Citizen Science to Save our Forests
Public native forest logging in NSW is a major driver of deforestation pushing countless species further towards extinction. The state-owned Forestry Corporation of NSW is responsible for all public native forest logging. FCNSW and private contractors that conduct logging operations are subject to conditions regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Following the 2019-20 bushfires, public native forest logging in NSW is increasingly destructive, financially unviable and is facing pressure to be phased out. Victoria has already committed to a transition plan into 100% plantation by 2030.
While native forest logging remains a reality, strategic use of Citizens Science Tools by concerned locals results in:
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key environmental forest features being protected, as visible community vigilance encourages industry compliance.
- scientific and timely reporting of industry non-compliance to the EPA to ensure “breaches” are pursued and prosecuted by the regulatory body.
The North East Forest Alliance, South East Forest Rescue and The Coastwatchers Association Inc have successfully surveyed forests and monitored compliance of harvesting operations in NSW. These have resulted in many major wins and successfully held the forestry industry to account including:
- implementation of ‘Stop Work Orders’ in Wild Cattle Creek and South Brooman Forest which successfully halted logging for months on the South Coast.
- EPA handing down fines to FCNSW for breaches of conditions
- regular concessions on FCNSW harvesting plan’s and maps which sees additional parts of forest added to exclusion or buffer zones in compartments.
The following guide has been developed so everyone can play a part in making sure that Forestry Corp follows the rules and to protect as much beautiful forest as possible from destructive logging. You don’t need any special skills or expertise!
By surveying a forest after it has been logged, you can expose any illegal activity or breaches of approval conditions by FCNSW, supporting the case to end public native forest logging.
More than ever we need to hold the forestry industry to account, to protect as much forest as possible from destruction and block the most destructive of logging proposals.
