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Woodchipping in South East Forests |
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Logging and Biodiversity in the SE forests  In south-east Australia mature forests are complex biological systems. They are rich in plant species, ranging from mosses and ferns, many species of herbs and shrubs to mixtures of tree species, including a uniquely diverse assemblage of eucalypts. Similarly, animals range from tiny soil organisms through a myriad of insect and other invertebrate species to amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals, the whole forming a network of interdependent organisms.
Logging disturbs this balance, even years after logging, trees may have regenerated, but habitat has not. The structure of herbs, understorey shrubs and trees of various species and ages ranging from seedlings to huge old giants with dead branches and hollows gets replaced by dense even-aged regrowth, often dominated by Silver-top Ash, which is the species best adapted to disturbance and fire.
Little is known about the effects on invertebrates, but many observations on birds and mammals indicate a drastic reduction in the number of species present in these altered forests. Some habitat trees are left in logged areas but they are too few, isolated and vulnerable when stripped of their surrounding buffer.
Logging also causes soil disturbance, as does post-logging fire. The removal of the forest canopy allows high intensity rain to bombard the exposed soil and cause run-off loaded with silt. Snig tracks and roading all contribute to the disturbance. Soil fertility is also lost as the litter is removed, so recycling of nutrients by fungi, worms, insects and the like cannot occur.
Hydrology is also affected. The removal of vegetative cover and litter lowers infiltration, thereby increasing surface run-off. This is further increased by soil compaction caused by heavy machinery. Baring the soil surface causes evaporative losses in the upper layer, which forms a dry crust resistant to wetting.
The impact of logging is severe and ongoing – we at NCC want to protect high value native forests in the southeast from these impacts.
The Southern Forest Agreement - 2002 While the Southern Forest Agreement in 2002 resulted in some substantial reserves, many high conservation value forests along the South East coast of NSW remain unprotected and under threat from woodchipping.
In the lead up to the 2003 NSW State election the NCC and other forest campaigners made recommendations to the NSW Government that would have allowed protection of some of the most significant forests in the South East without affecting timber supply agreements the Government made before the Regional Forest Agreements were signed in 2002.
The area recommended covered 25,000ha, and was the minimum area necessary to create a network of forests with enough integrity and connectivity to protect the health of the region's water catchments and the long-term survival of many threatened species. NCC representatives illustrated that more than sufficient timber volume was available to reserve all 25,000ha of proposed Southern Forest
Failure by the NSW Government to protect all 25,000ha of icon forests has only served to aggravate and prolong the existing forest conflict and increase conservationists lack of trust in the NSW Government's ability to engage in a fair and representative negotiation process.
Queensland's Premier Beattie has lead the way in forest conservation by illustrating that an end to old growth logging and a transition into plantations is a viable alternative to native forest logging.
While South East Fibre Exports continue to export woodchips from NSW native forests, the need to protect the high conservation value and old growth forests of South East NSW remains a priority.
SERCA and the Campaign to end Woodchipping in the Southeast Forests The Mass Rally held by the South East Region Conservation Alliance (SERCA) was a huge success, more than 600 people made it there for the big event! Thanks to everyone who worked so hard to get this rally to happen and thanks to everyone who turned up on the day!
This rally was a key part of the campaign to end native forest woodchipping in the beatiful forests of southeastern NSW and protect the high conservation value and old growth forests of South East NSW. Read about the rally in the Sydney Morning Herald (3 July 2006), and click read more to find out more about this issue.
Information about the Issue
Logging for woodchipping of East Gippsland and SE NSW native forests is causing massive damage to the forest ecosystems. Based on Forests NSW 2004 statistics 90% of the wood taken from the Eden Regional Forest Agreement (RFA) area, 80% from the East Gippsland RFA area and 55% from the Southern (south coast) RFA area, ends up at the Eden chipmill for export to Japan. According to the woodchip company’s (South East Fibre Exports - SEFE) own figures, this amounted to 839,000 tonnes in 2004. There are 412,000 ha currently available for logging in the Eden and Southern RFA areas alone.
There is no economic reason for the intensive industrial logging to continue. The exception being the profiteering by the woodchip company, which is being done with the cooperation of Victorian, NSW and Commonwealth Governments. The State Governments are selling the pulpwood at prices well below commercial rates and effectively subsidising this operation. The solution to the destruction of our publicly owned native forests is to close the Eden chipmill and for SEFE to source wood from the 1,800,00 ha of hardwood and softwood plantations now on stream in Australia.
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