The forum was organised and run by the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF). Campaigner Jess Abrahams said Eden-Monaro had been chosen as it was a marginal seat and because there were four issues of interest to the foundation that were relevant to the electorate: threatened species, feral animals, logging/forestry and marine plastic pollution.

"I am somewhat brokenhearted about the state of the environment," Mr Abrahams said.

"There are fires in the highlands of Tasmania, koalas are classed as vulnerable to extinction, the reef has been bleached on two occasions and we have an environmental crisis like never before. Every indicator is going backwards and it gives us a measure of the leadership needed," he said.

All candidates were invited to talk about their own environmental credentials before answering pre-prepared questions.

Liberal candidate Fiona Kotvojs said there needed to be a balance between environmental and social outcomes. She said that huge tracts of forest which she could see from her own sustainable property "had been logged in my lifetime" and yet "we have found some of the best koala habitats there".

"The level of koala activity is higher in state forests than in the nearby national parks," Ms Kotvojs said. It was something she put down to the "under resourcing" of NPWS and the consequent increase in feral animals such as wild dogs.

Ms Kotvojs was very strong on people taking responsibility for their own actions such as ensuring domestic cats were kept in at night.

She also urged people to be responsible about their purchasing habits. "As individuals we can make a choice about the products we buy and until we do so we will not fix the problem."

Labor's Mike Kelly had no qualms in talking about the need to reduce the wild horse population having recently been involved in an alpine helicopter survey where it was estimated there were 7000 feral horses.

"They and the pigs and deer are a real threat to the environment and some urgent action is needed," Dr Kelly said.

He also spoke about using plantations rather than native forests and carbon sequestering and carbon farming.

"We have lost about two thirds of the forests we used to have in this region. Maybe there is more money to be made if forests are left as carbon sinks," he said.

When asked if candidates would acknowledge their acceptance of the science of climate change, Dr Kelly, Ms Wade and Mr McGinlay all said yes they did. Ms Kotvojs said the answer needed "more than yes or no".

Dr Kelly said the science was in on climate change. "If you don't believe it and you're wrong you kill the planet," he said. 

The Greens candidate Patrick McGinlay wanted an end to large scale land clearing and coal fired power phased out. He was also adamant that feral horses "have to go".

"We need a humane method of removing them," he said and Ms Kotvojs agreed that "horses damage the national parks".

Mr McGinlay was particularly concerned about the RFA (Regional Forests Agreements).

"It's worrying that they have been renewed at all, let alone for 20 years. I want to see 100 per cent plantation-sourced timber," he said.

But the Nationals candidate Sophie Wade said that the RFA "provided the highest level of bio protection in the world". She also believed that when it can to plastic pollution there was a role for everyone. 

"Everyone needs to care, everyone needs to do their bit," Ms Wade said.

"Everyone has an interest in protecting the environment. We need to protect and value it for future generations; it's a mainstream view. I'm a believer that everyone has to do their part," she said.

On the subject of plastic pollution all candidates agreed that individuals had to take responsibility. Mr McGinlay said The Greens would phase out single use plastics and instead of "sending it overseas why not build a recycling centre in Australia and use it here" he said.

Dr Kelly said the recycled plastic should be used in road mix and talked about Labor's $200m urban rivers plan to eliminate waste from getting out into the marine environment.

Ms Kotvojs said this wasn't about the waste people might leave on the beach but the bigger issues of waste coming down rivers and from international seas which dumped material out at sea.

"We have to cease being a disposable society, stop thinking recycling and start thinking about having no waste at all," Ms Kotvojs said. 

The forum was interrupted early on by the arrival of the independent candidate Andrew Thaler who addressed the audience as he arrived to say he should not have been left out of the forum. Mr Thaler stayed until the end, spending some time sitting on the floor.

"I have as much right as these candidates to be on this stage," Mr Thaler said as he was asked by Mr Abrahams to stop interrupting.

Asked afterwards why Mr Thaler hadn't been invited Mr Abrahams said that they wanted to limit the number of candidates in the forum to the "main parties" or those likeliest to have the largest following.