Fulfill your promise Chris Minns: Protect the great koala national park forests now!

What: Rallies at Coffs Harbour and Pennant Hills Sydney outside the offices of the Forestry Corporation. 

When: Monday, 13th January, 10am

Where: Coffs Harbour, cnr of Park and Gordon Sts

Sydney: Cnr Castle Hill Rd and Cumberland Forest Way, West Pennant Hills

Why: Creating the Great Koala National Park has been an ALP promise since 2015. Almost 2 years after getting elected, the Minns government has completed their assessment of the park and identified an industry restructuring package but has still not announced their decision on the park boundaries. 

Since they were elected, the rate of logging inside the park has increased compared to under the Coalition. More than 60%. The logging is continuing with new areas being opened up. How much longer will they let the promised Park be logged?

Are they going to allow the Forestry Corporation to log the heart out of the promised park?

According to their own data the Minns Government has already logged the homes of 500 koalas and another 37 threatened species. This carnage has to stop now. These forests also hold the soils together, sequester and store carbon, act as natural water reservoirs and could provide boundless opportunities for recreation, education and appreciation.

31 groups have signed on to a letter to the NSW Government demanding they fulfill their promise to create a world class Great Koala National Park NOW

The statement, background and signatories can be found here.

Decisive spot, decisive moments 

Gary Dunnett, Chief Executive Office

Photographing wildlife, flora and landscapes always makes me happy, irrespective of whether I’m walking in an alpine wilderness, diving an offshore reef or strolling through a botanic garden.  Despite enjoying the remote and spectacular, my favourite photography locations are those where I feel a deep connection.  The places you visit again and again, where you slowly come to appreciate the occupants and their habits.    

NSW ‘Love Our Sanctuaries’ film nights

James Sherwood, Conservation Campaigner

NPA NSW recently completed co-hosting the Love Our Sanctuaries film nights with the Australian Marine Conservation Society, highlighting the low levels of marine sanctuary protection across NSW’s six bioregions. Nine events were held across twelve days, stretching from Coffs Harbour to Merimbula. Over 1,200 people registered for the free events which were all well attended.  

The Bush’s Last Stand

Kate Carroll, Conservation Projects Office, NPA NSW

NPA is a member of Forest Alliance NSW (FAN), a newly formed collective of non-government organisations and community groups working to protect native forests and support a plantation-based timber industry in NSW. Other members of the alliance include Nature Conservation Council of NSW (NCC), World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Wilderness Australia, Bob Brown Foundation, North East Forest Alliance (NEFA) and South East Regional Conservation Alliance (SERCA). Forest Alliance NSW is raising awareness through the media and alliance networks to expose the truths about the biodiversity and economic impacts of logging and the lack of integrity in Forestry Corporation NSW (FCNSW) operations. The work of the Alliance is supported by citizen science and other research.

The Power of Alliances

Gary Dunnett, Chief Executive Officer

In reality TV an alliance is a bunch of contestants who’ve decided to exclude others from their ‘cool kids’ club.  The role of alliances is thankfully different when it comes to conservation alliances.  The reality is that much of NPA’s most effective advocacy happens in collaboration with other conservation organisations.  This article touches on the purpose and importance of some of those alliances.  

Book review: Peter Hitchcock Defender of Forests

John Benson, ecologist

A new book is out about one of Australia’s greatest conservationists and strategists. The book covers the personal journey of Peter Hitchcock AM. Peter died five years ago and his obituary in the Sydney Morning Herald (an appendix in the book) mentions that the conservation world mourned his loss due to his world-wide influence.