Open letter to the political leaders of Australia and NSW

Twenty years ago Governments agreed to exempt logging from Federal Environment laws. Since that time several iconic species affected by logging have moved closer to extinction. These include the Koala, whose numbers in northern NSW have halved, and the Greater Glider.

Many other animals and plants are likely on the same trajectory, but our Governments haven't bothered to find out. The promised monitoring and research hasn't happened. There has been no investigation into the impact of the logging rules and whether they are fit for purpose. How many animal and plant populations that were present in a forest prior to logging are still there?

Now, when our wildlife and our waterways are threatened by climate change our political leaders have decided to extend Logging Contracts for a further 20 years. Now, when our forests need to be nurtured and repaired to give them resilience to survive the increasing threats of drought, bushfire, invasive species and human caused fragmentation, our political leaders want to weaken environmental protections and intensify logging. 

Now when we need to be investing in renewable energy our Governments propose to truck millions of small logs out of the forests to be woodchipped and compressed into pellets, to feed into power stations as a coal replacement. They are supporting more dirty smokestacks that produce climate destroying greenhouse gases and further devastation to our forests, coral reefs, wildlife and waterways.

If you are a genuine political leader, now is the time to show yourself. We need leaders who will stand up for nature. We need leaders who care about the future of our planet. We need leaders who understand the climate change path we are on, and are prepared to take action on many fronts to help us and our natural places to survive.

Will you refuse to allow new Wood Contracts? Refuse to allow native forests to be burnt in power stations? Refuse to allow forests to be cleared and degraded and environmental regulations weakened?

Will you stand up for forests? Will you commit to leaving them in the ground, to grow old in peace and bring benefits to all? To provide protection for wildlife, store carbon, make oxygen, improve water quality, increase stream flow, and provide places where we can visit, relax, and enjoy their marvellousness.

For the Forests!