Volunteers recently gathered to weed a disturbed rainforest area in Ourimbah State Forest (OSF).
Camp Ourimbah spokesperson Ursula Da Silva said pristine rainforest once ran along the verge of Wallaby Rd but it was cleared by Forestry Corporation (FCNSW) late last year to enable fire truck access.
“Unfortunately FCNSW’s decision to remove vegetation to widen Wallaby Rd means invasive weeds such as paspalum and lantana have now replaced what was a stunning, healthy riparian verge along the track,” she said.
Without sensitive weed control and monitoring, the impact to surrounding native diversity would be substantial, spreading downhill into pristine rainforest and compounding yearly with ongoing weed reproduction cycles, Da Silva said.
“Despite FCNSW’s statements of widening this road to improve fire safety in the forest, fallen logs block almost every single access trail that would enable them to fight fires in OSF,” she said.
“This has been the case since they logged 300 acres of forest in 2023.
“This is also despite the community opposition and concern about leaving the forest so susceptible to fires in what was an extremely hot, dry and record-breaking Spring.
“It seems that every single time FCNSW engages with any activity in the forest, it leaves a trail of destruction.
“If the community has to voluntarily gather to fend off an invasion of weeds, it begs the question of what conservation and management FCNSW actually engages in in our local forest.
“We have even seen erosion devices which haven’t even been properly staked to the ground.
“The stakes were literally lying on the ground in front of the device.
“It is also common knowledge that land clearing and disturbance opens areas to weed infestation.
“For this reason, we recently presented a template idea for a Community Stewardship of OSF at both a recent gathering and to Minister for the Central Coast David Harris.”
The mission statement calls for the stewardship of OSF to be handed back to the community in order to develop it as a conservation, recreation and cultural heritage area.
“The immediate focus must be on restoring this forest to a standard that would benefit the community and our precious natural environment for countless generations,” it says.
Da Silva said the arrangement would allow for ecotourism projects to be generated by local business and community members working in an alliance with the Indigenous land practitioners, environmental scientists and conservationists.
“Let’s transform Ourimbah State Forest from being a problematic community issue into a thriving ecological enterprise that marries the needs of the forest and the growing needs of the Central Coast community,” she said.
“Together we can create a solution based template for a better outcome for all.”
A Forestry Corporation spokesperson said Wallaby Rd is a Strategic Fire Trail and must be accessible for fire-fighting response and also mitigation.
“Forestry Corporation is one of four statutory fire-fighting agencies in NSW, and works alongside other land managers and fire-fighting authorities as part of the Central Coast Bush Fire Management Committee to safe guard the community from fire,” the spokesperson said.
“All road works are carried out within the existing footprint and approved under operational road plans and environmental assessments.
“Vegetation within the existing road footprint is removed and mulched to allow the road to dry, with further grading and gravel works to be completed.
“Not every forest road is a fire trail and Forestry Corporation has blocked some trails that are not required for community access or strategic fire fighting to prevent 4WD access, which can damage soils and roads.
“Fire trails are always open for fire access and Forestry Corporation maintains a fleet of equipment to restore access to other trails if they are required for fire fighting.”
The spokesperson said the Corporation is also working with other land managers and fire authorities, including the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Rural Fire Service, to deliver fire trail improvements and hazard reduction burns across tenures as part of the State’s coordinated fire management work.
“Ourimbah State Forest is a great example of a multiple-use forest,” they said.
“It has continuously produced timber for more than 100 years and it has a variety of ecotourism opportunities and partnerships with a range of community groups.”
These operate under various permits and include Treetops Adventure Central Coast, Central Coast Mountain Bike Park, operated by the Central Coast Mountain Bike Club, Girri Girra and various running groups, orienteering, 4wd training and dog running groups.
“Friends of Strickland volunteer group is a great example of community involvement a short distance from Ourimbah SF and offers bush regeneration and track construction,” the spokesperson said.
“We encourage community members to join such groups.”
The Corporation also works with NSW Police on unregistered trail bike blitz programs targeting anti-social riding and compliance.
The forest is also available for a wide range of other activities including horse riding, bush walking, trail bike riding and fire wood collection as well as a range of research and monitoring projects carried out by Forestry Corporation and other agencies.
Terry Collins