Protect the River Red Gum Forests

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River Red Gum Forest line the banks of the Murray River in the internationally listed Millewa Forest. Photo: Peter Cooper

Take Action Now!

Show your support by writing to NSW Premier Kristina Keneally.

On December 21st, the NSW Natural Resources Commission released its final recommendations for the future management of the Murray River Red Gum Forests, recommending the creation of over 100,000 hectares of new River Red Gum Reserves.

Their report to the NSW government shows the environmental crisis these areas are facing and urgent need for the NSW Government to upon these recommendations and create new protected areas over these internationally significant wetland forests.

The report also paints a damning picture of logging practices used in the forests, showing that these have been logged at over four times the sustainable level for the past two decades, in what conservationists have described as ‘the most blatant case of over-logging in modern Australia’.

The report shows that the forests are no longer able to sustain the industry at current levels – the very definition of unsustainable.

However, over 35,000 hectares are recommended to be kept open to logging – including areas listed as being of international significance. Government should commit to removing logging from these areas and creating new National parks across their entirety.

The red gum forests of the Murray River region are the largest remaining red gum forests on earth and play a vital role in protecting the health of the rivers. They are home to endangered animals and are an important breeding site for migratory birds as well as a significant Australian cultural and recreational icon.

The NRC have highlighted both the importance of the River Red Gum Forests, which are home to over 100 threatened species, and the environmental crisis they face.

The red gum forests of the Murray River region are the largest remaining red gum forests on earth and play a vital role in protecting the health of the rivers. They are home to endangered animals and are an important breeding site for migratory birds as well as a significant Australian cultural and recreational icon.

Over regulation of our river systems and drought have led to huge areas becoming extremely stressed, with up to 80 percent of trees dead or dying in some areas. NRC Commissioner John Williams has said that "In the face of the scientific facts that we have detailed in our reports, it is untenable to do nothing.''

Government must act immediately to protect the future of these Australian icons and to deliver sufficient water to them.

A sample letter appears below – please take the time to write on behalf of these internationally significant wetland forests.

Sample Letter:

Kristina Keneally
Premier of NSW
Level 40 Governor Macquarie Tower
1 Farrer Place
SYDNEY NSW 2000

Dear Premier

The Natural Resources Commission has recommended that you create new reserves across the River Red Gum Forests of NSW. They recommend the creation of:

•    72031 hectares of new National Park
•    13038 hectares of new Regional Park
•    21492 hectares if new Indigenous Protected Areas

I strongly support these recommendations and urge you to immediately act on them.

The NRC have highlighted both the importance of the River Red Gum Forests, which are home to over 100 threatened species, and the environmental crisis they face. Over regulation of our river systems and drought have led to huge areas becoming extremely stressed, with up to 80 percent of trees dead or dying in some areas.

I strongly support the NRC’s recommendations that government provide at least an further 1,200 gigalitres of environmental water flows to the forests, to ensure their long term survival.

The report also paints a damning picture of logging practices used in the forests, showing that have been logged at over four times the sustainable level for the past two decades. The report shows that the forests are no longer able to sustain the industry at current levels – the very definition of unsustainable.

However, over 35,000 hectares are recommended to be kept open to logging across areas listed as being of international significance. The environmental and cultural values of these areas are well recognised and, along with the Millewa and Werai forest groups, form the Murray Icons – a crucial area of large tracts of connected forest in a heavily cleared landscape.

These areas will prove crucial to the survival of native wildlife in a changing climate.

I urge you to remove logging from these areas and commit to the creation of new National Parks, in negotiation with the forests’ Indigenous Traditional Owners, across their entirety.

The report makes recommendations for Indigenous management of a number of areas.

I strongly support these recommendations and urge you to extend this to any further areas, where sought by Traditional Owners.

I look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely,