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Ewingar Forest, a warm, temperate rainforest rich in biodiversity,
is once again being targeted for LOGGING!
After several protests from locals, including residents and local Indigenous
people, State Forests NSW
have decided to attack this forest again.
Nimbin Environment Centre held an action on state forestry Casino on the 29th of October and served them with a letter of demand.
Saturday the 13th of Dec: The vibe in Ewingar camp was high for the reggae party and doof into the night. A good time was had by all that attended even though rain washed out Sunday night.
Monday the 8th Dec: Police demonstrated blatent bias towards logging companies when 3 arrests were made on the hearsay of a senior State Forestry worker who had assaulted and wounded an activist. Police refused at the time to take statements from the assulted who was bleeding profusly from a head wound. Instead they made arrests on the word of the accussed man and no further investigation was carried out that day.
Friday the 28th Nov: Another two arrests were made including one activist that had previously been given bail conditions allowing him back to the site. "No warning or instruction was given to those arrested." Stated one wittness to the arrests.
Monday the 24th Nov: Two arrests were made when environmentalists refused to move when police pulled down the blockade lines.
Native Title Claimants have attended the camp and have expressed their full support for the Upper Clarence Protection Coalition.
Tuesday the 18th Nov: A bulldozer driver attempted to drive through protestors while working illegaly
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"This guy was not acting out of reason. He just drove into the blockade and nearly hit four people. It took seven people to surround his dozer before he would stop." Stated one witness to the action.
Police Rescue and local police were brought in to escort logging trucks though no heed was given to those requesting for charges to belayed on the contractor even though the protestors reported having footage of the action.
The camp is still high in spirit and many actions are planned both on the ground and in court over the coming weeks.
Ewingar contains threatened species such as
the Yellow Bellied Glider, Masked Owl, Bent-wing Bat, Koala, Powerful
Owl and Rufous Bettong.
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Yellow Bellied Glider
Masked Owl (Click picture for play back of call)
The problem
Harvest plans indicate that logging prescriptions have been watered down to
allow damage to Riparian zones, what SFNSW call “drainage lines”
which to the ordinary person translate to beautiful, high country creeks which
form the high part of the catchment for the Clarence River. Streams of pure,
highly energized water! The Clarence is one of the only rivers on the east
coast which has not been domesticated by dams, weirs etc; Ewingar part of
its catchment is on the south side of Timbarra creek where a Gold Mine was
stopped on environmental grounds primarily being that the river would be poisoned
by cyanide, arsenic and caustic soda run off.
Logging practices at Ewingar are quickly compromising the forests ecological
integrity and accelerating land degradation by exposing rainforest topsoil
to the effects of High U.V. radiation, destroying threatened species habitat,
and opening the forest to weed and feral animal invasion. Fires which swept
through protected areas from fires lit by State Forests at the commencement
of logging have badly damaged Habitat trees and caused nutrient levels to
increase beyond the natural balance maintained in an undisturbed forest.
WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT
TO STOP THIS FROM HAPPENING.
CONTACT THE NIMBIN ENVIRONMENT CENTRE 0266191441 FOR MORE INFORMATION
ON HOW YOU CAN HELP. THE FOREST NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT.
Download print and hand out our flyer
or contact the Minister for Infrastructure and Planning, and Minister for Natural Resources
Craig Knowles
Macquarie Fields Electorate Office Address:
6/36 Carlisle Street
Ingleburn NSW 2565
PO Box 260
Phone: (02) 9605 7000
Fax: (02) 9618 2346
Email: macquariefields@parliament.nsw.gov.au
Ministerial Office Address:
Level 33 Governor Macquarie Tower
1 Farrer Place
Sydney NSW 2000
Phone: (02) 9228 4204
Fax: (02) 9228 3716
Or
Minister for Transport Services, Minister for the Hunter, and Minister Assisting the Minister for Natural Resources (Forests)
Michael Costa
Office Address:
Legislative Council
Parliament House
Macquarie St Sydney 2000
Phone: 9230 2111 (parliament switch)
Fax: TBA
Ministerial Office Address:
Level 31 Governor Macquarie Tower
1 Farrer Place
Sydney NSW 2000
Phone: 9228 5665
Fax: 9228 5699
Ministerial Email:
minister@transport.nsw.gov.au
Ministerial Website:
and tell them you don't want Ewingar destroyed by unsustainable logging practices and you don't want the NSW police force to be used to protect the interests of logging companies over the rights of Australian public!!!
