The Draft Coastal Integrated Forestry Operations Approval (IFOA) is proposed to replace four, 20-year-old IFOAs that currently operate across Eastern NSW. IFOAs regulate logging in State forests and other Crown-timber lands by the Forestry Corporation of NSW.

Part A of our submission comments on high-level forestry policy drivers. In summary we submit:

  1. Wood supply policy aims must be urgently and transparently revised.
  2. Long-term values of healthy forests outweigh short-term costs of buybacks.
  3. Need for investment and up-to-date understanding of diverse forest values.
  4. Clearer links needed to ESFM principles, including the precautionary principle.
  5. Intensive harvesting limits and transitional arrangements allow unsustainable logging levels.
  6. Inadequate consultation and lack of transparency on important decisions.
  7. Forestry regulation, agencies and operators must be climate-ready and responsive.

Part B comments on the details under nine themes in the Draft Coastal IFOA:

  1. IFOA structure and ‘outcome-focused’ approach
  2. Multi-scale landscape approach
  3. Harvesting practices and limits
  4. Wildlife habitat & tree retention clumps and threatened species protections
  5. Landscape protections
  6. Environmentally Significant Areas and boundary rules
  7. Improved mapping and technology
  8. Monitoring framework
  9. Regeneration standards.
Draft Coastal Integrated Forestry Operations ApprovalDownload