Friends of Yakamia Forest Boodja condemns alleged illegal logging incident in Yakamia forest

A forest carer group has condemned an incident of alleged illegal logging in Yakamia Forest, saying they were “disgusted” by the vandalism. The Friends of Yakamia Forest Boodja was alerted to a man in his 20s, who was seen using a chainsaw to cut into two dead, old-growth jarrah trees on May 4. The man had allegedly driven his vehicle across a neighbouring private property and along one of the forest firebreak tracks to reach the trees. Yakamia Forest Bushcarers are part of the Friends of Yakamia Forest Boodja. Its leader Rod Sawyer said his group aims to protect the forest against such acts. “This sort of thing makes me feel disappointed and disgusted,” he said. “Apart from breaking the law, these people obviously have no respect for the function and beauty of our natural environment.” Mr Sawyer also warned of the risks associated with driving vehicles into the forest, including introducing dieback from contaminated soil via the tyre treads and the danger posed to hikers and children who use the forest recreationally. Though the trees were dead, Kalgan resident Dr Nicole Chalmer, who has a PhD in environmental and ecological History, said they still serve a vital role in forest ecosystems. “Dead trees are inhabited by important insects which provide food for small animals in the forest,” she said. “Hollows in dead trees are often inhabited by microbats, and birds such as endangered black cockatoos use them for breeding.” The group urged anyone who spots illegal activities in the Yakamia forest, or any other patch of native bush in Albany, to immediately contact City of Albany Rangers on 6820 3999.