Council to advocate for plan to transition away from native forest logging

However councillors voted against condemning logging as "environmentally and economically unsustainable".

Greens councillor Alison Worthington tabled the motion 'Eurobodalla Shire Council supports an end to native forest logging in Eurobodalla Shire' for the second time on August 9.

The motion, which was first tabled and voted down in April, included the recommendation council "note[d] the growing evidence that native forest logging by Forestry Corporation (Forestry) of NSW in our State Forests is both economically and environmentally unsustainable".

Cr Worthington told the councillors they had the opportunity to "ask for a shift in the management of our public-owned state forest, to protect endangered species" and "to be brave and admit when something's not working."

Cr Pollock dismissed the motion as "a philosophical, partisan piece of zealotry".

The recommendation was again voted down, with Cr Worthington and councillor David Grace in support.

Councillors Mat Hatcher, Rob Pollock, Tubby Harrison, Amber Schutz, Peter Diskon, and Tanya Dannock voted against the recommendation.

Councillor Anthony Mayne was absent from the meeting due to sickness.

Cr Schutz was hesitant for the council to "make a judgement call" about the level of economic sustainability of a government organisation who, in a presentation to councillors on June 8, insisted their logging practices were economically viable.

"Forestry is a government organisation," she said. "It's purpose isn't just to operate as a company, it's purpose is to operate as an organisation providing benefits to the community.

"We shouldn't measure it against the economics in this one sector."

Council planning and sustainability services director Lindsay Usher said the council had a "very constructive relationship with Forestry".

He said projects such as the Botanic Gardens - hosted by Forestry - the planned Eurobodalla mountain bike paths and fire trails would not exist without Forestry.

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Cr Schutz proposed an amended motion:

To note there is growing concern by members of our community that the current native forest logging practice within the Eurobodalla by Forestry in our state forests should be revised against current best practice within Australia and globally.

It was voted for by councillors Pollock, Hatcher, Harrison, Schutz, Grace, Diskon and Dannock.

Cr Worthington opposed the amendment.

The motion included a recommendation the council advocate to the NSW State government for the urgent development of a plan for the just transition of the native forest industry to ecologically sustainable plantations.

Cr Grace said a transition required a lot of thought.

"We need to make sure people who have worked for generations in the forest know they have a well-paying, long-term job they can hand to their kids if they wish to," he said.

"The central element of this debate is how we transition, and we need to ask the NSW government to do the transition properly.

"We don't want to find ourselves in a position where we haven't planned for Forestry to close down."

Cr Schutz supported the recommendation because of the economic benefits.

"Moving forward into the future, we will see less and less reliance on fossil fuels," she said.

"In advocating for a plan to transition to other models of forestry, from a business perspective, there is benefit in that."

The recommendation was passed, with councillors Grace, Worthington, Hatcher, Schutz, Dannock and Diskon voting in support.

Councillors Harrison and Pollock voted against the recommendation.

The motion's recommendation that the council "notes that logging in our State Forests is incompatible with our shire's and our region's investments in nature-based tourism enterprises, climate change mitigation and the protection of biodiversity" was passed.

Councillors Diskon, Hatcher, Grace, Worthington and Dannock voted in support.

Councillors Schutz, Harrison and Pollock opposed the recommendation.

A recommendation to advocate "that the NSW State government enact plans to manage our State Forests, in partnership with south coast communities and local councils, for their nature-based tourism assets, recreational opportunities, biodiversity values and for carbon sequestration" was moved by Cr Worthington but not seconded.

The councillors unanimously voted in support of the recommendation to write to the state government and state opposition recognising the benefits of Forestry to the Eurobodalla, and calling for an urgent transition plan.

Cr Worthington said advocacy was the most the council could do to stop native logging.

"This is an advocacy piece," she said. "We don't get to dictate the outcome of this advocacy."

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