2020-02-26
A petition presented to the NSW Parliament today with over 1,500 signatures shows the power of the small community of Manyana in the Shoalhaven with a population of only 521 people.
Greens MP David Shoebridge said:
"It was a privilege to present this petition to the Parliament and call on the house to support an urgent moratorium on land clearing for development in bushfire affected areas.
"We know that bushfires across NSW have burned more than 5 million hectares of land, destroying landscapes including wet sclerophyll forests and rainforests and killing over a billion native animals.
"The forests along Bendalong Road into Manyana have been devastated by fire, and when I visited just weeks ago were among the worst we have ever seen - utterly silent and sterile.
"In many bushfire affected areas, including Manyana, current development approvals will see the only remaining intact forest. The loss of this will have a devastating impact on wildlife and local communities.
"The remaining forests in Manyana and other bushfire affected areas are essential to repopulate the surrounding burnt forest and provide support for the local communities dealing with so much loss," Mr Shoebridge said.
Media contact DavidShoebridge 9230 3030
Media contact for community group "Manyana Matters" Jorj Lowrey 0400 937 234