[Greens-Media] FW: MEDIA RELEASE: 'State Government Opens the Door to Logging in Conservation Areas' (Greens NSW MP Dr Mehreen Faruqi MLC)

[Matthew Hilton]

Media Release
9 December 2014
State Government Opens the Door to Logging in Conservation Areas

NSW Greens MP and Environment spokesperson, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, has stated that the State Government has opened the door to logging in conservation areas. The Natural Resources Commission yesterday released a report recommending logging and cost recovery in the Brigalow and Nandewar State Conservation Areas.

Dr Faruqi said:

"It is extremely disappointing to see the Government open the door to logging in conservation areas under the guise of ecological thinning.

"Government claims that it will only log forests for ecological reasons have absolutely no credibility. Once there is an industry reliant on logged conservation forests, their interests will quickly outweigh that of the environment.

"The reality is this Government cannot be trusted and they will use any flimsy reason to further undermine our natural environment.

"The Natural Resources Commission report suggests that trees logged in the conservation area could be used in energy generation and should be counted towards the Renewable Energy Target. Burning off carbon sinks isn't renewable energy.

"If an energy generation plant is built to utilise the wood from the conservation area, it will only be a matter of time before all logging in the area is classified as 'ecological' to feed demand.

"The report is another example of the Government going through the motions of community consultation and delivering a pre-determined outcome" she concluded.

Media contact: Matt Hilton 9230 2625 / 0423 106 247

Natural Resources Commission Report: http://www.nrc.nsw.gov.au/active-management-cypress-forests-brigalow-nandewar