If one man knows about the south-east forests of NSW, that man is John Blay.
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The naturalist, writer and walker has strong opinions about the management of the national parks and state forests in the region.
“It concerns me that the government feels they have no responsibility for nature,” Mr Blay said.
“They need to accept that responsibility – it shouldn’t just be an economic decision but one that includes caring for the country we live in.
“The Forestry Commission has been privatised – allowing government to be another step removed from what actually happens in our forests,” he said.
Mr Blay said the government’s devolvement of state forestry was about dividing up a public asset.
“It will end with politicians saying the forests do not pay their way – that will enable government to further franchise out various forest assets and facilities,” he said.
Although Mr Blay said he would love to see an end to logging in native forests, sensible compromises had been made by both sides during the ‘forest wars’ in the nineties.
“I would still be happy for more timber to be made available for artisanal use by local craftsman,” Mr Blay said.
“It isn’t necessary to send it overseas for worthless chips.”
Mr Blay has written two books about his extended walks through the region’s forests.
The first, Trek Through the Back Country, which described journeying through the Deua and Wadbiliga forests in the early eighties, was recently updated and republished as Back Country. The second, On Track, recounts his 360 kilometre traverse along the Bundian Way, from Kosciuszko to Eden.
Mr Blay’s third book about the south-east forests will be out later this year.
“It will be about the forest wars,” Mr Blay said.
”I did an enormous walk, right down the centre of the south-east forests: the walk provides the book’s structure, which the narrative hangs off.
“For example, there will be the history of what happened to the koalas in our area; and what happened with the silver-tipped ash,” he said.
John Blay is the guest at Moruya Books’ literary lunch on Tuesday, February 28. Information and bookings: 4474 2242.