Yet another Northern Rivers forest protector is before the NSW court

IMAGE: Echo, 4 April 2023

 

Forest protector 23 year-old Kashmir Miller (Bachelor of Laws with First Class Honours, Southern Cross University) who suspended herself in a tree on a 25m high platform by a rope attached to three NSW Forestry machines in Doubleduke State Forest in early April has had her case adjourned until 11 May 2023, when as R v Kashmir Miller Case No. 2023/00108712 it is scheduled for Ballina Local Court where it is listed as Mention (Police).

Background

Echo, 20 April 2023:

Forest defender Valerie Thompson will today face court in Ballina after she was arrested for stopping forest operations in Doubleduke State Forest north of Grafton.

Ms Thompson sat high in a tree on a platform, in what is referred to as a tree sit, which was attached to logging equipment and stopped logging for 30 hours in early March this year.

The conflicts in Doubleduke have been ongoing, with NSW Forestry Corporation accused of multiple breaches of harvesting laws including failing to map all giant trees and habitat trees.

On Friday last week the EPA instructed the Forestry Corporation to stop work, which is a temporary victory for the forest defenders. Ms Thompson’s protest was carried out while the EPA was carrying out its investigation into breaches that have since been upheld. Ms Thomson faces charges relating to entering a closed forest and interfering with timber harvesting equipment.....

NSW Environment Protection Authority, News, 16 April 2023:

The EPA has acted on community concerns about giant trees in Doubleduke State Forest on Bundjalung Country near Grafton, leading the Forestry Corporation of NSW (FCNSW) to voluntarily suspend tree harvesting there.

Update: 20 April 2023

 

FCNSW has completed a remap of active harvest areas as requested by the EPA on 14 April 2023.

The additional mapping provides assurance to the EPA and the community that all retained trees in active harvest areas have been identified and mapped.

Having regard to remapping works undertaken by FCNSW, a voluntarily suspension of operations is no longer requested by the EPA.....

 

Logging is again underway in Doubleduke State Forest. It is not certain that it was ever temporarily suspended in practice.