Logging resumes in Central Queensland in previously protected area

"Allowing fools and eco-criminals to run our State governments is like the blind running with an axe." Adapted from anonymous comment with thanks.

THE Queensland State Government plans to reopen logging in two million hectares of environmentally sensitive land put aside by the previous government, including in Central Queensland.

Logging will resume in south-east Queensland, the western hardwoods area, cypress regions in the west, Central Queensland and north Queensland.

"Premier Newman is ripping up the agreement between industry and environment groups forged over decades to protect our remaining native forests, and has already offered 25-year sales permits to 14 cypress sawmills," Green Senator Larissa Waters said.

"The re-opening of native forest logging will trash invaluable habitat for native wildlife, destroy carbon stores, and is an economic risk given plantation forestry is a more sustainable and provides reliable employment into the future.

Source: http://www.gladstoneobserver.com.au/news/state-plans-re-open-logging-central-queensland-are/1772020/

With a mere signature,

"Minister McVeigh has approved that the areas of State Forests previously excluded from further harvesting by the former State Government, as well as the State Forest areas proposed for tenure transfer to the protected areas estate, are now available for commercial log timber production and associated harvesting once again. This includes the State Forest areas within the 1.2 million hectares identified in the Western Hardwoods and Cypress Regions for proposed inclusion in the protected area estate and the remaining State Forest areas in central Queensland, the Mackay-Proserpine area and the north Queensland ecotone forests."

Forestry Minister John McVeigh told the ABC in December 2012

"We believe there is in the order of 100,000 hectares of forest that can be accessed on quite a sustainable basis," he said. "We have also got the Western Forest and we are working on 25-year access agreements for cypress for our struggling timber industry."

This environmental vandalism is "good" for the economy, and the powerful logging industry, but it's destroying our natural heritage and our environmental foundations. Allowing fools and eco-criminals to run our State governments is like the blind running with an axe - they only see $$$ and megalomaniac power and fail to see environmental and intrinsic values of trees, vegetation, natural systems and biodiversity.

Contact Premier Campbell Newman:
http://www.thepremier.qld.gov.au/tools/contact.aspx