Satellite Image Reveals Disturbing Deforestation in Proposed Aussie Park
Satellite images show alarming deforestation in a proposed national park, raising concerns among conservationists about koala habitats
Australia, Koalas, NSW, Deforestation, Conservation
Coffs Coast: There’s some serious concern brewing over a proposed national park in Australia. Recent satellite images show that a massive area of forest is being chopped down before the park’s borders are even set. We’re talking about 3,513 hectares—13 times the size of Sydney’s CBD—cleared in just over a year.
This info comes from the Wilderness Society, which has been tracking forest loss from March 2023 to June 2024. They found that places like Wild Cattle Creek, Moonpah, and Clouds Creek are losing trees fast. Conservationists were really hoping these areas would be part of the Great Koala National Park on the NSW Mid-North Coast.
The big idea is to connect up to 175,000 hectares of state forest with existing national parks, creating a huge 315,000-hectare nature reserve. This would be a game-changer for the local koala population, which is at risk of extinction.
But here’s the kicker: the Wilderness Society’s Victoria Jack called the clearing “extremely disappointing.” She feels it shouldn’t be up to conservationists to reveal the extent of this destruction. Some of the trees being cut down are in prime koala territory, and she’s seen the evidence herself—koala scratch marks and droppings.
The proposed park could really help save these adorable marsupials. The Minns government had promised to create the Great Koala National Park before the 2023 state election, even committing $80 million to the cause. This came after devastating bushfires in 2019 and 2020 wiped out a huge number of koalas, leading to their endangered status.
However, critics are saying that progress has been slow since the new government took over. Environment Minister Penny Sharpe has been chatting with various groups about the plan, but it’s been held up by changes to federal regulations regarding carbon credits.
Sharpe has been vocal about the importance of the park, warning that if action isn’t taken soon, future generations might never see koalas in the wild. Yet, she also supports the logging operations in the area, which is a bit of a mixed message.
The Forestry Corporation of NSW, which manages the logging, claims it’s stuck in a tough spot. They say they have to keep meeting their obligations to supply timber while the government figures out the park’s future.
In the meantime, conservationists are keeping a close eye on the situation, as more hectares are cleared at places like Moonpah and Wild Cattle Creek. It’s a tense time for Australia’s unique wildlife.