Government faces backlash as proposed animal sanctuary stuck in limbo while new threat emerges: 'We were promised a world-class national park'

Koala populations in Australia have been steadily declining. Their diminution has been exacerbated by habitat destruction due to the 2019-2020 Australian bushfires and industry logging.

An analysis by conservation advocates found that logging activity has actually accelerated in areas of a native forest that had been proposed for a koala sanctuary, The Guardian reported. 

What's happening?

In 2015, the Australian Labor Party promised the creation of a Great Koala National Park. The vision included preserving and protecting over 300,000 hectares of forest land between Macksville and Woolgoolga in New South Wales to protect the koalas in that region. The ALP has yet to deliver on that promise.

Making this a key election promise in his campaign for government, Chris Minns, the current head of New South Wales, again committed to protecting the koalas.

However, his two years in office have yet to produce a GKNP. On top of that, logging activity in the proposed forest sanctuary has accelerated since Minns assumed his role in office.

A total of 7,185 hectares of forest land had been logged since the 2023 elections, and a total of 20,630 hectares had been logged since the 2015 promise, the analysis found, according to The Guardian. Logging activity has nearly doubled in the past two years compared to the last 10.

"We were promised a world-class national park. That's been reiterated many times since. We just want that to be done and the degradation to stop," said Dailan Pugh, president of the North East Forest Alliance, per The Guardian. 

Why is logging concerning?

Logging, or the harvesting of trees for timber, destroys wildlife habitats, including those of koalas, which live primarily in trees. When their habitats are destroyed, koalas lose shelter and food, forcing them to find new homes and survive in a barren environment. This experience is extremely stressful and disorienting for koalas, and it makes them highly vulnerable and more prone to injury and disease.

Logging also increases global carbon output, as cutting down trees releases the carbon stored in their wood, leaves, and roots. According to the Climate Council, 2023 saw the loss of 3.7 million hectares of tropical forest land, which produced approximately 6% of the global carbon output that year. Increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere leads to an invisible bubble of heat-trapping gas that keeps global temperatures steadily rising. 

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What can I do to help?

Conservation advocates are continuing to pressure the NSW government to deliver on its promise of a Great Koala National Park.

To join the fight against industry logging and deforestation, you can donate money to organizations that advocate for sustainable forestry and support reforestation efforts. Alternatively, get your hands dirty and plant trees in your local community.

Companies such as Morfo have developed innovative drone technology to support reforestation efforts. The Ogoni women in Nigeria have been diligently replanting mangrove trees since 2018.

Small but sustained efforts to combat global logging and deforestation issues can make a big impact.

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