An open letter to the Production Supervisor, Forestry Corporation, Hardwood Division, I would like to take this opportunity,prior to the imminent logging of compartments 144-145 behind the tourism town of Mogo,to remind you of the Community recommendations lodged with E.P.A staff by The Dunns Creek resident action group on the 7th November 2017.
Community requests intended for mitigation of harm and death to native wildlife and reduction of negative effects on the community caused by tree harvesting carried out by Forestry Corporation in each and every harvest compartment in NSW.
These requests have been made due to the extremely high level of native animal deaths occurring while tree harvesting and the distressing effect the loss of nature and wildlife is having on the community.
Designed to assist the NSW government’s vision of a sustainably managed forest estate that delivers social and environmental benefits, as per Forestry Industry Roadmap.
Forestry Corporation to immediately abandon the common practice of building log dumps and roads in the vicinity of yellow bellied feed trees.
Forestry Corporation and EPA to equip themselves with drones for the purpose of positively identifying nest trees, hollow bearing trees and arboreal mammal or tree hollow dwelling bird occupied trees.
Avoidance and protection of trees identified by point 2,including an exclusion zone around each tree to avoid accidental damage by machinery or falling trees
Forestry Corporation to equip each individual harvest team with a hydraulic crane (cherry picking machine) for the removal of the limb containing the wildlife and replacement of said limb in another suitable tree (of the same type) in an exclusion zone if avoidance of occupied tree is impossible.
Forestry Corporation to self implement the Glenbog Protocol to avoid the burying alive of wombats in each and every harvest compartment in the entire harvest area, not limited to roads and log dumps.
Forestry Corporation to provide a chemical portable toilet for each and every harvest crew, in the interest of public health.
Forestry Corporation to ensure that nature trails are protected, avoided and restored (cleared of fallen canopies) to lessen the great sense of loss of recreational areas experienced by the community.
Forestry Corporation to conduct a comprehensive post harvest nocturnal faunal survey in each and every compartment and publish findings on their website
I ask that you please implement these recommendations in the interest of animal welfare,compassion for the community,public health and ecological sustainability.
Of particular concern is the frequent practice of building log dumps at yellow bellied glider feed trees. These trees require an exclusion zone in their own right.
I hope you will ensure these trees are protected.
Also of great concern is the welfare of the wombats of the area,although not a protected species,it is callous to bulldoze their burrows (while they are inside) especially when Forestry Corporation crew, ecologists,planners,managers have, on the 16th August 2017, attended a training day with the Wombat Protection Society designed to educate Forestry personnel on how to identify and avoid wombat burrows.and have received instruction from Professor Julie Old from Western Sydney University on how to utilize the WomSAT APP to record burrow locations.
I hope you will self implement the Glenbog Protocol as it is unfair to expect the caring community to do Forestry Corporations work.
I ask that you avoid ALL hollow bearing trees,as they are virtually worthless to the timber industry,but so valuable to our native animals,and again it is unfair that the caring community must do the work of Forestry Corporation in marking out these trees for protection.
Yours Sincerely,
Dunns Creek Resident Action Group
Above: Wires volunteers and community members marking out wombat burrows at Dunns Creek.
