NSW Forest Defenders have targeted proposed and operating biomass facilities in NSW dropping banners that read “Dead Koala Energy #BigBadBiomass “and “No Trees for Electricity! Stop the Biomassacre”.
Along with other actions around the country, the actions are part of the International Day of Action against #BigBadBiomass, the practice of cutting trees to burn in power stations for electricity and calling it clean and renewable.
One banner was hung over the conveyor belt at the Broadwater Mill that runs from the woodchip stockyard across the M1 to be burnt for electricity by Cape Byron Power. And is now joined by more concerned citizens holding banners outside the power station.
The other was dropped off the mothballed Redbank Power Station (Singleton) where there are plans to reboot the power station to burn wood instead.
These forest defenders are concerned that burning wood for electricity (biomass) is being touted as a fake solution to climate change. Biomass facilities can receive renewable energy subsidies, when they release more carbon dioxide than coal, plus a raft of dangerous pollutants. As well they contribute to massive deforestation and habitat destruction.
Plans to reboot the mothballed Redbank Coal Power Station (near Singleton) to burn wood instead has already been met with broad community opposition. The power station would need millions of trees a year to keep it going, taking wood from across NSW native forests.
The forest defenders who dropped the banner at Redbank have a clear message- koalas will die to keep this power station alive. It will depend on intensive logging, particularly in the mid-north coast area from Bulahdelah to Coffs Harbour.
“You can’t take millions of trees from the forests and say it will have no impact. The only people saying this are those with vested interests. Any scientists who claim that removing trees has no impact on koalas need to hand back their degrees,” said Zianna Fuad, spokesperson.
“Our local forests have already suffered enough burning from the Black Summer bushfires. Threatened species like the koala, now rely on what’s left for the survival of their species.
“Forests are the best carbon capture and storage we have. It’s criminal that they are being burnt for energy when we have cleaner and cheaper alternatives like solar and wind.
We need to leave all fossil fuels and forests in the ground. Australia must stop subsidising corporations that profit from clearing, logging and climate emissions. It’s critical we cut carbon not forests”
More information on upcoming local actions and events can be found at facebook.com/forestdefencensw
