Forestry Corporation harvesting team leader at Eden Tom Halliday, who lead the tour, said the tour provided a great opportunity for the Forestry Corporation to give the visitors a better understanding of its land management responsibilities and activities within State forests in NSW.

The visitors were shown a current harvesting operation in compartments 500, 501 and 502 in Yambulla State Forest near Towamba.

They also visited a completed regrowth forest thinning operation in compartment 208 in East Boyd State Forest near Narrabarba.

“We were able to provide a summary of the harvest planning process, including the Forestry Corporation’s legal requirements, and then elaborated on the implementation of harvest plans, and subsequent sale of timber,” Mr Halliday said.

“We also explained the supervisory role that Forestry Corporation employees undertake at all harvesting operations.”

Mr Halliday said there was healthy discussion among the group in relation to the environmental protection measures employed by the corporation, as part of its charter to ensure cultural heritage, fauna, flora, soil and water values are maintained before, during, and following timber harvesting.

The Japanese conservationists then toured South East Fibre Exports wood chip mill at Eden.

“The tour provided a valuable opportunity to share with international visitors the nuts and bolts of world-leading forest management systems employed by the Forestry Corporation to manage State forests across NSW,” Mr Halliday said.

Also attending were Bega Valley Greens councillor Keith Hughes and Chipstop conservationist representative Harriett Swift.

Ms Swift said the visitors also met some Australian wildlife, including a koala and then inspected koala habitat in Tanja State Forest north of Tathra where logging is proposed, meeting locals Tony Dean and Jamie Shaw, who are concerned about the impact.