Greater Gliders on Fast Track to Extinction Due to Logging Protections
Experts criticize NSW environmental watchdog for endangering greater gliders by weakening logging protections
Ecologists Condemn Watchdog's Decision
The environmental watchdog in New South Wales (NSW) has received backlash from ecologists who claim that its recent decision to weaken logging protections has put the endangered greater glider at risk of extinction. WWF-Australia and Wilderness Australia, two prominent ecological organizations, have accused the watchdog of making reckless changes to facilitate easier logging of state forests, potentially leading to the destruction of the gliders' habitat.
The Forestry Corporation, a government-owned corporation currently under investigation for illegally destroying den trees necessary for the survival of greater gliders, has come under scrutiny. The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has imposed stop-work orders and questioned the corporation's pre-harvest habitat surveys. Recently, a dead glider was discovered near a logging site, leading to concerns about the corporation's practices.
Change in Logging Requirements
The EPA has decided to eliminate specific search requirements for glider den trees, a crucial aspect of protecting the species. Currently, den trees must be retained with a 50-meter logging exclusion zone around each one. However, under the new rules, the Forestry Corporation will be required to keep more large, hollow-bearing trees per hectare. In high-density glider areas, the number will increase from eight to 14, and in low-density areas, it will increase from eight to 12.
Experts are deeply concerned about this change, as each greater glider relies on between six and 20 den trees for its habitat, in addition to nearby food trees. Critics argue that the new rules will expedite the glider's path towards extinction, as logging operations can now extend right up to the base of retained trees.
Outsourcing Den Tree Identification
The decision to alter logging protections has also raised concerns about the identification of den trees. Dr. Kita Ashman, a threatened species ecologist with WWF-Australia, accuses the EPA of permanently outsourcing the identification of den trees to concerned ecologists and citizen scientists. It was their work that led to the investigations into the Forestry Corporation's practices. By placing this responsibility on external parties, there are worries that den trees may not be accurately identified and protected, further endangering the greater glider.
Critics argue that the NSW government's decision to remove the requirement for pre-logging surveys demonstrates a lack of responsible environmental management and fails to ensure the safety of gliders. The National Parks Association emphasizes that every den tree plays a crucial role in the species' survival, and abandoning pre-logging surveys could have detrimental effects on the population. Furthermore, conservation groups have identified numerous den trees in recent months, contradicting the Forestry Corporation's failure to do so.
