MEDIA RELEASE - DECEMBER 9 2011
Exposure of the NSW government’s Christmas Gift to the multinational BORAL
in this International Year of Forests
Destruction of NSW Forest Wildlife, Carbon Sink and Catchments
SANTA SHREK (and his Tasmanian Tiger) are COMING TO TOWN
At 10.30 a.m. Friday 9th December Nativesrule, an organisation representing residents, loggers, scientists and ecologists from regional Australia, brings to Sydney irrefutable evidence - aerial footage - of the wholesale destruction of NSW native forests.
In Martin Place 3 tragic gifts will be placed beneath Sydney’s Christmas Tree – representing what is being ‘given’ to a multinational by Forests NSW, i.e. NSW’s wildlife species on the crest of extinction, its most effective carbon sink and its coastal water catchments. A portion of the aerial evidence will be shown along with the coverage of an emergency meeting attended by the entire community, the industry and scientists. A live ‘Tasmanian Tiger’ will carry the message of extinction on behalf of voiceless creatures being pushed to that same brink by the state government in one of the most disastrous cover ups in this state’s history. The giant Santa Shrek, oversees the ceremony as champion of those who now battle insuperable odds to protect the state’s nature.
NSW forests have been sold without the people of NSW being informed. BORAL has rights to approximately 80% of NSW hardwood for the next 11 years and is reaping the benefits as Forests NSW loses millions servicing the contract. To try to create future supply, Forests NSW is converting native ecosystems into ‘’factories’’ as Blackbutt is manipulated to become the dominant species for harvest at 20 cm diameter to suit BORAL’S plans for highly engineered wood products for export or woodchip. This is at the expense of the homes and food sources of NSW wildlife. Beyond the towns, villages and cities NSW IS being virtually clear felled as the state government contravenes all sustainable practice in a desperate attempt to fulfil a supply contract for more wood than even exists.
In this International Year of the Forests BORAL is now demanding compensation - millions of dollars - for lack of supply. Hence irreversible damage is being done by the state government to coast and hinterland wildlife habitat, water supply catchments and the future carbon sink these maturing forests could provide – while gifting BORAL taxpayer money.
Timber loggers on the NSW coast are witnessing the collapse of the saw log industry for a hundred years as all mature saw logs and those of the future are removed for woodchip. There will almost nothing left for future domestic hardwood supply.
Tax payer losses are further compounded as most of the budget for environmental protection is sabotaged by the damage being done by forestry. In total this loss is hundreds of millions of dollars a year to NSW taxpayers with an inestimable cost to the environment for this is damage that can’t be undone. Mass localised extinction processes are in process now.
And this is taking place in the International Year of the Forests.
Nativesrule is calling for the federal government to buy back the native forests of NSW for the sake of its wildlife and the protection of all from climate change. This is the only solution.
Portion of aerial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzwmCxJxdlI
Frances Pike 0448899684 or 02 8985 7003