Saving Murray River Red Gums

NSW Greens launch Saving Murray River Red Gums Policy - Dying Red Gums endanger the Murray-Darling.

The continued logging of the iconic Murray River Red Gums by Forests NSW makes a mockery of the NSW Government's commitment to the ongoing health of the Murray Darling Basin, according to the NSW Greens.

"Morris Iemma is in a meeting today that will determine the future of the Murray-Darling. He should recognise that the health of the River Red Gums has a direct impact on the quantity and quality of water in the river system itself," said NSW Greens MP Ian Cohen.

"These majestic trees are already under enormous stress from a lack of water due to over allocation and the ongoing drought. There is simply no way that logging can be sustainably conducted in such a stressed ecosystem.

"The 172,000 hectares of River Red Gum forests contain 69 different endangered species, 19 migratory birds listed for protection under international agreements and 84,000 hectares of Ramsar recognised internationally significant wetlands.

"The NSW Greens are calling for a suite of measures to help protect the Murray River Red Gums, spearheaded by a system of linked River Red Gum National Parks to be created along the Murray and Lower Darling Rivers.

"National Parks have a proven economic as well as environmental benefit. A well-considered restructure and business exit package for the local timber industry, allied with Government investment in new sustainable industries will lead to a secure long-term future for regional economies. An on-going reliance on an unsustainable and low value logging industry will not.

"Dedicated environmental water allocations for each of these new National Parks are also vital to ensure proper environmental flows and appropriate flooding regimes.

"The health of the Murray relies on a healthy surrounding ecosystem as well as an increase in the water flow.

"The usual suspects will no doubt attempt, yet again, to portray environmental flows as being contrary to the interests of farmers. This is a furphy. A healthy ecosystem leads to a healthy river, which can only benefit all stakeholders," concluded Mr Cohen.