The Greens, via their spokesperson in NSW – Hon Sue Higginson – have made outrageous claims with no basis in fact about amendments agreed today by the NSW EPA and Forestry Corporation on additional protections for Greater Gliders.
They and their coterie of environmental campaigners can make claims without justification to achieve their own goal of closing native forestry – the industry has over 2000 regulatory requirements to meet – more than the road rules – and more people die on the road.
They do not represent most of the population – they are just the loud, squeaky wheel.
Gliders, koalas, parrots and all native fauna and flora are just as important to those who work in the forests as ENGOs and politicians.
The difference is we are there in the regrowth forests – less than 12% – and they only arrive when there is a media opportunity.
They fail to acknowledge that 88% of the forests in NSW are already protected.
So, if they think species are on the brink of extinction- what is not working in the 88% of protected parks and conservation reserves in NSW?
The new CIFOA requirements, which were published this afternoon, include:
- A 50-metre exclusion zone around known recorded locations of greater glider dens.
- Protection of extra greater glider trees in addition to existing hollow bearing and giant tree requirements:
- Six trees per hectare greater than 80cm in diameter in high greater glider density areas, in addition to the eight hollow-bearing trees currently required to be protected.
- Four trees per hectare greater than 50cm in diameter in lower-density areas, in addition to the eight hollow-bearing trees currently required to be protected.
- The retention of additional hollows and future hollow-bearing trees in areas where greater gliders are less likely to occur.
- Greater glider trees must prioritise hollows (especially ones with evidence of use) where they exist.
- Undertaking of a monitoring program to ensure the ongoing effectiveness of these new rules for greater gliders.
- A new map that shows where these different greater glider areas occur.
Wood Central is a neutral platform and will not take an editorial stance on the court action. However, it invites subject matter experts to provide contributors, who will be fact-checked before publication.
