Australia Suspends Logging to Protect Eastern Coast Koalas

Fast Summary

• Australia halted logging in 176,000 hectares of forest on new South Wales’ north coast,creating the Great Koala National Park to protect koalas from extinction.
• Logging restrictions affect six timber mills adn approximately 300 workers.The plan comes amid warnings that koalas in New South Wales could die off by 2050 without urgent intervention.
• environmentalists cited deforestation, drought, disease, and bushfires as major causes of declining koala populations. Numbers fell by over half between 2000-2020 in NSW.
• Premier Chris Minns stated the park is a measure to reverse extinction risks while offering financial, training, health services for impacted workers and businesses.
• The state government announced Aus$6 million investment towards tourism/small business opportunities tied to the park and entirely boosted funding by an additional Aus$60 million (on top of earlier pledges).
• The reserve will shelter over 12,000 koalas alongside other threatened species including greater gliders. When connected with existing protected areas it spans about 476,000 hectares.
• Critics argue against extensive land demarcation citing community-economic loses though endorse balanced models blending viable timber industry’s safeguards evolutionary/env/resources options…

Read More: Phys.org