Logging machines have been stopped in their tracks by conservationists protesting alleged compliance breaches in Glenbog State Forest, with Eden’s South East Fibre Exports and Forestry Corp NSW implicated.
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On Monday November 30 the South East Forest Rescue group, led by Bega-based conservationist Scott Daines, halted logging in compartment 2332 at the top of Brown Mountain.
Conducting an independent audit and citing compliance breaches relating to illegal logging on protected “rocky outcrops”, Mr Daines’ group disabled three logging machines by attaching them to aerial cables.
“Forestry Corporation NSW, South East Fibre Exports (the Eden woodchip mill) and their authorised logging contractors are being investigated after the discovery of a spate of breaches including destruction of habitat of endangered species,” Mr Daines said.
Mr Daines has enlisted the help of the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) on previous occasions, including for alleged compliance breaches in compartments 2330 and 2335 of Glenbog State Forest two years ago.
The Magnet spoke with the EPA principal forestry manager Michael Hood.
“In October 2015, the EPA commenced two prosecutions against Forestry Corporation NSW for alleged contraventions of threatened species licence conditions to do with rocky outcrops,” Mr Hood said in a statement on Tuesday December 1.
“These matters will be mentioned in the NSW Land and Environment Court in February 2016.”
Forestry Corporation NSW was also approached by the Magnet, for comment specifically relating to Mr Daines’ claims about compliance breaches in compartment 2332 this week.
A Forestry Corp spokesperson issued a statement denying any knowledge of rule-breaking by the corporation or independent contractors.
Eden’s South East Fibre Exports (SEFE) woodchip mill is the “customer” of Forestry Corp NSW and procures “pulp logs” from the Glenbog State Forest harvesting operation.
SEFE forestry manager Peter Rutherford told the Eden Magnet he was also unaware of compliance breaches in compartment 2332, and was more concerned about Mr Daines’ modus operandi.
“This is criminal behaviour by Scott Daines and associates,” Mr Rutherford said.
“They are breaching work cover laws and no-one is stopping them.”
“If Scott wants to talk about breaches he should take a good hard look at himself, but he stands on a moral high ground and thinks he can do and say anything because it’s for ‘the greater good of mother earth’.”
