NSW:Glider at risk from logging: Foley

AAP General News (Australia)
12-17-2011
NSW:Glider at risk from logging: Foley

SYDNEY, Dec 17 AAP - The endangered yellow-bellied glider has been placed under increased
threat by changes to logging regulations in southern NSW, the state opposition says.

Opposition spokesman for Environment and Climate Change Luke Foley has accused Robyn
Parker of pushing through amendments to the forestry operations approvals which would
endanger the glider.

Mr Foley said the environment minister's changes to the regulations would make way
for the logging of the glider's habitat on the Bago Plateau, near Tumut.

"The change is very specific, it makes it clear that there is one endangered species
that can be harmed by forestry NSW logging operations in southern NSW," Mr Foley told
reporters in Sydney on Saturday.

"To date there was an absolute prohibition on doing any harm to any endangered species.

"Robyn Parker has granted on one exception only to log the forest that is home to the
endangered yellow bellied glider."

Ms Parker said logging would only be allowed in areas which were considered "low quality"

habitat for the gliders.

"Logging in areas of medium and high quality habitat is prohibited until a scientifically
rigorous Population Management Plan has been signed off by the EPA," she said in a statement
on Saturday.

"This amendment restricts Forests NSW logging to areas of low quality Yellow-bellied
glider habitat on the Bago Plateau."

The amendments were lodged with NSW parliament on November 7 and are expected to be
tabled when parliament resumes next year.

Mr Foley said logging could begin from September next year.

AAP lcf/ct/mat/was

KEYWORD: GLIDER

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