DNA and discoveries: New research reveals a fresh chapter in story of life under the sea

Thanks for the oft repeated generalisations Stu. What about a specific example?

Does our international obligation to protect our biodiversity extend to our parks and reserve system? The NSW NP&WS “Zero extinctions – national parks as a stronghold for threatened species recovery” September 2021 report states “There is evidence that the overall decline in biodiversity in NSW is occurring even in the national park estate.

The NSW parks and reserves system has about 80 percent of the public forest estate available for conservation reservation.

A south east NSW example of a critically endangered species is the Imlay Mallee (Eucalyptus imlayensis). Mt Imlay National Park was dedicated in 1972 and the Imlay Mallee was discovered in 1977.

The October 1998 Mt Imlay NP Management Plan noted the rare, endemic species E. imlayensis occurs in a stand of less than 200 trees.

In 2008. The NSW Scientific Committee reported the species comprised 70 plants, when it was discovered in 1977. In 2007, many plants were reported to be in poor health, with 4 plants having died in about 2000 and another two deaths in 2002.

Prior to the bushfire, the mature trees were in generally poor health and setting little or no seed. The population had declined by 10 percent over 10 years up to 2011.

The Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment March 2022 consultation on species listing notes no seedling or juveniles have ever been observed on Mount Imlay since the species came to the attention of science in 1977.

Latest publicly available information is that there are 48 mature Imlay Mallee down from an estimated 70 mature plants before the 2019-20 fire season.

Well done for keeping the conservation spotlight on State Forests, while we are left to assume everything is sweet as in our national parks.

The issue with Stu’s post is it contains biased misinformation. A few facts may be in order.
NSW Forestry corporation did make an operating loss in the 20/21 and 21/22 financial years within the hardwood forest sector However it was driven by Covid and bushfires. In the three previous years NSW Forestry DID make a profit within the hardwood forest sector.

Overall a small profit was earnt from all their divisions.

As well NSW Forestry looks after the roads, infrastructure and provision of rehabilitation to forests after fire and logging operations within 1.8million hectares of NSW State forests (excluding 225,000 hect. of pine and 35,000hect of hardwood plantation). This cost NSW Forestry about $14/hectare over two years. Which was recouped from overall earnings. In most years the NSW Government pays NO funds to NSW Forestry corp.

As well, the business of logging and the consequent provision of hardwood for sawn logs as well as chip earns south east NSW about $60million per year. If the timber industry closes in NSW then towns like Eden and Bombala will be severely affected. But this matters nought to the extreme green community who care nothing about the community and mouth platitudes like ‘a just transition away from the timber industry ..’ without even knowing what that means.

Of course let’s not forget that NSW National Parks and Wildlife service budget is granted about $550 million PER YEAR from the public purse to meet similar operating costs to manage national parks. This equates to $72/hectare to manage 7million hectares of NSW national parks.

The SE NSW timber industry has been functioning for over 150 years. The science degree in forestry from ANU is regarded as world leading, instead all we hear about is from one small sector of ‘ecology’ scientists with an agenda. Rarely, if ever, from the forestry scientists – it would be nice to.