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Frank Sartor should be koalas' saviour: protesters removed from Mumbulla forest
Monday 12 April 2010
Greens MP and spokesperson for South East NSW has called on Environment Minister Frank Sartor to urgently find a solution to the problems emerging between police and community members calling for the protection of koala habitat and for logging in the Mumbulla State Forest to stop.
This morning 30 community members were forcibly removed from the forests by NSW Police. Eight remain, effectively trapped because if they leave they will be arrested.
"Surely the Environment Minister does not want to be remembered as the Minister who trashed the koalas' habitat," Ms Rhiannon said.
"Mr Sartor should do the job of an Environment Minister and be the koalas' saviour.
"I was at the Mumbulla blockade last Friday and saw the depth of community concern reflected in community protesters, whose ages ranged from the very young to the elderly.
"Logging our beautiful native forests to send overseas for woodchips is counter-intuitive and compromises the health of our environment for future generations.
"In the short term the proposed logging will destroy the homes of forest dwelling native native animals.
"Possums, gliders and owls are among 400 species which depend on tree hollows in the region.
"The loss of hollow-bearing trees is now officially identified in NSW as a key threatening process.
"Most eucalypts do not form hollows until they are 150 to 180 years old.
"Large dens needed by animals such as possums and gliders are seldom found in trees less than 200 years old.
"Mr Sartor must do the ethical thing and call an end logging in the Mumbulla State Forest to protect this precious koala habitat and restore community unity," Ms Rhiannon said.
For more information:
Lee Rhiannon 9230 3551, 0427 861 568
Harriett Swift, Chipstop campaigner trapped - 0414 908 967
Visit Lee's site to campaign for an end to logging in South East NSW
