The Environment Protection Authority has commenced prosecution against Forestry Corporation of NSW in the Land and Environment Court. The EPA said the charges relate to the alleged felling of trees in the Wild Cattle State Forest near Coffs Harbour by contractors in exclusion zones and protected areas, some of which were specifically set up to protect koala habitat. Source: Timberbiz
The EPA alleges the contractors felled trees and operated so-called snig tracks created by harvesting machinery within a koala high-use exclusion zone. They also allegedly felled trees in protected rainforest areas and an exclusion zone around warm temperate rainforest in breach of Forestry Corporation’s licence.
All up, the five offences carry a maximum penalty totalling $1.21 million, with the prosecutions listed for mention before the court on 16 October.
The Forestry Corporation of New South Wales could face more than $1m in fines for the alleged illegal logging of trees in protected areas, including koala habitat, in the state’s north.
The authority also alleges that the forestry agency logged protected rainforest and cleared trees inside an exclusion zone surrounding warm temperate rainforest.
A spokeswoman for the Forestry Corporation said during the logging operations it had set aside 21 hectares of habitat “which was three times what was required under the ruleset, protecting an additional 6000 trees”.
She said the EPA’s allegations related to nine trees.
“Forestry Corporation recognises the importance of complying with the strict environmental regulations that apply to forestry operations and carried out a thorough investigation into the circumstances that led to these alleged offences,” she said.
In July the EPA issued a stop-work order to the Forestry Corporation for clearing two giant protected trees in the same state forest.
