Just before Easter when strong winds whipped through a logged compartment bringing trees down over the Corn Trail walkers on the Corn Trail were injured as they tried to find their way over and through the fallen trees.
Friends of the Mongarlowe River (FMR) have been calling for immediate stop work orders in the Corn Trail Forest since before the NSW State election, presenting solid evidence to the Deputy Premier, John Barilaro, Gabrielle Upton (Environment), Paul Toole (Forest) and the NSW EPA (Environmental Protection Authority) that the logging operation will destroy critical habitat, is uneconomic and threatens the iconic Corn Trail and Buckenbowra River.
A Friends of the Mongarlowe River (FMR) spokesperson told the Beagle "Three times since the election we have written to John Barilaro to ask for updates on his pre-election commitments. Greens MLC David Shoebridge who recently visited the Corn Trail has also taken up our call with Mr Barilaro."
"And there’s good reason: Last week saw the release of a UN report with startling evidence that extinction of species is happening a 100 times faster than the natural rate of extinctions in the past 10 million years. And last week saw the release of the NSW EPA report which points also to great loss locally."
"FMR applauds Matt Kean’s recently announced plans to look for opportunities to protect critical habitat as the new Environment minister by expanding National Parks. (Matt Kean Sun Herald 5th May 2019).
“ Well here’s your chance Mr Kean, will you stop logging in this critical habitat and protect the Corn Trail by putting these compartments into an expanded Monga National Park”
FMR told the Beagle their efforts to stop logging the Corn Trail Forest have so far, been unsuccessful saying "but with the release of the UN report on the rate of extinctions this week and Matt Kean’s announcement we are hopeful that we can at least save this piece of forest from the planned post harvest burn."
“Something is seriously wrong when our Deputy Premier and the EPA are powerless to stop the NSW Forest Corporation harvesting paltry amounts of timber and protect the ancient Gondwanan rainforests of the Corn Trail ” Alison Sexton-Green.
In the lead up to the federal election FMR are asking some serious questions of Federal politicians too. Why are the NSW Forestry Corporation exempt from Commonwealth Corporations law? Who will protect our native forests when state authorities are proven to be powerless?
“The NSW Forest Corporation have effectively privatised native forests for short term profits in marginal regional electorates” – Harry Laing
