Ridge Road forest now ‘a war zone’
I wish to complain about the careless and ecologically unsustainable manner in which logging on Ridge Rd, adjoining, Batehaven has been carried out.
This was a dense, cool, bio-diverse forest, abundant with wildlife; habitat to lyrebirds, echidna, wombats and other species.
It contained peaceful bushwalking/mountain bike trails which residents and visitors enjoyed. Today, it looks like a war zone.
The trails have vanished; bulldozed into massive areas of bare dirt littered with tree canopies and branches. The animals have vanished. So many trees were taken, it has no protective canopy for any wildlife escaping the devastation. It has no understorey, vital for many species. Dead wildlife litters the area.
Habitat and retreat trees have had surrounding trees so closely logged they no longer offer protection. There is a partially felled habitat tree, its canopy destroyed by a carelessly felled neighbouring tree.
The “H” indicating it was to be protected was sprayed over. Trees marked Y.B.G for yellow-bellied glider have had so many neighbouring trees felled the creatures have surely perished.
Careless operation has disturbed vast areas of topsoil, which will pollute water ways.
Our economy depends on tourism, fresh air, accessible bushland and pristine beaches. Tree harvesting is not consistent with a Nature Coast. Forestry soon begins “heavy harvesting” between Dog Trap and Dunns Creek roads. If this is logged in the same negligent manner, it will be the loss of a pristine asset.
This is an area of rare and threatened flora and fauna. It contains spectacular temperate rainforest trails such as “Jackhammer”, “Joan of Arc”, “Vietnam” and “Ho Chi Min”. It is vital we preserve this area.
Lisa Pfitzner
Batehaven
Too much of a stretch?
I see on reading the Bay Post/Moruya Examiner there is talk of a dog park and yet there is still no exercise station for adults at Corrigans Beach.
Or is it as out of reach as the indoor swimming pool?
Surely not.
Del St Clair
Batehaven
Number crunching those ones and twos?
Recently there’s been discussion about public toilets, the Albert Ryan Park ones in particular.
For some years, Eurobodalla Shire Council - particularly staff - have been proposing toilet block rationalisations, as well as with other community owned assets.
The odd thing is when the shire’s population was smaller, there were more public toilet facilities or public assets. With increasing visitor and population numbers, you’d think more would be required, wouldn’t you?
How do the economic rationalists in the area justify their opinions when the tourist and resident populations are increasing and it’s an ageing population?
Even the economic rationalistsmust start realising they too will get older and become more dependent on public assets and other public infrastructures.
Allan Brown
Catalina
Slow boat to nowhere
The divide between the health of people in rural areas and that of people in metropolitan areas will widen if faults in the roll-out of the National Broadband Network are not fixed.
There is overwhelming evidence that people who live in rural and remote Australia tend to have lower life expectancy, higher rates of disease and injury, and poorer access to and use of health services than people living in major cities.
