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From: "Noel Plumb"
To: "..forest list national"
Subject: CHARCOAL THREAT LAID TO REST
Date:
Mon, 17 Mar 2003 15:57:12 +1100
Dear Friends and Supporters
Please see below SEFA's media release in response
to the Carr Government's announcement today that charcoal production in NSW would not be allowed from native forest timber.
I wish to express my heartfelt thanks to many who worked so hard to stop this massive threat to our forests, especially
the all volunteer teams from Charcoal Busters and the ACF Forest Campaign Group, and to all our supporters who wrote, called,
emailed and otherwise told the politicians how they felt.
sincerely yours
Noel Plumb
Convenor
South
East Forest Alliance
Convenor
Charcoal Busters
8800 8303
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South East Forest Alliance
MEDIA RELEASE 17 March 2003
CHARCOAL THREAT LAID
TO REST
The South East Forest Alliance today welcomed the announcement by the Carr Government that NSW will
not allow the production of charcoal from native forest timber
'This threat to forests, catchments and communities
has finally been laid to rest after a bitter 3 year campaign by conservationists and the successive communities threatened
by a charcoal plant and its associated intensive logging operations,' said spokespersons for the Alliance.
'This decision
by the Government is very important as it closes the door on a massive expansion of woodchip type operations in NSW forests.'
'There is enormous relief at the decision, particularly on the South Coast which fought the longest and hardest campaign
to defeat a charcoal plant after conservationists and communities in Dubbo and Gunnedah beat off the archaic proposals in
1999 and 2000.'
'The decision is a blow to the credibility of NSW State Forests and a logging industry that has consistently
sought to increase intensive industrial logging, and woodchipping, with proposals such as the charcoal plant and wood fired
stations.'
'The industry has sought these intense, high volume, low value woodchip type operations to prop up failing
native forest sawlog operations that cannot compete with competition from plantation supplies.'
The decision also
keeps alive the possibility of a transition from native forests to plantations, the only solution to the continuing conflict
in the forests.'
Plantations is where modern, intensive, industrial logging for woodchips or for sawlogs rightly belongs,
and the public agrees. Without such a transition we will continue to have to fight off new woodchip proposals from an irresponsible
industry and its Government ally, State Forests.'
'SEFA groups will continue to fight for the protection of remaining
conservation icons in the southern forests and an end to woodchipping as promised by Premier Carr in 1995.'
'Intensive
logging operations on the South Coast are still targeting unprotected old growth and wilderness as well as key wildlife links
and the catchments of sensitive coastal lakes.'
Further comment:-
Noel Plumb SEFA Convenor 0425 23 83 03
Dean
Jackson Charcoal Busters 4471 5568
John Perkins Friends of Durras 4478 6048
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