Executive director of the Conservation Council ACT Region John Hibberd said Bermagui State Forest was critically linked to Mumbulla State Forest where the only koala recovery is taking place on the Far South Coast of NSW.

“The NSW Government's own koala expert Chris Allen says in his submission to the Senate Inquiry that there may be less than 50 koalas remaining in a forest corridor that stretches from Bega to Bermagui and which encompasses the Mumbulla, Murrah and Bermagui State Forests,” Mr Hibberd said.

“Government surveys have identified this population as one of only three remaining populations in South Eastern NSW, and the very last coastal population in the area.”

Despite knowing the vulnerability of this population and its potential for continuing recovery, Forests NSW had notified residents that logging is due to begin soon in the Bermagui State Forest, he said.

Forestry’s letter says logging is “scheduled to take place in the third quarter of 2011 and will continue for a six-month period”.

It continues, “Database searches show that koalas have been detected around the area”, and calls for anyone with information about the animals to contact Forests NSW.”

Mr Allen in his submission to the Senate Inquiry stated: “Anything less than a very significant reduction in logging activities in these forests will probably lead to the extinction of this koala population”.

Mr Hibberd said, “Residents of the Far South Coast call upon the NSW Government to once and for all listen to the voice of reason in its own ranks, and to protect the koalas by stopping unsustainable and destructive logging in the area.”

Link to Senate Inquiry submissions including John Hibberd and Chris Allen’s submissions:

www.aph.gov.au/sen ate/committee/ec_ctte/koalas/subm issions.htm

Do you have an opinion or view on this article, want to get it off your chest? Then make a comment below, it’s easy and we will post it without question and you don’t even need to use your real name!