NSW: Logging protesters chained to equipment in state forest

AAP General News (Australia)
12-18-1998
NSW: Logging protesters chained to equipment in state forest

SYDNEY, Dec 18 AAP - Five protesters today locked themselves onto logging equipment in
forest on the New South Wales mid-north coast earmarked by the state government as a national
park, the Wilderness Society said.

Society spokesman Glen Katovsky said at first light the protesters used bike chains and
thumb cuffs to lock themselves onto the equipment in the Myall River State Forest, just north
of Bulahdelah.

Mr Katovsky said when the loggers arrived for work there were no rows with the protesters
and they left the worksite.

"It has been very civilised, which is good," he told AAP.

"We just want them to stop logging. That would be a lovely Christmas gift from the state
government."

There were 40 areas of forest in the north-east, earmarked to become national park in
January, which State Forests had logged since the government's new forestry legislation passed
last month, he said.

He said the government had given permission for logging to continue in areas of forest
declared national park under the new forestry legislation, until the parks are gazetted on
January 1.

AAP brw/tsm/bjm

KEYWORD: FOREST PROTEST

1998 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.