Statements by the Forest Products Association is relation to the logging operation presently underway in the drinking water catchment of the Eurobodalla Shire have been refuted by the Coastwatchers Association. Claims that the community and Coastwatchers in particular, have been aware of plans to log the Deua catchment forests for months are untrue.

Coastwatchers has for many months now been highlighting to Government the problems of accessing information about forestry activities. The reporting requirements laid down in the controlling document, the Integrated Forestry Operations Approval (IFOA) are not being complied with by State Forests (SFNSW). Thus, the community is not able to access details of proposed logging operations until the very last moment….often when it is too late to effectively register complaint.

In the case of the present Deua logging, the detailed schedule, harvesting plans and maps were only provided by SFNSW on 8 January 2004. Until that time all that had been made available was a listing of areas which were being considered for logging during the year. "Only on receipt of the detailed harvesting plans and relevant maps did we become aware of when and where the logging was going to take place and the dangers it posed for the water supply", said Martyn Phillips, Coastwatchers spokesperson.

"Only then was the community able to see the extent of the planned logging operation, details of the planned roading network and the volumes and types of timber to be harvested. This was the first time we knew that logging was set to occur to within 200 metres of the Deua River or so close to the Council's pumping station just downstream.

"SFNSW or the Forest Products People cannot have it both ways. They cannot say that the community has been advised of the logging plans and then keep the details secret until its too late for the community to voice its concerns", Martyn Phillips added.

The Eurobodalla Shire Council has every reason to be concerned about the problems to the water supply which this logging will cause. The community has every right to insist that details of the destructive effects of the logging be made available and that community interests are protected.

The Eurobodalla Shire Council has called for a halt to logging until the specific studies into the impacts of logging the Deua can be assessed. The Council has restated the need for special protection for the water catchments. Logging of the Deua River catchments seems a long way from providing that Special Protection which the community again demands.

END

Martyn Phillips

The Coastwatchers Association inc