MEMBERS of Coastwatchers and Friends of the Forest (Mogo) will attend the Brooman Forest Conservation group's Big Canopy Campout tomorrow [Saturday, October 17].
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The Big Canopy Campout is the latest part of a campaign to stop proposed new logging in the South Brooman State Forest.
The matter was also discussed recently by Shoalhaven City Council's development and environment committee.
The Big Canopy Campout, an international event bringing the world's canopy and forest community together for one night in [or under] the canopy each year.
In Australia, their chosen charity is the Bob Brown Foundation.
The location of tomorrow's Big Canopy Campout is about 800m on the north side of the dirt Sheep Track before the junction with The River Road [coming from the Princes Highway].
You can also camp-in at home and come to the group's two-hour logging tours at 2pm Saturday October 17 or 10am Sunday October 18 and both start at the picnic tables at the Termeil BP servo on the Princes Highway.
The tours will be a convoy of cars to maintain social distancing along dirt roads so high clearance required [allow two hours].
The tours will give people the opportunity to look at the area in question.
Meanwhile, the recent debate at Shoalhaven City Council left the likes of South Brooman resident Takesa Frank disappointed.
"People don't realise that logging started again in our burnt forests, just weeks after the fire went through. It's had a profound impact on the community having to see every day the devastation of the fires and now the impact of logging on the forests," Ms Frank said.
The community recently formed the Brooman State Forest Conservation Group to raise awareness of the impact of logging on the region's burnt forests and to open a public discussion about the future of native forest logging in the region.
The NSW Environment Protection Authority, in July, issued Forestry Corporation of NSW with a Stop Work Order to cease tree harvesting in part of South Brooman State Forest near Batemans Bay.
EPA Executive Director Regulatory Operations Carmen Dwyer said EPA investigations into operations in Compartment 58a of the forest had revealed serious alleged breaches of the rules that govern native forestry operations, in relation to the protection of trees that must be permanently retained.
"Officers allegedly found 26 hollow bearing trees that were either felled or damaged, with many of these trees also not identified and mapped in the planning phase," Ms Dwyer said.
"This area is known to be home to several threatened species that use hollow bearing trees. The Yellow-bellied Glider, the Glossy-Black Cockatoo and the Powerful, Masked and Sooty Owls are all listed as vulnerable species and may use hollow bearing trees for habitat."
"The importance of identifying, mapping and protecting these vital trees is a key requirement and there should be proper processes in place to ensure compliance."