colony has moved
on. Flying foxes habitually return to colonies year after year and
Forests NSW needs to analyse the impact of logging their habitat in the
meantime.

“The grey-headed flying fox is endangered because of the ongoing
logging of native forests. This flying fox plays the important role of
spreading native pollen and seeds which helps native vegetation grow
elsewhere. 

“The Southern NSW Regional Forest Agreement states that to ensure
that potential damage to threatened species habitat is mitigated,
additional opportunities for mitigating damage must be considered. 

“Forests NSW is turning its nose at its own regional forestry
agreement.

“Minister Macdonald must step forward and ensure the colony of
endangered grey-headed flying fox colony gets the protection it
deserves,” said Ms Rhiannon.


For more information: Lee Rhiannon 0427 861 568, 9230 3551

For more on the Greens campaign to end woodchipping in NSW south east
forest, visit http://endsoutheastwoodchipping.wordpress.com/ 


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Susie Gemmell
Adviser, Greens MLC Lee Rhiannon (Mon-Thur)
Macquarie St, Sydney 2000
Tel: +61-2-9230 3551 Fax: +61-2-9230 3550
Mobile: 0431 458 102
Email susie.gemmell at parliament.nsw.gov.au
http://www.leerhiannon.org.au
http://www.democracy4sale.org/ 
http://twitter.com/leerhiannon