THE VALUE OF NATIONAL PARKS

 A recent visit to the Washpool National Park has reminded me again of the importance of these areas for biodiversity protection and the health of the natural world. In Australia and elsewhere biodiversity is increasingly under threat from multiple sources including urban and agricultural expansion, feral pests and the accelerating impacts climate change.  Our national parks and nature reserves provide a greater safeguard for what remains of our biodiversity than do other areas across the general landscape.

Washpool National Park, part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area, was created in 1983 after a study found the area contained significant plant and animal populations that either were not found anywhere else in the state or were not well-protected in reserves.

Its creation resulted from a political decision by the state government.  This decision did not happen in isolation but followed action by community members recognising the ecological value of the area and their campaign to protect it from logging.  They were strongly opposed by the timber industry and some Grafton locals warning that if logging of the coachwood timber was not allowed, Grafton would become a ghost town. 

Grafton obviously did not become a ghost town following the creation of this magnificent national park. As well as protecting important ecosystems and their biodiversity, it has provided locals and visitors from further afield with a wonderful place for camping, hiking, picnicking, birdwatching and relaxing in a diverse natural area.

Those opposing the creation of the Great Koala National Park (GKNP) have made similar warnings about the “ghost town” effect on the region’s economy.  Obviously there will be a difficult transition period for timber industry workers even though the state government has negotiated a worker support package for those directly impacted by the changes.

A years’-long strong community campaign to protect koalas and other threatened species has led to the government commitment to create the GKNP.  When it is gazetted, it will provide greater protection for important ecosystems and threatened biodiversity as well as increased opportunities for the development of nature-based tourism.

-        Leonie Blain

 Published in the Voices for the Earth column in The Clarence Valley Independent , 19 November,  2025.

BURNT RAINFORESTS NEED HELP

With over a third of north-east NSW's rainforests burnt last year the North East Forest Alliance (NEFA) is calling for the immediate protection of 50m buffers around rainforest and an urgent weed control program in and adjacent to burnt stands.

"The NSW Government's mapping of fire extent and canopy scorch shows that some 160,000 hectares (35%) of north-east NSW's 462,000 ha of rainforests were burnt last fire season", said NEFA spokesperson Dailan Pugh.

"It is tragic that over a third of these priceless relicts burnt in one year. Across the fire-grounds most leaf litter, logs and understorey plants were burnt, along with their inhabitants. Many tree bases were damaged.

"Most worrying is the significant loss of large canopy trees, hundreds of years old, across 125,000 ha of rainforests, with 34,000 ha of these losing most canopy trees.

"Some stands are unlikely to ever recover. 

"These rainforests are relicts from over 70 million years ago when Australia was clothed in rainforest as part of the supercontinent of Gondwana. 

"The relatively small remnants left are packed with survivors from the ancient forests. Rainforests now cover only about 0.25 per cent of Australia, yet they contain about half of our plant species and a third of our mammals and birds.

"The exceptional importance of NSW's rainforests is recognised by parts being created as the Gondwana Rainforests Of Australia World Heritage Area.

"With climate heating increasing droughts, temperatures, heatwaves and extreme fire weather, many of our relictual rainforests are under a looming threat to their continued existence. 

"If we want them to survive they need to be treated with some care and respect.

"Rainforest buffers are essential to maintain moist rainforest microclimates and reduce fire threat.

"If our rainforests are to survive this climate emergency the NSW Government needs to protect their buffers. 

"As a minimum, 50m buffers (one tree height) should be applied around all mapped rainforest stands from which logging and clearing are excluded. Weeds and debris from past logging need to be removed from these buffers.

"The intensity of the fires has killed lantana over large areas, creating an opportunity to control it before it takes over again. This opportunity must be capitalised on if we want to increase the resilience of rainforests" said Mr. Pugh.