The National Parks Association NSW (NPA) has obtained video of a likely displaced koala barely 40m from the edge of a clearfelled logging coupe in Pine Creek State Forest within the proposed Great Koala National Park (GKNP).
“The coupe contained a mapped Koala Hub that was home to at least one koala and likely more. This Koala Hub was treated as plantation by Forestry Corporation but in reality it was a regenerating Flooded Gum and mixed species forest of very high value to koalas,” stated NPA President, Dr Grahame Douglas.
“Koala Hubs contain critical multi generational koala populations and their habitat. Logging of Koala Hubs within the proposed GKNP was suspended by the NSW Government last September, but unfortunately Koala Hubs in plantations were not included in the decision and continue to be logged,” Dr Douglas said.
NPA is calling upon the NSW Government to extend the suspension of logging to all of Pine Creek State Forest, in particular the Koala Hubs within plantation areas, to allow assessment of their values as part of the GKNP planning process and to prevent anymore koala habitat being destroyed.
The NSW government, despite promising a GKNP at the last election, has allowed the proposed area to be logged intensively for the last 8 months and intends logging to continue for at least another year, while planning of the future national park is underway.
“Koalas are territorial and largely sedentary. This individual may or may not survive the loss of its local habitat to logging. The Pine Creek Koala population is recognised as one of National significance and Pine Creek State Forest is considered the heart of the proposed GKNP, NPA believes the suspension of logging in Pine Creek State Forest is necessary to protect critical habitat.
ENDS
Media Contacts:
Grahame Douglas, President NPA NSW or Gary Dunnett, CEO NPA NSW – (02) 9299 0000