The Forest Alliance NSW has today criticised in strongest possible terms Forestry Corporation of NSW following a Land and Environment Court ruling confirming the illegal destruction of ancient trees in Wild Cattle Creek State Forest, exposing more than $1.1 million in taxpayer-funded costs.

On 13 March 2026, the Land and Environment Court convicted Forestry Corporation of four offences after it failed to identify and protect six giant trees and three hollow-bearing trees during logging operations near Dorrigo in 2020. The agency pleaded guilty.

These trees (pictures below, credit North East Forest Alliance) are estimated to be between 300 and 500 years old and up to 50 metres tall, and were unlawfully felled between June and July 2020.

The Court ordered Forestry Corporation to pay $450,000 in penalties, alongside significant additional costs including legal fees, audits, publication orders and a restorative justice process. Total known costs to the public exceed $1.18 million, with final legal costs likely to push this figure higher.

The penalty will be paid to the Yurruungga Aboriginal Corporation to deliver restorative justice actions, including cultural mapping, a healing process, and the establishment of a Gumbaynggirr Guardians ranger program.

This marks a first-of-its-kind restorative justice outcome for illegal logging in NSW, directing funds toward cultural healing and on-Country repair led by Traditional Owners.

“The restorative justice outcome is a positive and meaningful step, and it’s right that this fine is directed towards Traditional Owners. However, no amount of funding can bring back 300 to 500-year-old trees once they are gone,” said Clancy Barnard, Nature Conservation Council NSW and Forest Alliance Spokesperson.

“While this approach is innovative, it also underscores how serious the harm is. These are ancient, irreplaceable ecosystems, and once they are destroyed, they cannot be restored.”

“The financial penalty itself is relatively modest when set against the scale of environmental loss, and far smaller than the total cost now being borne by the public.

“This is taxpayer-funded environmental destruction, followed by taxpayer-funded clean-up.”

“More than a million dollars has been wasted because Forestry Corporation failed to carry out basic environmental checks before logging.”

Justice Pain also ordered Forestry Corporation to undertake an independent audit of its procedures after evidence showed staff had been given incorrect guidance on how to identify protected trees.

“This case highlights systemic issues in how native forest logging is being carried out,” Barnard said.

The ruling comes nearly six years after the offences occurred, during which time logging has continued across NSW native forests.

Forestry Corporation was also fined more than $285,000 in 2022 for illegal logging of a koala high-use area and rainforest in the same forest.

“This is part of an ongoing pattern of environmental harm, legal breaches and public cost,” Barnard said. Further examples here.

“Ending native forest logging would stop this cycle of damage and taxpayer waste, while protecting biodiversity and supporting a transition to a sustainable plantation-based timber industry.”

Clancy Barnard

On behalf of the Forest Alliance NSW, which includes:

• The Nature Conservation Council of NSW 
• WWF-Australia 
• Wilderness Australia 
• North East Forest Alliance 
• North Coast Environment Council
• Brooman State Forest Conservation Group 
• The Wilderness Society 
• National Parks Association of NSW 
• South East Forest Rescue 
• Bob Brown Foundation