Residents rally behind old growth forests, call for end to logging

One such rally was held in Armidale at the Judith Wright Memorial Park.

Locals in attendance ranged from children to the elderly with everyone united in their passion for saving old growth trees via a proposed ban on logging native forests as Victoria and Western Australia have done.

Ecology consultant David Carr described the dwindling quality and quantity of natural forests still clinging to the fertile east coast of Australia. He said these forests and their unique wildlife evolved over millions of years.

However, in NSW remnant forests are still being logged, including Styx River State Forest near Waterfall Way.

Carr drew attention to alarming trends. Many endangered species on a path to extinction, like Greater and Yellow Bellied Gliders, depend on trees with hollows. Yet it takes 200 years before hollows are created in select trees such as Blackbutt.

Gliders also need tall trees nearby for food and as protection from predators. Logging is catastrophic for these creatures.

Organisers said that logging has been conducted at a multi-million-dollar loss each year and National Parks Association representative Wendy Wales spoke against the lack of action to limit or end natural forest logging by the current and former state governments.

On behalf of the BBF Elizabeth O'Hara concluded proceedings with a call to action.

Armidale Regional Council will be asked to support a just transition away from logging native forests to plantations in NSW.

She recommended a 2024 book 'Breaches' by Dr Miriam Pepper, cataloguing dozens of recent illegal logging incidents by NSW forestry corporation in our region including of prohibited areas and of giant hollow bearing trees.