Environmental group Friends of Pine Creek has launched a campaign to save the Pine Creek koala habitat from clear-fell logging, garnering widespread support through a Change.org petition. The petition, targeting NSW Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty and Minister for the Environment Penny Sharpe, emphasizes the urgent need to protect the koala population in Pine Creek State Forest, located on the Mid-North coast of New South Wales (NSW).
The Pine Creek State Forest is home to the highest density of wild koalas within a state forest in the region, a population that remarkably survived the devastating 2019/2020 Black Summer bushfires. This area, however, is now facing a new threat: clear-fell logging by the Forestry Corporation of NSW. The proposed logging, set to occur in 2024, includes compartments 15-18, known for their established mixed native forest and designated koala hubs by the Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH).
The Friends of Pine Creek argue that the clear-felling of these areas poses a significant risk not only to koalas, which are listed as 'endangered' under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, but also to other forest-dependent species. The destruction of their habitat through logging is considered an unacceptable risk to these already vulnerable species.
The group's Forest Bridge Proposal seeks to establish a wildlife corridor, linking Bongil Bongil National Park to the western tablelands of Dorrigo World Heritage National Park and beyond. This conservation effort aims to create a continuous protected area, filling a critical gap in the existing wildlife habitat continuum.
Despite the ongoing Great Koala National Park consultation process, the immediate threat of logging looms over the essential koala habitat. Friends of Pine Creek urge public support for their petition and encourage direct outreach to the relevant ministers to halt the proposed logging and endorse the Forest Bridge proposal.
The campaign represents a significant effort to balance environmental conservation with the economic interests of timber production, highlighting the delicate interplay between human activities and the preservation of natural ecosystems.
For more information on the petition and how to support the cause, visit www.friendsofpinecreek.com.
