Activists dump Red Gum firewood on Premier Keneally’s doorstep

The Wilderness Society Sydney Inc.
Media Release
25 February 2010

Activists from The Wilderness Society have today dumped a load of River Red Gum Firewood on the doorstep of Kristina Keneally’s Heffron office to highlight the destruction of the Murray River Red Gum Forests.

The firewood was accompanied by a banner reading “Kristina, your choice: River Red Gum National Parks or River Red Gum Firewood”. Today’s action launches a renewed campaign to communicate the need to protect the Murray River Red Gum Forests to the members of Ms Keneally’s electorate.

The Wilderness Society has become increasingly frustrated by the Premier’s lack of response to the December 2009 recommendations by the NSW Natural Resources Commission, which recommended the creation of over 100,000 hectares of new River Red Gum reserves.

A decision on creating new National Parks, as recommended, is currently before the Premier, from which the people of NSW will gauge her environmental credentials.

“Today’s action highlights the simple choice that Premier Keneally must make” said Peter Cooper, Campaigner for The Wilderness Society “She must chose between allowing the Murray River Red Gum Forests to be destroyed for firewood, or protecting them, as recommended by her own scientists”.

The NRC’s report confirmed the importance of the conservation values of these forests, as well as the environmental crisis the face – with up to 80% of trees stressed dead or dying in areas – and painted a damning picture of the impact of logging on the forests.