Swift parrot in Bermagui, urgent need to stop logging - Brown

Following sitings of the endangered swift parrot in a south east forest slated for logging in coming weeks Senator Bob Brown and Greens MP Lee Rhiannon have called on the state and federal government to ensure plans to log in this area are abandoned.

"Swift parrot sitings in the NSW south east forests is wonderful news and every effort needs to be taken to ensure their habitat is not destroyed," Senator Brown said.

"The Swift parrot is one of the nation's most endangered birds. The logging of its winter feeding habitat near Bermagui (NSW) and its summer nesting habitat at Wielangta (Tas) is a national disgrace. The Minister for the Environment Peter Garrett should immediately intervene on both sides of Bass Strait.

South East NSW Greens spokesperson Lee Rhiannon said, "With less than a thousand breeding pairs remaining, Premier Rees needs to ensure State Forests do nothing that can disrupt or destroy the forest area where swift parrots are feeding.

"The Greens are calling on Premier Rees to act as we have no confidence in the responsible minister, Ian Macdonald.

"The arrival of swift parrots in the NSW southeast is great news. Now we have a responsibility to ensure they are well protected.

"Premier Rees could show his green credentials by ordering Forests NSW to stay out of the forestry compartment where the swift parrots have been seen.

"These sitings are highly significant. These parrots are listed by the World Conservation Union in its Red Book of globally endangered species. The swift parrot is more rare than China's giant panda or Borneo's orangutans.

"The south east forest feeding grounds for the swift parrot are significant as its migration route is very long, from Wielangta's tall eucalypt forest to mainland winter feeding grounds.

"These blossom-feeding birds are in a perilous situation because of forestry operations and every effort needs to be taken by the NSW government to safeguard them," Ms Rhiannon said.


For further information
For Bob Brown contact Alison Hetherington - 0438 962 998
For Lee Rhiannon - 92303551, 0427 861 568