The Forest Alliance NSW has welcomed the NSW Environment Protection Authority’s (EPA’s) decision today to prosecute Forestry Corporation of NSW (FCNSW) for 29 charges. The charges related to illegally logging of critical Greater Glider habitat in Tallaganda State Forest on the NSW South Coast.  

The EPA alleges these actions contravened conditions of the Coastal Integrated Forestry Operations Approval (CIFOA), the Forestry Act 2012, and the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016.  Further information available here

The EPA will be appearing before a Budget Estimates hearing tomorrow.

Former independent member of NSW Parliament and spokesperson for the Forest Alliance Justin Field said: “the Alliance and the community welcomes the decision to prosecute.” 

“Forestry Corporation’s actions showed no regard for environmental rules in place to protect some of the last remaining unburned, high-conservation value glider habitat on the South Coast, further impacting this already endangered and iconic species.

“This continues a record of egregious breaches of the law by the state-owned logging company. Last year the Land and Environment Court fined Forestry Corporation $360,000 for illegally logging other protected areas on the South Coast with the judge concluding that FCNSW “has a significant history of unlawfully carrying out forestry operations”.

“There are currently nine other open investigations into Forestry Corporation, and more than $2 million in fines have been issued over the past four years. In most cases, breaches were identified by concerned citizens, who prompted the EPA to act.

“Ultimately NSW taxpayers are left to foot the bill for Forestry Corporation’s ongoing breaches of environmental laws and the ongoing financial losses of their native forest logging operations. This latest prosecution should be a prompt to the Minns Government to accelerate timber industry reforms and chart a course away from native forest logging in NSW and towards a sustainable plantation-based industry. 

Nature Conservation Council of NSW CEO Jacqui Mumford highlighted “Logging without proper habitat surveys is illegal, yet Forestry Corporation continues to do so as a matter of course. They have repeatedly shown they do not respect the law and have no problem sending the bill to taxpayers when they get caught.

“The only way to stop this rogue actor from such wilful destruction is to end native forest logging.

“This is a government-owned agency and taxpayers pay the price when they are found to be breaking the law. 

“Premier Chris Minns cannot wash his hands of it. Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty is directly responsible under the Forestry Act. Treasurer Daniel Mookhey and Finance Minister Courtney Houssos are its shareholder ministers.

“Environment Minister Penny Sharpe also has the power to direct the EPA to conduct a full audit of current logging operations and identify where endangered glider habitat is being illegally destroyed.

“These Ministers must step up and bring Forestry Corporation into line. Until they do, this rogue agency will continue to break the law.”

Scott Daines, spokesperson for South East Forest Rescue said “The forest blockade by South East Forest Rescue of one of the logging operations in Tallaganda in August 2023 sparked a massive chain of events. 

“This included multiple Stop Work Orders for Tallaganda and Flat Rock forestry operations, as well as Forestry Corporation admitting they have been looking for nocturnal animals during the day.”

“This prosecution by the EPA is the latest ripple to crash upon Forestry Corporation following our blockade. While we are pleased the EPA is prosecuting, we are sure there are many other breaches that Forestry Corporation will get away with. Endangered Greater Gliders are still being killed by logging across the state.”