There was overall disappointment at Tuesday's meeting when presenters, passionately requesting that Council support them and the 4000 strong community opposed to the logging of Corunna Forest were all but dismissed with the explanation that it was a State Government Issue. Speakers bought evidence, considerable evidence, that the Forestry Corporation had decimated the Mogo area and had not abided by the harvesting plan.
Above: Post logging burn behind Gold Rush Colony Mogo Cpt 145 While Councillor Tate and Councillor Constable insistently rose to the defence of Forestry Corporation there was little that they said to challenge the plethora of breaches that had been laid on Forestry Corporation. The air of absolute distrust in any plan, any document or any statement made by Forestry Corporation was well understood from those in the gallery with passionate pleas that Council intercede with a very simple request that Forestry Corporation do NO LOGGING at all within 50m of the highway to at least maintain an environment and visual buffer. Even this request fell on deaf ears with Council responding that it was a State Issue and outside of their control Even though the councillors each held a copy of the recent decimation in Mogo Councillor Constable insisted that the logging of Corunna State Forest was an excellent example of management of a sustainable forest" and "we shouldn't be hiding it" "We should embrace it as an excellent example of good forestry practice". "We should allow forestry to log the forest and let them do their work". Councillor James Thomson reminded his peers that Forestry is a big employer and to recognise the contribution they make. Meanwhile Councillor Mayne reminded councillors that "we are a significant tourism shire and have a responsibility to our community" whilst Councillor McGinlay very succinctly reiterated the request was only for a 50m wide strip to be left unlogged.
To this Mayne commented "If Forestry can not alter a 50m zone then they should go back and look at their financial plan"
Above: VIDEO: Public Forum John Ramsey talks to agenda item NOM18/014 Logging in Corunna State Forest
Above: VIDEO: Presentations by Jos and Lee talk to agenda item NOM18/014 Logging in Corunna State Forest
Council moved to write to Forestry to "encourage and be diplomatic" Mayne commented "will this help? .. I don't know".
