A Collombatti property owner who cleared a native forest to make way for a limegrass and chili garden has had their authority to log a private native forest terminated by the NSW Environment Protection Authority.
The EPA investigated the land owner, the holder of a private native forestry property vegetation plan, and found that most of the native forest had been illegally cleared and replaced with a market garden.
Sensitive areas, such as streams, were also cleared.
EPA director of forestry Michael Hood said EPA officers collected strong evidence against the property owner for land clearing offences.
“We confirmed the area of native forest on the private property had been deliberately cut down to make way for a lemongrass and chili market garden,” Mr Hood said.
“If a person’s authority to conduct a private native forestry operation is misused in this way, the first thing the EPA will do is cancel this legally binding agreement and then stronger regulatory actions should be expected to follow.
“The work done on this property had nothing to do with sustainable native forestry management.
“A private native forestry property vegetation plan requires that native forests, biodiversity and the environment are protected. As this native forest was not protected, further action is now being taken requiring the land owner to return the environment back to its natural state.”
