EPA monitors forestry operations
EPA officers are actively monitoring forestry operations in north and south NSW, including checking that conditions imposed to protect the environment post bushfires, are being complied with by Forestry Corporation of NSW.
EPA Operations Officer Chris Fraser in northern NSW
This summer’s bushfires had a major impact on regional communities, the environment, wildlife and local forestry industries.
The EPA has been working with other government agencies and Forestry Corporation to understand the impacts of these fires. Forestry operations are resuming in a limited number of fire-affected areas, to assist in bushfire recovery efforts for regional communities.
Most forestry operations are now being undertaken in burnt state forest, rather than unburnt, to maximise the protection of unburnt and partially burnt areas for wildlife recovery efforts, including for koalas.
Because of the special circumstances, additional conditions have been set for logging in these burnt state forests.
These additional conditions:
- aim to mitigate the specific environmental risks at each site caused by the bushfires, including impacts on plants, animals and their habitats, soils and waterways.
- protect primary koala feed trees and effectively double the amount of koala habitat that must be protected during the logging. Forestry Corporation is also required to check for the presence of koalas before any trees are felled and put in place temporary exclusion zones around areas where koalas are identified.
- increase protection on streams to improve water quality and retain habitat for threatened species.
The EPA is monitoring these forestry operations to ensure these rules are followed by getting out to visit specific operations.
The EPA works to educate the industry to drive compliance and improve environmental outcomes. The EPA also has regulatory powers ranging from warnings, cautions, stop work orders, fines or prosecutions to clean up notices and remediation orders.
Further information on logging in fire affected forests is available on the EPA website.
Members of the community can help the EPA by reporting details of illegal activity to the EPA’s Environment Line on 131 555.