Allegations of non-compliance have again been levelled against Forestry Corporation of NSW over its operations in a Far South Coast forest, with the state's primary environmental regulator confirming it is investigating the situation.
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NSW Greens MP Cate Faehrmann visited Tantawangalo State Forest on November 4 and claimed to find multiple regulation breaches by the corporation.
She alleged key habitat trees had not been marked and some pulled down, and also said Forestry was only supposed to be undertaking a regrowth thinning operation, but claimed some of the trees felled were over 80 years old.
Also, she alleged wood waste had been left against old habitat trees in a breach of fire safety regulations and the corporation was supposed to maintain as much of the understorey as possible, but it had been "absolutely trashed".
"You could spot multiple breaches every time you turned around," she said.
"You look at a forest like that and you know that would impact on species in the area.
"Threatened species are on the rise in NSW, we're talking an extinction crisis."
Ms Faehrmann said she had visited forests "up and down the state" where she alleged there had been multiple breaches of non-compliance by Forestry.
"The compliance is so lax, even if they are fined it's so low I don't think it acts as a deterrent," she said.
An Environment Protection Authority (EPA) spokesperson said last year their department concluded an investigation of a variety of alleged non-compliances by Forestry during its operations in the Tantawangalo forest over 2015-2017.
"Formal warnings were issued for alleged inadequacies in the protective measures required for rocky outcrops, hollow-bearing trees and stream side buffers," they said.
"More recently, the EPA has received reports alleging a variety of non-compliances and is continuing its investigations."
In response to the new allegations a spokesperson for Forestry Corporation of NSW said all of the corporation's operations were planned and carried out in line with the state's robust environmental regulations.
"Forestry Corporation has operations in Tantawangalo State Forest from time to time, including recent thinning operations," they said.
"Before each operation we spend several months carrying out detailed planning and ecological surveys to identify and set aside habitat and other important environmental features in line with strict prescriptions developed by expert scientific panels.
"Compliance is independently regulated by the Environment Protection Authority and we are actively working with the EPA as they review allegations in relation to these recent operations."
To view updates of investigations into native forestry operations by the EPA click here.
