Camp Ourimbah will hold two community events each week indefinitely as it continues its fight to end Forestry Corporation’s logging operations in the Ourimbah State Forest.
The group holds a Tea for Trees gathering each Tuesday at the Palmdale exit of the Ourimbah roundabout from 10.30am-noon, with all invited to share their experiences of the forest.
Every Friday at 2pm, the group will rally outside the office of Member for Wyong David Harris in solidarity with the larger Fridays4Forests movement in an effort to enlist Harris’s support in putting an end to the logging.
The next rally takes place this Friday, August 18.
Spokesperson Ursula Da Silva said community response had been “amazing”.
“Overall, people are supportive of ending native forest logging,” she said.
“We have worked hard to educate the public (on how) timber resources can be found in plantations and agroforestry and that we already have enough timber onshore; dismantling the myth that ending native forest logging will mean pillaging forests overseas.
“We are extremely concerned about the fire risk Forestry Corporation is currently leaving in the Ourimbah State Forest.
“Photos showing debris are emerging and it is not looking good at all.
“Leaving such catastrophic fire risk, whilst dehydrating the bush through logging processes, means that Forestry Corporation and our elected officials are leading us into a disaster.
“Putting the 350,000 residents of the Central Coast at risk of fire, instead of properly managing the forest through cool/cultural burns etc, is appalling.
“We ask, will insurance premiums rise in the area due to this increased fire risk?
“To think our taxpayer money is funding this … is shameful and an embarrassment.”
The group has launched an email campaign on its Facebook page, urging concerned residents to email relevant MPs and officials outlining their concerns.
These include: the omission of a contemporary koala record from Forestry’s Harvest Plans; increased bushfire risk through altering vegetation structure and moisture levels and increasing the risk of crown fires; endangerment of animal life; threat to riparian vegetation along creek lines; unsubstantial buffers to protect Aboriginal cultural site from logging; possible effects of fish and platypus populations from run-off; and costs to taxpayers of logging operations.
The group says plantations can produce enough timber to meet Australia’s needs and Forestry Corporation transparency and data reporting of timber supply in NSW is elusive.
For more detailed information see the Camp Ourimbah Facebook page.
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Camp Ourimbah
Native forests are essential for our future and industry and have been sustainable managed for more than 100 years. Closing down native forests will only result in poorly maintained forests and transfer the impact of logging to third world countries that do not manage their native forests sustainably.
In contrast to Camp Ourimbah’s claims, Native Forests are vibrant, well managed and healthy environments. Bushfire risk is better managed in State Forests than in National Parks. Forests are regularly thinned and harvested, reducing fuel loads and creating fire breaks.
One could ask why there are koala populations in the State forests and not in the neighbouring National Parks. Go for a drive through a State Forest and a National Park, the difference in vibrancy is clearly in favour of State Forests.