Southern Region
The NSW Government has created over 1.5 million hectares of new national parks and more than 460,000 hectares of informal reserves in NSW since 1995. The Southern Regional Forest Agreement added more than 325,000 hectares to reserves with a further 60,000 hectares protected in State forests.
In November 2005 over 7000 hectares of forest was added to National Parks and State Conservation Areas in the region. An additional 1882 hectares was vested in the Minister for the Environment, with the possibility for eventual transfer or purchase for the reserve system.
The Forest Agreement for the Southern Region of NSW, and subsequent conservation announcements, resulted in a world class reserve system, with strict provisions to protect the environmental and heritage values of the southern forests.
As well as this, the agreement provides certainty and security to the forestry industry for 20-years. This is an important outcome for industry.
The Southern Integrated Forestry Operations Approval includes requirements for threatened species, environmental protection and fisheries licences. These provisions prohibit logging in key environmentally sensitive areas such as stream sides, high conservation value old growth forest, and rainforest. They also limit the proportion of trees that may be harvested, and protect the habitats of threatened species. Threatened species and environmental protection provisions are enforced by the EPA.
A separate process was undertaken for the Goulburn Region. The Parks and Wildlife Group of OEH is continuing to finalise potential new park proposals in Goulburn.
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Page last updated: 09 November 2012
