Forestry Corporation of NSW confirms timber sales funded Glenbog roadworks

The Forestry Corporation of NSW (FCNSW) has confirmed that timber sales were used to fund roadworks in Glenbog State Forest, a move that has sparked allegations of illegal logging. Conservation groups, including Wilderness Australia and South East Forest Rescue, have lodged a report with the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) alleging that commercial logging was conducted under the guise of road maintenance to bypass environmental protections.

The dispute centers on the legal distinction between road maintenance and commercial logging. Road maintenance is subject to less stringent planning laws, which can result in fewer environmental surveys and weaker protections for threatened species. Advocates claim the operation involved the removal of approximately 1,000 mature trees, including some estimated to be 100 years old, across a 2.7-kilometer stretch of road.

Critics highlight that the work occurred within 50 meters of nine greater glider dens. While forestry rules typically require a 50-meter buffer around such dens, these protections were reportedly not applied because the activity was classified as road management. Environmentalists warn that if roadwork regulations continue to be used to circumvent forestry safeguards, significant portions of roadside forest and critical wildlife habitats could be at risk.